Replacement Windows with Low-E Coatings
by AJ Fanter
Home Improvement Ideas Columnist
When you imagine the impact on your energy bill of reducing the amount of heat that enters or escapes from your windows, it’s easy to see why so many homeowners are getting replacement windows that have Low-E coatings.
These new home windows not only look good, they can help you to save money! However, before you purchase your new home windows it’s important to understand how these new coatings work and which replacement windows are right for your home and climate zone.
What Are Low-E Coatings?
According to The Efficient Windows Collaborative, Low-E or low-emittance coatings are exceptionally thin, metal or metallic oxide layers that are applied to window to reduce the amount of heat flow. By coating a glass surface with a low-e material and putting the side with the coating in between the layers in the window, you can block the amount of radiant heat transfer, reducing the amount of heat that flows through the window.
Choosing the Right Low-E Replacement Windows
If you are considering replacement windows it is important to keep in mind what the climate is like where you live. The reason? The climate dictates which kind of low-e coating your new home windows need to have, in order for you to have the biggest energy cost savings. While the Efficient Windows Collaborative offers a energy-cost comparison chart that handily compares the cost of various low-e windows based on where you live, a good rule of thumb is that if you live in a climate that is warm for most of the year you will want a low-e coating that has low-solar gain, while if you live in a cooler zone, new home windows with either a high or moderate solar-gain are likely to a better replacement window choice for you.
Whether you opt for new home windows with high-, moderate- or low-solar gain, new low-e replacement windows are a good investment that will reward you with lower energy bills!
Source
About the Author
AJ Fanter is a freelance writer based in Reno, NV.
|
