If you’ve been researching how to make your home more “green” you may have come across one tip over and over again – swap out your old windows with shiny, new energy-efficient ones.
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the amount of energy lost annually through windows costs consumers $35 billion. Heat loss and heat gain through and around windows accounts for between 10 – 25 percent of our heating and air conditioning usage, the largest consumer of energy in a modern home. Keep reading to understand what makes a Tampa replacement window energy-efficient.
How can energy-efficient windows help?
Energy-efficient windows can save 7 -15 percent of this energy loss and save you between $27 – $111 a year on energy bills for a 2,000-square-foot single-story home with storm windows or double-pane windows. The savings are even higher if your home has single-pane windows.
If your windows are old, damaged and/or single-paned, it’s a no-brainer that you’ll save a lot of energy by replacing them with ENERGY STAR rated windows.
What makes a Tampa replacement window energy-efficient?
According to ENERGY STAR, here are the components that make up an ENERGY STAR qualified window:
Quality Frame Material – There are a variety of durable, low maintenance framing materials that reduce heat transfer and help insulate better such as wood, vinyl or fiberglass.
Low-E Glass – This special coating reflects infrared light, keeping heat inside in winter and outside in summer. It also helps reflect damaging ultraviolet light, which helps protect interior furnishings from fading.
Gas Fills – Filling the space between the panes with a gas such as argon, krypton, or other gases improves the energy-efficiency of the window. That’s because these odorless, colorless, and non-toxic gases insulate better than regular air.
Multiple Panes – Two panes of glass with an air-or-gas filled space in the middle, insulate much better than a single pane of glass. Some windows even include three of more panes for even greater energy-efficiency, increased impact resistance, and sound insulation.
Warm Edge Spacers – This piece of the window keeps the glass panes the correct distance apart. Avoid aluminum spacers, which have a high conductivity, and instead opt for non-metal materials such as silicone foam or butyl rubber.
Energy-efficient windows are one of the easiest home upgrades you can make to make your Tampa home more “green”. Just be sure to have them properly installed, because without that, your new home investment won’t be able to effectively cut your cooling costs and save you money.
FAS Windows & Doors Offers Energy Efficient Windows in Tampa and Orlando
The experts at FAS Windows & Doors are ready to assist you in finding the perfect energy efficient replacement windows for your home. We provide the highest quality and most energy-efficient windows and doors available from the nation’s top manufacturers – including Anderson, Eagle, Simonton, PGT, and more. With showrooms in Tampa and Orlando, you can browse full size samples before making a decision and get your energy saving questions answered in person.
Call us at (877) 289-0825 to get your free quote. We serve various areas in Florida, including Orlando, Tampa, St. Pete, and more.
FASWD 4/2/2019