Winter is here and with it home-heating costs. One of the best ways to keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer is with energy-efficient windows, doors and skylights.
According to the Energy Information Administration, home-heating costs this winter are expected to rise by 10.2 percent for homeowners who rely on heating oil. Luckily, homeowners can fend off some of the rising energy costs by winterizing their home before the harshest weather takes hold.
BBB and the National Fenestration Rating Council recommend the following checklist for consumers considering upgrading to energy-efficient windows:
Look for products that carry the NFRC Energy Performance Ratings label. This label can help determine how well a product will perform its key functions – keeping your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter, keeping out wind and resisting condensation.
Deal with a reputable contractor and reputable materials. Consult with your home contractor to see that all energy performance materials carry the NFRC label. Check out wynco.bbb.org to find a home contractor you can trust.
Check the window’s U-factor. U-Factor ratings generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20. The lower the U-value, the greater a window's resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating value.
Is your room sunny and bright? The Solar Heat Gain Coefficient rates how much solar radiation is admitted through the window. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window's solar heat gain coefficient, the less solar heat it transmits in the house.
Are you looking for a well lit room or one that’s on the dimmer side? Visible Transmittance is an optical property that indicates the amount of visible light transmitted through the window. VT is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The higher the VT means more light is transmitted.
Check to see how well your window will resist the formation of condensation. The higher the Condensation Resistance rating, the better that product is at resisting condensation formation. CR is expressed as a number between 1 and 100.
Look for ENERGY STAR® products before making a purchase. ENERGY STAR helps consumers to easily identify products with superior energy performance.
Start With Trust. For more consumer tips and information, visit wynco.bbb.org or phone 970-484-1348 or 800-564-0371.
