Kids call them dumb windows.
If one of your home’s less desirable features are drafty, aging, old school windows, chances are they are letting more than warm air escape. Dollars can literally being flying out of your wallet daily. Drafty windows lead to higher home energy costs that can be scarier than a teenager’s monthly cell phone bill.
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates one-third of the warm air the average home loses escapes through leaky windows and doors. The natural inclination may be to invest in new windows, but new windows may not be the billlowering solution they are advertised to be. Energy Star.gov estimates homeowners can save between $126 and $465 per year by replacing them. However, the cost savings of doublepaned windows is minimal at $111 per year. Tax credits can reimburse 10 percent of Energy Star replacement windows up to $200.
To gain Energy Star status, window manufacturers have to meet two main metrics:
Uvalue: measures a window unit’s resistance to heat loss
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC): measures how much heat enters a home through the glass
For both UValue and SHGC, the lower the number, the better the window should perform.
But when you should you replace your windows? Well, to make the right choice for your family’s energy and check book savings, you’ve got to be in the right frame of mind.
Alternate Solution
While replacing aging windows seems like the no-brainer way to increase energy savings, it’s not always a slam dunk solution. Homeowners must measure the installation cost of new windows against their long-term energy savings.
New window prices can vary wildly from $150-$1,000 per window, not including labor costs. House Logic reports Energy Star-qualified windows start around $120 for a single 36 inch by 72 inch, single-hung window and can go up 10 times in cost. With labor, that can make the price $800 plus per window.
Sometimes, the price tag of installing new windows can be downright terrifying. All new vinyl windows for an average 2,450 square foot house run about $15,000, according to the 2015 Remodeling Impact Report from the National Association Of Realtors.
In contrast, repairing and rehabbing existing windows to be more energy efficient, and cost effective with typical costs around $50. That’s music to the wallets of budget-conscious homeowners.
Insulation Insurance & Investigation
Rehabbing windows starts with giving them backup. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests starting with window insulation, which is as simple as covering windows in plastic. First, check your home for leaks, including heating and cooling ducts, doors and cracks. If you notice excessive moisture entering the house that can lead to dangerous mold growth, we recommend replacing windows.
The Energy Savers
If replacement windows are the best option for your home, there are four variables to consider: frame, glass, design and installation. Wood frames are less prone to heat and cold transfer than aluminum frames since metals conduct temperature much more easily than wood. Alas, that fact alone doesn’t always mean wood is always the best choice for utility bill-friendly windows.
The best energy-efficient window is different for every home.
The Pros Of Wood Windows: Wood windows offer the best insulative value.
The Cons Of Wood Windows: They require more upkeep than vinyl, wood-clad or aluminum frame and they have the costly potential for rot (making them not an ideal choice for extremely humid or rainy climates).
The Pros Of Vinyl Windows: Well-constructed and excellent energy efficiency measures (insulated glass, tight construction) that reduces air leakage.
The Cons Of Vinyl Windows: They’re not going to win any design awards, can be limited in color choices and can be pricey when installed in mass.
The Pros Of Aluminum Windows: Practical for rainy, humid climates and meet stringent coastal building codes in hurricane prone areas thanks to their strength.
The Cons Of Aluminum Windows: Their heat transfer and loss prevention ability is marginal at best.
The Pros Of Wood-Clad Windows: Offering the best of both worlds, wood-clad windows provide a low maintenance exterior (usually vinyl or aluminum) and are encased with a temperature-transfer resistant wood interior.
The Cons Of Wood-Clad Windows: Prone to water intrusion (which can cause rotting, especially in the sills and jambs where water tends to pool), they are not the answer for wetter climates.
What do the experts recommend?
“A double-paned window with LowE glass, with a vacuum-sealed argon fill — that’s what people ask for,” John Lala, president of Rycorp Construction in Virginia Beach, Va., told hgtv.com. “It’s an extra $40 or so per window for me to add these features, and they really do make a difference in a home’s utility bills.” Lala said he’s found that doing anything more, like using triple-paned glass or denser gases with greater insulative properties, “just adds cost and gives diminishing returns in efficiency.”
Efficiency Designs
Some window designs are naturally more energy efficient than others. For homeowners, the question of which design to choose is choosing between efficiency, style and value.
Double-hung Windows: Traditional units in many homes across the country (especially in prewar buildings), double hungs are efficient but not ideal for extreme climates due to the potential for air intrusion between the window’s sliders.
Casement Windows: A great defense against wind, these units feature a crank that swings the window outward to open and actually seal themselves off tighter when wind blows in toward the house. Casements do require more maintenance on hinges and seals to ensure their continued stability and efficiency.
Picture Windows: Sturdy, solid and stylish, picture windows don’t open and come in many shapes and sizes. The right glass choice is vital to their energy efficiency.
Remember, Installation Is Everything
For homeowners who conclude new windows are the best solution for their home, the X-factor to their efficiency and savings potential is installation. Even the most effective window units won’t perform effectively if they are not installed correctly. Be wary of contracts who lean on expanding foams or sealants to get a window to fit well. These materials aren’t waterproof and can lead to major issues down the road.
Correct flashing and caulking are the minor points of installation, but if they aren’t given careful attention, they can compromise the whole process and lead to a barrage of water leaks.
The Budget-Friendly Solutions
Investing your entire income tax return or upward of two thousand dollars from your savings account into new windows isn’t an option for everyone, including homeowners working on tight budgets. The good news: Most home energy savings options are easy and simple.
Check out these Energy Savings 101 tips that are viable options to replacement windows for some homes:
• Open windows at night during the summer to gain cool air and natural ventilation.
• Keep hot air from leaking into your home by sealing cracks and openings. Use caulking and weatherstripping to seal air leaks around leaky doors and windows.
• Utilize window coverings like draperies to use as an extra thermal barrier during the fall and winter.
• Insulate window panels or interior storm windows.
• Plastic window films are an easy energy savings installation option for do-it-yourselfers.
The decision to look out new windows and just get a better energy frame of mind is a big one for homeowners, but knowing what options work best for your budget, your home’s value, and most important, livability, will give your home and wallet the best energy savings solution.
