Why You Should Invest in Insulated Windows for Your Home
Windows are something we normally take for granted in our homes, mostly because if they’re doing their job correctly, we see right through them. Windows are more than just an aesthetic feature or a way for you to see who’s at the door without actually opening it, though; they’re effectively openings to your home.
When closed, windows allow light into the home; when open, they allow air to flow. What you don’t want is for light and air to escape through these windows when they shouldn’t. So keep your blinds drawn at night, and let’s talk about insulated windows.
The purpose of insulated windows is saving money largely through temperature control. This is the same reason you insulate your home and attic: to keep the elements outside, and to create a more controlled environment inside. This is important because it makes it much easier to maintain the temperature in your home without requiring as much energy, which effectively translates to money you’re going to wind up spending on utility bills.
So if you’re a homeowner, insulated windows are no doubt a hefty upfront expense but worth it in the long run because of the energy savings. If you’re an investor, or intend to sell your home within a few years, insulated windows are still a worthwhile investment because most buyers appreciate their value. If the buyer isn’t interested immediately by the prospect of saving money on heating a home they’ll presumably be occupying for the next ten years or so, insulated windows still afford a greater measure of safety because they’re stronger, safer, and more resistant to breaking, either by an intruder or a falling tree branch.
What distinguishes an insulated window from a regular one? Insulated windows are reinforced in some fashion to keep the elements outside and make it much easier to regulate the temperature in the home. They’re usually multi-paned. Double pane windows have two panes of glass, and the higher-end ones come with insulating argon gas between the panes. The additional layer of material, plus the insulating gap in between, is what makes them stronger and better able to help you maintain the temperature inside.
Two panes of glass means more layers between the elements outside and the climate of your home. Many manufacturers also offer triple-pane windows for additional energy efficiency. The more panes a window has, the more layers of protection it offers between the weather and your home.
There are a few varieties of manufacturing techniques used in insulated windows. Double glazed windows use two different thicknesses of glass, separated by a pocket of air for insulation (think about the insulated coffee thermos you take to work – what keeps the liquid hot is the space of air between layers of plastic). Triple glazed windows are pretty much the same, except they add an additional pane of glass in the middle. You’re a little more likely to find triple glazed windows in colder climates because they offer greater insulation.
Low-E glass windows have a clear coating applied to one side of the glass in dual-pane or double glazed windows. Low-E stands for low-emissivity, which means the coating reflects radiating energy. The lower the emissivity of the window, the better the better it is at insulating against heat loss.
Another option is to have argon or krypton gas filling the space between two panes of glass. These gases are clear, non-toxic, and provide better insulation than normal air, which is mostly nitrogen. They’re also remarkably effective and last a long time, even though you should expect that the gas would leak at a rate of about 1% per year. Still, gas-filled windows are effective even with 80% of their original volume, so in 20 years, even if the gas leaks at a rate of 1% per year, the window will still effectively insulate and 20 years is a good lifespan for even a non-gas window.
Insulated windows can help lower energy costs for homeowners, and that’s also a powerful incentive for investors install them. For a typical home, adding insulated windows can save hundreds of dollars in heating and air costs per year, and as the quality of the window goes up, so do the savings. They also put less strain on your HVAC systems, so you might save a bit of maintenance costs there too.
When you’re less worried about energy costs, you can keep the thermostat at a more comfortable temperature, and what’s good for the homeowner is usually good for the investor looking to sell. There are some areas of the country where it’s comfortable to leave the windows open year-round, like Los Angeles, but if your home is in the Deep South or Northern Midwest, consider installing insulated windows for long-term savings and bolstering the value of your home.
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– Get It Right Solutions