Most homeowners are aware that a home interior’s energy efficiency is partly due to the windows. Depending on its quality and age, a window could help or hurt a home’s ability to trap and release heat. So, what exactly constitutes an energy-efficient window?

Traditional Single-Pane Windows

Typical windows consist of a single pane of glass set in a frame. In the winter, this allows warm air to easily escape through the thin glass. In summer, heat can make its way in from cracks in the caulking.

Studies suggest that heat escapes from a single-pane window at 10x the rate of an insulated wall of the same size. Another report suggests a home loses a fifth of its heat through single-pane windows.

What About Double-Pane Windows?

Double-pane windows, as the name implies, have two panes of glass connected together in a frame. Is this more energy efficient? That depends. Some estimates suggest double-pane windows are 20% to 30% more efficient than their single-pane counterparts. However, this is often not the case. Lower-grade double-panes are made from aluminum, which is a major heat conductor and not what you want in the summer.

Enter Energy-Efficient Windows

A higher-quality option for the frame is vinyl instead of the cheaper aluminum. What’s inside between the two glasses matters as well. Energy-efficient models fill the spaces between the panes with argon gas. This drastically enhances the glass’ thermal performance and increases R-value. Another property is the use of low-emissivity (low-E) coatings on the glass for reducing heat reemission.

We Install Energy-Efficient, Gas-Filled Vinyl Windows

2019 is just over the horizon. Improving home energy efficiency is a great way to kick off the New Year. Exteriors Unlimited can help homeowners in this respect. We can further enhance the exterior with new siding. See our testimonials to hear about clients satisfied with their new energy-efficient windows.

Low-E Window Investment

Serving Spokane, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Medical Lake, Cheney, Sprague, Reardan, Spangle, Rockford, Fairfield, Edwall, Ford, Clayton, Deer Park, Colbert, Chattaroy, Mead, Airway Heights, Davenport, Ritzville, Nine Mine Falls, Rosalia, Oakdale, Tekoa, Colfax, St. John, Endicott, Springdale, Elk, Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene since 1984