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Basics on
Advanced Energy Efficient Windows, Doors and Skylights
Saving energy and saving
money
Qualified windows, doors, and skylights can save you energy and
money, and increase your home comfort. Old conventional windows
can account for over 25% of the heating and cooling energy bills
in a typical home.
Besides, advanced energy efficient windows are better for the
environment: lowering energy bills means also less air pollution
from power plants.
See, for more information:
Windows, doors and
skylights paybacks
Unwanted heat losses and
gains
Old conventional windows, patio doors and skylights have a poor insulation capacity.
Windows lose heat to the outside during the heating season and
gain heat from the outside during the cooling season. Modern
high efficient windows largely overcome this problem: their
U-factor is 0,4 or less (U-factor is a measure of non-solar heat
flow through a window, skylight or patio door).
For more information:
Windows, doors and skylights
rating in USA, Canada, Australia, Europe
Overheat through Windows and (patio) doors
Solar gains through windows, skylights and patio doors can
provide desired heating during the heating season, but it also
can cause a home to overheat during summer and hot days… Modern
high efficient windows, glazed doors and skylights largely overcome this problem
throuhg low SHGC coefficients and low-E2 glasses.
For more information:
Windows, doors and skylights
rating in USA, Canada, Australia, Europe
Improving existing windows and
patio doors
If your home has very inefficient
windows, patio doors and skylights it might be more cost effective to replace
them.
But in some cases it is worth to enhance their
performance, which may be obtained
by…
1)
adding storm windows to reduce air leakage and heat transfer;
2) weather stripping and caulking to reduce air leakage;
3) using coverings and exterior or interior shading devices —
such as awnings, screens, blinds, sunscreens, roller shades or
drape.
See also:
Windows, doors and skylights
paybacks
Windows and doors
Weatherstripping
Windows and doors Caulking
Windows, blinds,
awning, shades
What type of glass?
The type and quality of glass is the single most important thing
in windows, skylights and patio doors efficiency. Single and
clear pane glass is a bad solution in
terms of energy.
Additional panes by creating still air spaces,
increase the insulating value.
New techonologies as
low-emittance (low-E) coatings and gas fills, or tinted glazings,
provide better insulation and lower solar heat gain
coefficients, while low E2 glasses are crucial for hot climates.
See also:
Glass panes
Window films
Window films are
a fast and cheap solution involving home cooling.
See, for details:
Window and door films
Frames: vinyl,
aluminum, wood, fiberglass?
The efficiency of an entire window or skylight can be very different from
that of the glass alone. The frame, the sash, the
insulating glass spacer and the installation are also important
elements of energy efficiency.
You should avoid aluminum-frame windows without thermal
breaks.This type of frames give rise to condensation problems
and are poor insulators. Wood, vinyl, fiberglass are best
frame materials for maximum insulating value.
See more: Vinyl, aluminum,
fiberglass or wood frames and sashes
Windows, doors and skylights Labeling
Energy star labelled windows, skylights and patio doors are a
warranty of quality in countries as USA, Canada and Australia.
In Europe, organizations as the
British
Fenestration Rating Council have also established to windows and
skylights a system looking like the standard EU energy
labels.
The labels rating is based on the U-factor and
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient of the windows, doors and skylights.
For more information:
Windows, doors and skylights
rating in USA, Canada, Australia, Europe
Windows, skylights, doors and
climate
When replacing windows,
skylights or doors choose the best products for your
specific
climate, to reduce your energy uses and bill.
Energy Star labels
consider four big types of windows, according with specific climate zones. Pay attention to the zone where the window,
skylight or patio door is qualified.
For more information:
Windows, skylights and glazed doors
&
climate
Manufacturers and Installers
To get the most out of your doors, windows, doors or skylights,
they should be installed by competent professionals according to
manufacturer instructions.
See also:
Windows, doors and
skylights: manufacturers
Selection of energy efficient
windows, door and skylights
When selecting windows, doors and skylights...
- Check warranties for indication of durability and
lifetime before selecting windows and skylights.
- Check rating and labels...
- Take into account the manufacturers...
For more information:
Selecting windows, doors and
skylights
Efficient Windows, doors and tax credits
in USA
You may get a tax credit of up to $500 when purchasing a
qualifying window or door. This is valid at least till the end
of 2007...
See Windows, Tax Credits and
Rebates
For more information, see also:
Windows and ventilation
Windows and day lighting
Windows, home orientation
and landscaping
Windows, blinds,
awning, shades
NFRC and window codes
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