What is the best overall new window value for your home in DFW?
What is the best vinyl replacement windows for our Dallas area customers? The easy answer is, one that blocks solar heat gain and is Energy Star rated. But it's vital to examine all the many moving pieces involved in making informed window decisions.
Here's the most straightforward reason: Replacing old windows that have become ineffective against heat gain, and air drafts with energystar.gov certified windows had been shown to reduce household energy bills by 10-15 percent.
Now, more than ever, people looking to improve the efficiency of their homes and choosing to upgrade the windows to higher efficient ones as a way consume less energy and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. If you're like most Dallas Fort-Worth homeowners that have homes, that's over 20 years old your actively looking for value-added features and customized designs to better work with the need your home and reduce extra harmful greenhouse emissions.
Successfully designed windows that have value-added features that fit seamlessly into the lives of the end users at a cost-effective price point is one of the basic goals that need to be met.
Some windows come with many extra features that aren't necessarily standard with other window companies.
Features that are important for long lasting energy efficient windows include:
1) Double strength glass, which provides added strength against impact.
2) Premium fin seal weather-stripping that blocks out more air, dust, and pollen than standard weather seals.
3) Aluminum reinforced meeting rails that can support heavier glass without sagging.
4) Premium vinyl formulations to withstand our harsh heat and are impact resistant to hail damage.
Keep this in mind when you’re replacing your windows, many areas of Dallas Fort-Worth have specific code guidelines on energy performance we all have to follow. The newer energy codes dictate the U-factors and solar heat gain requirements that all new windows must meet. Look for windows that meet or exceed all energy requirements to avoid any problem with local codes.
So, let's talk about what makes a window energy efficient.
Sometimes the best data about window performance that could best serve your home are overlooked by the consumer, because of all the misinformation and claims about the features and benefits from individual window companies wanting to upsell unnecessary overly priced options. So, let's take some time and go over the fundamental factors that will contribute most to your new window.
What consumers should know about window basics:
Glass
The glass is the single most crucial part of a window for savings.
The glass is about 80 percent of any window, so it is capable of nearly 80 percent of the potential energy savings. Today's glass has multiple options ranging from blocking the suns heat, reducing outside noise, and specialty glass that lets light in, but, blocks viewing for privacy like obscure glass. The most prominent advancement in technology has come from the low-E glass.
Low-E glass does its best work in blocking up to 73% of the suns direct heat and nearly 95% of damaging UV rays - By far, the most effective upgrade is low-E glass when custom ordering your new windows.
Argon Gas-filling
What does Agron injected between insulated glass do for added performance of a window?
Argon gas is about five times denser than regular air, which means it minimizes convection currents inside of the glass unit thus reducing heat transfer through the glass unit. Argon gas is a colorless, orderless, and nontoxic gas. Argons thermal conductivity is roughly 67% that of air resulting in a 16% improvement in thermal efficiency.
The bottom line is Argon gas used in windows improves the overall efficiency of your home, and the upgrade cost is inexpensive.
Window Frames
Window frames are an essential consideration because it contributes to the performance of the entire window. What is needed in frames is low conductivity and structural strength to hold the big glass and to reduce heat flow through the frame material.
The most popular frames used in today's windows are vinyl because of its excellent insulating capabilities that provide long-term energy performance and the ability to withstand the elements of nature.
U-Factors
What is a U-Factor?
My goal here is to convey this information as quickly and efficiently as possible - not an easy task.
Window products need to be tested by NFRC a non-profit group that certifies a windows U-factor through a testing process amoung with other tests they conduct on windows to certified a windows U-factor.
This test result is on the NFRC label that applied on every window after it's completed during the manufacturing process to show its U-factor to the consumer, its a lot like a new car that has its gas mileage rating on the window sticker of a car at the dealerships.
A U-Factor measures the rate of heat transfer and tells you how well the window insulates. The slower a product transfers heat, the better, vinyl windows perform approximately 20% better than what is required by NFRC standards for Dallas Fort-Worth windows.
Replacement windows can be made to order in 1/8" increments for a more precise custom fit for any house. The result after the window has been correctly installed and sealed against weather by a trained window and door installer is a window that looks as if it came with the home.
Most window manufacturers have a limited lifetime warranty that can give you peace of mind and assurance.
The offerings of an ongoing series of educational window content focus on the homeowners can be found at http://www.aama-ntl.org/. Picking a sensible window for your home based on the list in this article will be a powerful information tool to move forward with a window purchase.
The combination of our better U-factor, tighter air seals, and best in class low-E glass adds up to a significant energy saving window.
Finally, the overall conclusion for most homeowners looking to buy replacement windows is that vinyl offers the best overall value for the price.
