Energy Efficient Window Tips
by Sally Boon
(Atlanta, Georgia, USA)
Windows can be one of your home’s most attractive features. Windows provide views, daylighting, ventilation, and solar heating in the winter.
Unfortunately, they can also account for 10% to 25% of your heating bill. During the summer, sunny windows make your air conditioner work two to three times harder.
If you live in the Sun Belt, look into new solar control spectrally selective windows, which can cut the cooling load by more than half.
If your home has single-pane windows, as almost half of U.S. homes do, consider replacing them. New doublepane windows with high-performance glass (e.g., low-e or spectrally selective) are available on the market.
In colder climates, select windows that are gas filled with low emissivity (low-e) coatings on the glass to reduce heat loss. In warmer climates, select windows with spectrally selective coatings to reduce heat gain.
If you are building a new home, you can offset some of the cost of installing more efficient windows because doing so allows you to buy smaller, less expensive heating and cooling equipment.
If you decide not to replace your windows, the simpler, less costly measures listed below can improve their performance.
Cold-Climate Window Tips
• You can use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film to the inside of your window frames during the cold winter months. Remember, the plastic must be sealed tightly to the frame to help reduce infiltration.
• Install tight-fitting, insulating window shades on windows that feel drafty after weatherizing.
• Close your curtains and shades at night; open them during the day.
• Keep windows on the south side of your house clean to let in the winter sun.
• Install exterior or interior storm windows; storm windows can reduce heat loss through the windows by 25% to 50%. Storm windows should have weatherstripping at all moveable joints; be made of strong, durable materials; and have interlocking or overlapping joints. Low-e storm windows save even more energy.
• Repair and weatherize your current storm windows, if necessary.
Warm-Climate Window Tips
• Install white window shades, drapes, or blinds to reflect heat away from the house.
• Close curtains on south- and west facing windows during the day.
• Install awnings on south- and west facing windows.
• Apply sun-control or other reflective films on south-facing windows to reduce solar gain.
Long-Term Savings Tip
• Installing new, high-performance windows will improve your home’s energy performance. While it may take many years for new windows to pay off in energy savings, the benefits of added comfort and improved aesthetics and functionality may make the investment worth it to you.
Today, many new window technologies are available that are worth considering. Glazing materials (the glass part of the window) now come with a variety of selective coatings and other features; frames are available in aluminum, wood, vinyl, fiber glass, or combinations of these materials.
Each type of glazing material and frame has advantages and disadvantages.
While we have already talked about how windows affect the heat and air conditioning in your home, it also is important to mention them as in habit usage.
If you will be using your windows during the summer months to bring in air, do so!. This is a great way to bring in free, fresh air to your home. But, do not turn off the air and open the windows.
Instead, open them once the effects of the air conditioning have worn off and the home has started to heat up. This way, you do not lose the benefits of all the work your air has used.
In addition, during winter months, keeping the drapes and blinds closed can significantly lower the energy need for heat throughout your home especially during dark hours and colder periods.
But, you can benefit from opening up those drapes when the sun is shining and allowing the home to get some free heat from that sunshine.
During the night, the drapes will act as insulation to the windows keeping heat in during the winter and cool air in during the summer.
In summer months, if there is a breeze or if there is a temperature drop to a comfortable level, ease off the air conditioning and let the cool air from night cool down the home.
In addition, make sure that you lock your windows when they are closed. That little extra push can help to keep the right temperature maintained.
Click here to read more about energy efficient window coverings
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