Investing In Energy Efficient Windows | Southlake, TX
Homeowners in Southlake, TX, can improve their homes in many ways. However, the return on investment, or ROI, isn’t the same for all home improvement projects. The cost of renovations is only a small part of the overall benefit versus cost analysis. Windows have many functions, such as providing light, ventilation, and even warmth from sunlight.
Replacing older windows with new energy efficient windows tends to have a significant ROI. For example, the National Association of Realtors estimates that new vinyl windows can offer up to 80% ROI. New windows increase indoor comfort, improve energy efficiency throughout the home, create more natural lighting, and increase curb appeal.
Aesthetic Appeal
Technological advancement has led to rapid changes in energy efficient windows. Homeowners don’t have to choose between function and style. Modern energy efficient windows are very versatile and can be adapted to almost any architectural and aesthetic style. Frames are made in a wide range of colors and veneer finishes without the maintenance costs and potential problems associated with traditional wooden frames.
Although the benefits of natural light aren’t as easily quantifiable as improved energy efficiency, it’s still important. Carefully placed energy efficient windows let sunlight enter a room and make it feel more spacious. An opaque wall is a hard visual barrier, while a window creates an opening into the outside world. Small, cramped rooms that may feel too boxed in or claustrophobic can feel very different after installing a bay or bow window. Rooms with insufficient light can look dreary and dull, even if you’ve put a lot of effort into interior design. Let natural light illuminate your hard work so it can be properly admired.
Of course, sunlight can also have an impact on energy use. Sunlight is free, while we have to pay for electric light in one way or another. Sometimes heat delivered by sunlight is desirable, but it can also be a problem during hot summer months. Homeowners have to balance the benefits of sunlight against potential downsides and choose energy efficient windows with the most appropriate features.
Thermal Transfer
Old single-pane windows allow a great deal of temperature transfer. This means thermal energy is exchanged between indoor and outdoor environments. Heating and cooling systems have to compensate for the temperature exchange. New finishes and coatings on energy efficient windows are designed to prevent temperature transfer. Double or triple-pane windows have the added benefit of improving insulation over their single-pane counterparts.
Solar Blocking Features
Some windows have features to filter or block UV rays and other factors that minimize solar heating. These features are especially helpful during hot summer months in Southlake, TX. The reduced impact of solar heating means less energy is needed to maintain cool, comfortable indoor temperatures, which translates into excellent ROI value.
Air Infiltration
Every home or commercial building is subject to some type of air infiltration, which is simply the movement of air in or out of buildings. Infiltration occurs because of natural air pressure differences between interior and exterior conditions. Windows are common sites of infiltration, but other sites include cracks in walls, ventilation ducts, doors, electrical outlets, skylights, and plumbing structures.
is a frequently overlooked quality of window performance. Every home or commercial building is subject to some type of air infiltration. However, it’s a very important factor for homeowners choosing new replacement windows. Air leakage is a significant drain on energy efficiency. Gaps around doors and windows allow air exchange between the home’s interior and the outdoor environment. Many gaps contract or expand in response to fluctuating temperatures. Homeowners can even be surprised by new air gaps that appear as windows age.
Benefits of Air Exchange
Although some homeowners may expect energy efficient windows to block air exchange altogether, this is nearly impossible. Fixed windows, meaning windows that can’t be opened, may be almost completely airtight. All operable windows allow some amount of air infiltration. Air infiltration through energy efficient windows tends to occur where the sash and frame meet or two sashes meet and connect with each other. Although stopping all infiltration isn’t possible, properly installed high-performance windows minimize the air infiltration rate.
An Energy Star report states that air leakage may account for 25% to 40% of the energy needed to heat or cool an average home. This is a significant amount of energy needed just to make up for air infiltration, but having a completely airtight home wouldn’t be healthy either. Fresh air is needed to prevent excessive humidity, stale odors, and a general sense of stuffiness that could leave a home feeling damp and unpleasant. Air infiltration may be the main source of fresh air when homeowners keep windows tightly closed during excessively hot or cold weather.
Infiltration Ratings
New windows usually have NFRC labels. Air infiltration ratings are calculated by the amount of air in cubic feet that passes through a window in a single minute. High-performance windows have low infiltration values. The average industry rating is ≤ .30 cfm/sf, or cubic feet per minute per square foot, against 25-mph wind.
Make sure you only compare windows with the same dimensions when you’re looking at infiltration ratings. Comparing ratings between different window sizes won’t give you an accurate air exchange estimate. Infiltration performance of ≤ .30 cfm or less is beneficial because it helps reduce humidity and moisture, dampens outside noise, minimizes air pollutants, and reduces the amount of conditioned air that escapes from the home.
Contact Energy Window Solutions in Southlake, TX, Professional installation can make a huge difference in the benefits and functional life of your new energy efficient windows. The highly skilled team at Energy Window Solutions uses premium sealants, low-expansion foam, and other products and tools to make sure your new windows are installed correctly and meet your expectations.