What are the Benefits of Window Replacement Services?

Energy Efficient Windows: 5 ways windows are rated

“Energy efficiency” – it sounds so environmentally friendly and fiscally responsible, but what exactly does it mean? Is it just a fancy buzzword or does it have a quantifiable impact on the quality and performance of our windows?

If energy efficiency is quantifiable, what makes a window energy efficient? Who does the quantifying and how do they communicate that to the public?

What are the benefits of purchasing an energy efficient window vs a non-energy efficient window?

These are some of the questions that come up while shopping for new windows. Let’s break them down and provide the answers you need to make the best decision for you and your home.

What is energy efficiency?

Quite simply, energy efficiency describes a product’s ability to provide the same service using less energy than a similar, non-efficient product.

What does this mean to you? Energy efficient windows are better at maintaining the temperature inside your home regardless of whether you are in the middle of an arctic freeze or a record heat wave. This helps you to avoid higher utility bills since you won’t need to run your heater or air conditioner as often as if you had a non-efficient window.

Who issues energy efficiency ratings?

Two programs/agencies in the United States test and rate windows on their energy performance levels – Energy Star and the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC).

A third group – the Efficient Windows Collaborative (EWC) – is an excellent third-party resource for educational materials and minimum NFRC ratings recommendations based on what area of the country you live in.

Energy Star

Most of us have heard of Energy Star, even if we are not sure what exactly an Energy Star rating means. The Energy Star program is a joint venture between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Department of Energy.

Appliances, insulation, windows, lighting, electronics and heating/cooling products are all tested, and their efficiencies compared to a baseline value. Products that meet a certain threshold are given the Energy Star sticker of approval.

National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC)

The NFRC is a nonprofit independent organization created by industry leaders. Its purpose is to provide consumers with an objective analysis of the energy performance of a particular window, door or skylight.

How is energy efficiency quantified?

Both the Energy Star program and the NFRC quantify the energy efficiency performance of products and communicate that data to the rest of us in a standardized way that we can understand.

How do they do that? Let’s find out.

Energy Star keeps their rating pretty simplified. A product either earns the little blue star sticker of approval or it does not. For a product to be Energy Star approved, it must meet standards for U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient. Each Energy Star sticker also indicates which of the 4 U.S. climate zones the product is rated for.

The NFRC bases their rating on the two factors considered by Energy Star as well as an additional 3 metrics. This means that a window which is approved by the NFRC will also meet Energy Star standards, but not all Energy Star windows will also be NFRC approved.

The 5 factors that the NFRC tests and rates are:

U-Factor

• Rates the insulation value of a window
• A lower U-Factor number means that the window is a better insulator.
• Range: 0.20 – 1.20
• For northern states like Illinois, the EWC recommends windows that are rated 0.35 or lower.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)

• Rates the amount of solar radiation and heat that passes through the window
• A lower SHGC number means that less radiation and heat are entering your home.
• Range: 0 – 1
• For northern states, the recommendation is the highest number possible combined with a low U-Factor if you don’t need to cool your house much in the summer. If you usually run your air conditioner frequently during hot months, choose a SHGC below 0.55.

Air Leakage (AL)

• Rates the amount of air that passes through the window frame once it is installed. This metric is measured in cubic feet per square foot of window area.
• A lower number means that the frame is more airtight.
• Industry standard: 0.3

Visible Transmittance (VT)

• Rates the amount of light that the window lets in
• A lower number means less light is coming in.
• Range: 0 – 1
• Reduce glare in a media room by choosing a window with lower transmittance. Craving natural light in your living room or breakfast nook? Opt for panes with a higher visible transmittance rating.

Condensation Resistance

• Rates the amount of moisture that builds up on the surface of a window or causes glazing between the panes of a dual or triple-pane window
• A lower number means that the window allows more condensation to build up.
• Range: 1 – 100
• Condensation resistance is an optional rating category and some manufacturers may not include this information.

How are energy efficiency ratings communicated?

When windows meet or exceed the rating standards, manufacturers label them with a certification sticker.

Look for the blue Energy Star sticker and/or the white NFRC label on the window pane.

The NFRC label is useful for comparing one window to another because it gives the numerical values the window received in each of the rating categories.

How do the prices of energy efficient windows compare to non-efficient windows?

In general, energy efficient windows tend to cost a bit more initially than less energy efficient windows.

The trade-off is that over the lifetime of the window, energy efficient windows will help decrease the amount of your energy bills whereas non-efficient windows will lead to higher heating and cooling costs.

What long-term savings can I expect from choosing energy efficient windows?

According to Energy Star, replacing old doors, windows, and skylights with energy efficient options can save you up to 15% annually on your energy bill.

What are the take-aways?

• Energy efficient windows help to thermoregulate your home, thereby decreasing your heating and cooling costs.
• Windows are tested and rated on their energy efficiency by the Energy Star program and the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC).
• The Efficient Windows Collaborative helps educate consumers and explain which windows are best for their needs.
• Energy efficiency is evaluated based on 5 factors:
  • U-Factor
  • Solar Heat Gain Coefficient
  • Air Leakage
  • Visible Transmittance
  • Condensation Resistance
• Windows that meet energy efficiency standards are identifiable by their blue Energy Star sticker or white National Fenestration Rating Council label.
• Energy efficient windows cost more initially, however you can expect cost savings in the form of up to 15% lower energy bills over the lifetime of the windows.

