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It’s January, almost February. We are hearing from plenty of our New Jersey and Metropolitan New York neighbors that they wish they had updated their homes with replacement windows before the cold weather arrived. It’s true that ENERGY STAR labeled windows improve energy efficiency, which can help you save money on your utility bills, but, if you’re considering a home improvement project that includes replacing your aging windows and/or patio doors, you’ll also gain superior control of your indoor climate as well.
Here’s what you need to know about enhancing the comfort in your home with new windows.
Insulated Glass Units Increase Energy Efficiency and Comfort
There are four glass surfaces in a double-paned, insulated glass unit (IGU). In Renewal by Andersen of New Jersey and New York Metro windows, factory-applied coatings are added to the surfaces inside the glass unit that reflect heat energy through a process called soft-coating. In this case, inside means the surfaces that you can’t touch, the ones in the middle of the IGU that form a sealed cavity between your exterior and indoor surfaces. High-performing replacement windows are usually manufactured with argon, or other gas, between the panes to improve the energy efficiency even further, which means less heat is transferred into your home during summer months and less heat escapes your home during our cold winter months.
Choosing the Right Low-E Glass For Your Home
Replacement windows and patio doors with low-e technology can be built to improve energy-efficiency throughout the seasons, to add more protection from heat transfer during hotter months or to enhance energy-savings more efficiently during winter weather. Keep in mind, the environment outside (like landscaping and tall buildings that block the sun from directly hitting your windows) could mean different rooms need different glass options to maximize your climate control.
The coating process adds other comfort values beyond just controlling heat exchange. Special coatings allow you to control light levels and block harmful UV rays that can damage your decorative fabric, leather upholstery and artwork without blocking natural light.
Properly Framing Your Window Units
Double-paned windows and low-e glass options dramatically improve energy-efficiency and empower homeowners to take control of their indoor climate. But choosing high-performance glass isn’t enough. Low-conductance materials our patented composite Fibrex, outperform metal, wood and vinyl frames. Aluminum frames tend to have issues with condensation, wood rots and requires frequent maintenance and vinyl is weak and expands and contracts a great deal with temperature changes, increasing the potential for warping, bending or sagging within a few years. Gaps that develop make it impossible to effectively control air and moisture infiltration, reducing your overall comfort level.
Look for windows with superior air-tightness, exceptional weather stripping and low-conductance ratings. Multi-pane window units with insulated frames reduce noise transfer, too. This means not only will you have better control over the indoor temperature, but you won’t have to deal with annoying road traffic and other neighborhood sounds when you are trying to sleep or enjoy a quiet dinner.
Replacement Window Checklist for Comfort
In order to take control of your indoor environment, and improve comfort, you must consider all components of your whole window unit. Glazing options allow you to control light levels and heat loss, while enabling you to take advantage of solar heat gain in during winter months. Frame materials, sealants and weather stripping protect against air and moisture leaks that affect indoor humidity levels and make it difficult to maintain a comfortable temperature. Between-the-panes gas fill and spacers reduce noise transfer so your indoor conversations stay private and you don’t have to listen to unwanted sounds from neighborhood traffic or outdoor activities in close proximity.
If you are shopping around for replacement windows for your New Jersey or New York Metropolitan home, be sure to ask about:
The overall window unit performance ratings from both ENERGY-STAR and the National Fenestration Ratings Council (NFRC)
It’s January and you naturally expect it to be cold outside for the next few months. But, you deserve to be comfy and warm inside your own home. Need more information about how Renewal by Andersen of New Jersey & New York Metro replacement windows can help you improve your indoor climate? Give us a call at (866) 609-5033 or take a minute to fill in the short form on this page.
Learn Everything You Need to Know BEFORE Buying Replacement Windows