Energy Efficient Windows

In the average home 30% of all energy consumed by heat or air-conditioning is lost due to inefficient windows. If your windows are more than fifteen years old, odds are that they are not conserving as efficiently as possible. The good news is, replacing windows offers a great return on investment, with up to 70% of the expense recuperated upon sale of the home.

You don't have to wait to sell your home to reduce your energy bills, though. The energy savings will be most noticeable if you are replacing single pane windows with Energy Star qualified windows. Modest tax incentives are currently available through the 2012-2013 Tax Credit for Qualified Energy Improvements--up to $200 for window purchases (and up to $500 for a door, with a maximum of $500 possible for all energy improvements).

Some things you will want to make note of when considering new windows are the terms used in the energy ratings. Low E coatings reflect heat rather than absorb it--they reflect it inward in the winter and outward in the summer. Gas fills insulate between layers of glass. The terms R-value and U-value are opposites: R is an insulating value, U is a loss value. You will want to find a high R-value/low U-value choice. The manufacturers label will be most likely to denote the U-value.

Harmon Builders reccomends quality Pella or Andersen windows in our projects. You may view their product lines at Pella and Andersen online.