Window efficiency is one of those home improvement areas that is often overlooked. Have you ever wondered just how well your windows help insulate your home? They greatly contribute to your total household energy consumption and poorly insulated windows are a major contributor to excessively high monthly energy bills.
Doing a walkthrough to identify leaks and other inefficiencies in your home’s windows can give you a clear picture of how much they’re contributing to your total energy consumption. Unless you live in a new home, it’s likely that your walkthrough will reveal some energy inefficiencies that you didn’t even know existed. Patching up those holes and leaks and replacing the irreparable windows throughout your home has the potential to save you thousands of dollars in energy costs in the future.
After you’ve identified and made a list of your home’s inefficient windows, you’re ready to begin shopping for replacements. There are so many window types to choose from and each serve a specific purpose, depending on your needs. Some windows excel at thermal heat prevention while others are purely intended as decoration.
Most windows will include a label indicating how well that particular window scored on the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) efficiency test. The test takes into account the window’s U-factor, solar heat gain coefficient, and visible transmittance levels respectively, and may also contain information about its air leakage efficiency and condensation resistance.
If efficiency is your most important variable when shopping for new windows, it’s worth learning what some of these things mean so that you can be sure you’re purchasing efficient windows that will last for decades. Take a look at the attached infographic for a breakdown of the information found on all NFRC efficiency test labels.
Author Bio: Natalie McCatty is a professional blogger for XO Windows, Arizona’s largest window distributor. Read more about getting the most out of your windows on the XO Windows blog.