Evaluating your home or business budget for places to save money? Who doesn’t need to cut expenses! Energy efficient windows can be one of the biggest money savers for any type of building. You might not think so when you’re looking at the initial cost. Let’s take a look at the clear energy efficient windows costs vs. benefits.
Benefit #1 of Energy Efficient Windows: Keep Temperatures Steady
There are two main features of windows that make them energy efficient: the design of the glass and the design of the frames.
Energy Efficient Glass
Glass in today’s energy efficient windows can be made from upgraded materials. They’re not your grandma’s windows! Double or tripe paned glass, with tints and even shatterproofing, you can get energy efficient windows that reflect the sunlight back, or that absorb dangerous UV rays on their way through. Today’s windows keep your house or business’ interior cool when you want it and warm when you want it, reducing the energy that’s transferred through window glass by as much as 85% for some manufacturers.
Energy Efficient Window Frames
The frames for today’s windows are also a much improved design. Whether they’re aluminum, vinyl, or wood, today’s energy efficient window frames are designed to fit tightly into the walls of your building, and to prevent moisture and air transfer through expanding and compressing, multi-layered designs. Make the leaky windows and drafts in your building a thing of the past, simply by upgrading your building to energy efficient windows.
The benefit to sealing up your windows tight will be obvious immediately. You should notice that the temperature from one room to another remains steady, even when the sun is shining or there’s snow blowing past the outside of the double-paned glass.
Benefit #2 of Energy Efficient Windows: Keep Moisture Out
If you’ve ever dealt with a leaky window before, you know the hassle. Water comes in around the edges, creating a terrible mess and contributing to unsafe, unhealthy, or unsanitary conditions. Creating a tight seal between the inside and outside world means that you will keep out the elements better than before. Energy efficient windows also help to lock out moisture, preventing potential mold and mildew issues in your walls or the inside of your home. They also help to keep out allergens which can make their way in through drafty windows.
On the other hand, if you live in a very dry area and you use a humidifier in your home, or have a building that needs to maintain a certain level of moisture inside, then energy efficient windows cost much less than their worth. If your building requires specific humidity regulations be tightly maintained, then there’s no reason you shouldn’t have the best Energy Star rated windows that suit your building’s needs.
Benefit #3 of Energy Efficient Windows: Smart Windows
Today’s energy efficient window designs might sound like something out of this world, but they’re true. Did you know that you can install sensors on your energy efficient windows to integrate your home security system? Keep every square inch of your home monitored at all times. Additionally, today’s smart home apps can help you monitor if a window was accidentally left open and alert you if there seems to be a problem with one of your windows.
Want the benefit of having energy efficient windows that keep out the heat but still want to control how much light comes in? Get yourself some smart window shades that roll up or down at programmed times or at the touch of an app. Or – better yet – get yourself some smart glass that goes from transparent to opaque when you tell it.
What are energy efficient window costs?
With all these incredible benefits – you might expect that energy efficient window costs are very high. Not true! The best thing about today’s energy efficient windows are the options you have to customize exactly what you’re looking for. Although budget may be a factor, you will also need to consider that your energy costs will drop substantially as well.
Every window offers a weak point in your building where the internal and external worlds can come close, or even mix. The more windows you have, the more chances for leaks.
Imagine if your energy bills dropped by as much as 50%, 60% or even 75%. When your windows are sealed tightly, your entire building’s energy systems run more efficiently. And you save yourself money every day, over time.