Eco-Remodelers

We finally had a chance to replace the windows in the house. New double-hung vinyl windows with double panes were installed just before Christmas. Those double panes had Low-E Argon between them to help keep cold air out and the warm heated air in so they are considered to be Energy Star rated windows.

According to the manufacturer, the windows have a U-Factor of 0.29 (the lower the factor, the better the efficiency). Anything lower than 0.35 is recommended by Energy Star for homes in the Northeast. They also have a Solar Heat Gain Coefficient of 0.19 (a number between 0 and 1 - the lower the better as it allows less heat to transfer through the window from sunlight.) Energy Star recommends a SHGC below 0.55 in Northern/Central US climates.

Two months into the installation, in winter, and the house is much warmer when it’s cold outside. There’s less draftiness and the furnace certainly doesn’t come on as often.

Here are some pics of the installation. This a close-up of one window in a bedroom. The outside class had cracked and most of the windows had condensation built up inside:

Here’s a shot of the contractor removing the 30-year old original windows:

This shot is a before and after - the upstairs window is new and the downstairs is old. An added bonus was that new trim was installed, new screens, and new grids inside the window to give it a great look:

This is a completely installed window, with a new sash in place, and everything back to normal:

And, finally, a closeup of the window panes:

So, that’s it… New windows mean we’re spending less on our electric bill to heat the house. We don’t gain any benefit, during the winter, for heat from the sun shining in…. but during the summer, that will also apply and we won’t get heat coming in while the a/c is running.