How Your Energy Efficient Windows Are Built | Flower Mound, TX
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When it comes to energy efficient windows you may be more than a little curious just what goes into them. After all, you want to know what’s going into your house and that includes all of the different components that you might not have as much control over. Your home needs windows, but knowing just how they’re made and what is in them can make you feel more comfortable and it definitely makes sure you know how to choose the windows that you want for your home.
The Frame
First, there’s the outside frame of your windows. These frames can be made of a number of different materials but they are the part that holds the entire window together and makes sure that it’s secure. This is also the part that fits into the side of your house and makes sure that you get a good seal that keeps out moisture and insects. But there’s a bit involved in creating a frame, besides just choosing the material that you want it to be made out of. You also need to think about the four sides.
The sides are made up of the windowsill at the bottom of the frame, the jambs on the sides and the heat at the top. These create a box that the panes of glass will sit inside. Once again, they can be made out of plenty of things like vinyl, wood, fiberglass or even metal. Each of these different materials will give your window a different level of strength and durability, but it will also give the window a completely different look, which is why it’s important for you to take a look for your own home.
Insulation
Inside the frame of the window you’ll generally find some level of insulation. This is designed to help the window keep out a lot of energy transfer. You want the temperature inside your home to stay there and the temperature outside your home to stay there. While the frame itself can help with this, it’s generally better if you have some type of insulation in between the frame and the sides of the house as well. This prevents even more energy transfer and makes sure your home is going to be more comfortable in the long run.
The Sash
The window sash of your energy efficient windows. The sash is the part that opens and closes so that you can get a little fresh air into your Flower Mound, TX home. You want a sash that’s going to be durable and strong because a thin sash on your windows could break or it may not work as well as you would expect. These sashes are made up of rails that run along the top and bottom as well as stiles along the sides, which will also help hold the next step we’re going to talk about, which is the glazing.
The Glazing
Your energy efficient windows need glass and that’s what the glazing refers to. But it’s not just the panes of glass. It’s also the gas in between the glass that helps to keep your windows more energy efficient. The pieces of glass in your energy efficient windows are often referred to as panes or lites, and they are even spaced out inside the window frame and the sash to provide a layer of space in between each one. That’s where the gas goes to make sure that the windows are even more efficient.
The glass in the window is tempered to make sure that it won’t break even if the temperatures inside or outside your home change dramatically in a short period of time. They may also be laminated, which means that they are safer for use in hurricanes and other dangerous situations. These windows have additional impact protection rather than just being energy efficient windows. That can be great in Texas and other coastal states because it means better protection against things like tornadoes as well. It means that the glass won’t shatter all over the house if something hits the window.
Finally, those layers of glass are coated with a thin layer of metal, which will help to reflect heat. This is what makes for energy efficient windows in the first place. That layer of metal is regulated by Energy Star to make sure that your home doesn’t lose too much energy and that it doesn’t absorb too much energy from outside. The layers are put directly onto the layers of glass to make sure that each layer reflects a little more heat. But the layers are so thin that you can’t see them even though they’re made with things like silver, titanium oxide or silicon dioxide.
Gas Insert
The gas in between the panes of glass is completely invisible and considered ‘inert’ but it’s an extremely important part of the process. Without it, those three panes of glass in a triple pane window wouldn’t protect any more than your single pane window. The gas is what makes for energy efficient windows. It’s generally krypton or argon, though it can be a mixture of the two, and then it’s used to keep air molecules from getting through your windows and into (or out of) your home.
If you’re looking for energy efficient windows for your home all you have to do is give us a call at Energy Window Solutions in Flower Mound, TX. Our team is ready and able to get to your house in no time to make sure you’re getting the best windows possible. After all, we know how important it is for you to cut down on your energy bills and still keep your house looking great. Our team will help you along the way and make sure that you are more than ready for what your home needs. Energy efficient windows are going to improve your home, and all you need to do is schedule an appointment to get them for yourself.