Ready to take the next steps towards energy efficiency? Contact us to set up an in-home evaluation.

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Level Up Your Style Game with New Window Treatments

Window treatments are like women’s bangs or manicures. They can make a bold statement or add a sophisticated accent to your room. Classic, trendy, rustic, glam – play with materials and textures. Have fun showcasing your personal style and accentuating your rooms’ beauty.

You may choose to shop based on your practical needs or your stylistic desires. In either case, you will be choosing both a type of treatment and a print/color/style that matches your aesthetic vision for your room.

First, ask yourself some practical and functional questions. The answers to these questions will guide you to the type of treatment that is the best fit for you.

6 Questions to Help Find the Right Type of Window Treatment

New window treatments aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution. As you start to explore your needs, you will find that specific rooms in your house would benefit from different types of window treatments.

1.      Is privacy a consideration?

Balancing your desires for both light and privacy takes some finesse.

A bathroom, for example, feels more open with natural light, yet visual privacy is crucial.

In the case of the bathroom, the window’s main purpose is to allow light in, not to provide an unobstructed view of the outdoors.

For these types of windows, adhesive patterned frosted glass treatment films are a creative option. The pattern of the frosted portions protects your visual privacy while the bits of clear glass in between allow light to flow in.

Want to have more flexibility and keep an unobstructed view? Tier-on-tier shutters are a traditional solution that provides maximum control over the light-to-privacy ratio. Open the top set of shutters to welcome in the sunshine while keeping the bottom set closed to prevent nosey neighbors from peering in.

2.      How much light do you want to allow in?

For some rooms, window treatments can serve a very important functional purpose. We usually think of windows as letting light in, however, in some cases, the ability to block the light out is equally meaningful.

Do you work a night shift and need to sleep during the day?

Imagine creating the full dark movie theater experience in your home media room on a Sunday afternoon. You may see the value in a blackout curtain.

Does the afternoon glare of the sun stream into your home office and cause a maddening glare on your computer screen?  Take a cue from corporate offices and invest in a solar shade.

3.      Is the room often humid or damp?

Window treatments for areas like bathrooms can be particularly tricky.

Most woods and fabrics don’t hold up well to extended periods of time in moist environments.

Aluminum blinds are also a no-go unless you enjoy the look of rust.

Avoid cleaning up mold and mildew. Choose a more forgiving option like faux wood blinds, honeycomb shades, or vinyl shutters.

4.      Are the treatments going in a location where they are more likely to get dirty?

Go into your kitchen and look at the placement of the window(s) in comparison to the sink and to other potentially messy areas.

Instead of having to do an internet search for how to get splashes of marinara sauce out of elegant drapes, pre-plan and choose a more location-appropriate window treatment.

A roman shade dresses up the upper portion of the window and can easily be raised to a level that keeps it above all the mess.

5.      Do you have pets or young children?

Creamy floor-length or pooled curtains are breezy and airy. They are also a potentially irresistible temptation for toddlers cruising the house and looking for something to pull up on or indiscriminately use as a napkin.

Dogs and cats also appreciate repurposing long window treatments as chew toys or scratching posts.

Reserve the long curtains for your bedroom and keep the window treatments throughout the rest of the house child and animal friendly.

6.      Are these treatments a long-term investment or more of a seasonal statement?

Know your plan and budget before you go shopping. Seasonal window treatments are fun and creative, yet meant for short-term use. You may not wish to spend too much on treatments that you don’t keep up year-round.

Save your budget for the investment pieces that you will use daily (think that blackout curtain the bedroom and the solar shades for the office.)

Window Treatment Styles

Now that you have narrowed down your window treatment’s style, the next – and arguably most fun – part of the process is to select the aesthetics of your treatment. How do you want your treatments to look and feel?

Classic

Fabric curtains are perhaps the most common and readily available type of window treatments. Curtains come in many colors, palettes, and prints. You can even make your own custom curtains using a sewing machine and your choice of fabric.

If you love the classic style, accent your rooms with long pleated panels in a floral print. Fabrics can be as light as rayon or silk or as heavy as a damask or velvet.  For a formal, classic look, add a box-pleated valance on top.

Rustic

Vintage farmhouse style comes alive with a soft floral Roman blind or tab-top curtains. Focus on the ease and simplicity of use. Internal shutters in the right wood can also work here.

Modern

Decorative aluminum screens are a new type of window treatment that pairs naturally with modern interior design. The screens are strong, industrial, and relatively inexpensive. Choose one in your favorite geometric print.

Practical

If your window treatment focus is on practical factors like cost, longevity and ease of use, look into blinds.

Natural

Wood panels function much like adhesive patterned frosted glass treatment films, except they add the natural warmth of wood. Unlike the frosted glass, wood panels are susceptible to moisture damage, so be sure they are used in a room that stays dry.

Is it important for you to choose a product that is naturally and sustainably made with as little impact on the environment as possible? An internet search for “natural window treatments” will led you to companies that create impressive natural options including biodegradable roman and solar shades.

Creative

Step outside the box and embrace your unique, quirky design sense. Homeowners looking for a more creative take on window treatment have more and more options.

Roller shades or roller blinds can be customized with artwork prints.

Remember:

Before you go out shopping for window treatments, know your practical needs and aesthetic desires then choose a type of treatment that will satisfy both. Prepare to fall in love with your home all over again.

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https://chicagowindowguy.com/home-tips/level-up-your-style-game-with-new-window-treatments/