Tips for Getting the Most Energy Efficiency from Your Windows

July 10, 2020

Looking for ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency? Look no further than your windows. You might not realize it, but the windows in your home could be one of its biggest sources of energy waste. If you feel as though your energy bills are creeping higher and higher to the point where they’re getting out of control, you might consider inspecting your windows and taking some measures to make them more energy efficient. Working with high-end window suppliers in Glenwood Springs, CO can help in this process.

Here are just a few examples of some of the steps you can implement to get the most energy efficiency out of your windows.

Sealing for cracks and gaps

Cracks and gaps can allow drafts to enter your home and result in heat loss or transference. By sealing up these cracks and gaps, you’ll be able to keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

The best way to accomplish this is to use caulking and weather-stripping products. This is a task that is both easy and effective, and will not cost you a lot of money. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy says that when caulking and weather-stripping are used correctly, you’ll be able to offset their costs through lower utilities within just one year, and after that the savings will really begin to add up.

Caulk should be used for sealing cracks smaller than ¼-inch in width on all non-moving parts of the window, typically around the frame and where the trim and the wall intersect. Any larger gaps or gaps with an irregular shape should be filled with spray foam. Weather-stripping is what you’ll use on a movable part of the window. If you’re worried about the permanence of these products, you can find temporary caulking that can be removed during warmer parts of the year.

Window films

There are a variety of plastic window films on the market that you can install yourself, or you can have a professional come in and install a film for you. These films, as well as special smart glass glazing, provide better insulation and prevent heat transference through the glass. They also cut down on the amount of ultraviolet light that comes through the glass, which means these films will help protect the furnishings and décor in your home.

Drapes

Draperies aren’t a part of your window, but they can be used to help decrease heat loss and draft by a significant amount. Properly hung draperies can, according to some experts, reduce that heat loss by as much as 25 percent. You should make sure you open and close your draperies at different times of the day depending on the amount of sunlight the window receives. In addition to their energy-saving benefits, they simply add some aesthetically pleasing appeal to your interior design.

Insulating panels

Certain types of insulating window panels and storm windows include an insulating material inside a wooden or metal frame that forms a tight seal against your existing window frame. You can remove and reuse these panels as needed.

For more information about the strategies you can implement to improve your windows’ energy efficiency, contact the high-end window suppliers in Glenwood Springs, CO at Architectural Windows & Doors, Inc. today.

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