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You don't have to
wait until resale to realize the financial
benefits of buying
Energy Star Windows.
These energy efficient replacement windows offer savings every month
through utility bills that are significantly
lower than those of standard windows. The
savings can amount to hundreds of extra
dollars every year. In addition to saving
money on your utility bills, the
energy-efficient features of ENERGY STAR®
Windows are more durable which may reduce or
even eliminate many repair costs.
What
Qualifies a Window for the ENERGY STAR® Label?
The National Fenestration Rating Council
(NFRC) rates the performance of replacement windows on
how well they help to keep your home cool in
the summer, warm in the winter, keep out
wind, and resist condensation. Here's what
to look for:
U-Factor:
Measures how well a replacement window prevents
heat from escaping.
U-Factor ratings
generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20.
The insulating value is indicated by the
R-value which is the inverse of the
U-value. The
lower the U-value, the greater a
window's resistance to heat flow and the
better its insulating value.
Solar Heat
Gain Coefficient (SHGC):
Measures how well a replacement window blocks heat
caused by sunlight. SHGC is expressed as
a number between 0 and 1. The lower a windows solar heat gain coefficient,
the less solar heat it transmits.
Visible
Transmittance (VT):
Measures how much light comes through a
product. VT is expressed as a number
between 0 and 1.
The lower
the VT, the less light is transmitted.
Air
Leakage (AL): Measures how much
air passes through the window assembly.
The lower the AL, the less air will pass
through the cracks and gaps in the
window assembly. |
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