Why It’s Important To Replace Old Drafy Windows
Stop throwing money away on old, leaky windows. With heating and cooling costs on the rise, it’s time to replace aging, drafty windows with efficient, tight-fitting ones.
In addition to reducing your energy bill, new windows can make your home more comfortable, quiet, and attractive. If you now have old-fashioned single-glazed windows, replacement windows might save you fromm10 percent to 25 percent a year for heating and cooling. Aside from savings, new, replacement windows are easier to wash and maintain.
Replacement windows have become more energy efficient since insulating features such as multiple glazing, Low-E coatings, and inert-gas insulation make up many manufacturers’ lines.
Before you go out and buy new windows, you should study up. Manufacturers mark their replacement windows with a U-factor, a measure of a window’s ability to conduct heat. The U-factor is the reverse of the R-value, which is a measure of insulating ability. The lower the U-factor or the higher the R-value, the better a window can keep your home cool in summer and warm in winter.
The R-value of the very best windows is about 2 or 3, equivalent to that of an un-insulated wall. Whatever you do, don’t buy new windows unless they are Energy Star certified.
