Homeowners should know that with the rising cost of living, it is really important to plan for the long run to save money, time, and resources. Long-term saving strategies are now being put to test by several homeowners and businesses and one such strategy is to use energy-efficient windows.
While the value of a property depends mostly on its location and planning, people often forget that one of the main reasons for a good house is its capability to use as little energy as it can to run a sustainable environment. This includes electricity, water supply, and other utility bills.
Engineers today have found that one way to save money and consumable energy. It is to replace the old-fashioned outdated single-pane windows with modern high-functioning energy-efficient windows.
What are the performance criteria for energy-efficient windows?
There are several different factors that play their part when it comes to saving energy by utilizing modern technology in window structure and material. Thus, it is very important to understand what makes a window a great energy-efficient one.
- Solar heat gain coefficient: Solar heat gain coefficient or the SHGC simply measures and tells you the solar energy that is transmitted by the window. This reading provides a clear idea about exactly how well the window is blocking heat. A normal reading of SHGC is around 0.25 to 0.80 out of 1 thus the lower the SHGC score is, the less heat will be transmitted.
- Air leakage: Air leakage or AL is used to measure the cubic feet of air that travels through one square foot of window per minute. The lesser the air leakage in a room, the more energy-efficient it is. A general AL measures around 0.3cf-m/ft².
- Visible transmittance: The amount of light that gets pushed through a window is measured by visible transmittance. Visible transmittance or VT is also measured from 0-1 and a typical VT of any window as per the industry norms is 0.20-0.80.
What else is required?
For a full energy-efficient window, you need the right materials to form your window. Materials like fiberglass, vinyl, aluminum and even wood are regarded as good insulators for heat. Often manufacturers insert argon gas between the two panes of the window glass to make it more insulating. Things like window spacers also help in maintaining the energy efficiency of the window by maintaining a correct distance between the panes.
Eco Elite windows and doors are made from high-quality materials and are guaranteed to give you an energy-efficient experience.