choosing replacement windows

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Choosing windows for your home can be difficult, but it is not as hard as you think it might be. Just consider your home’s specifications, your energy needs, and your goals.

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Choosing windows for your home can be a little complicated, but it really shouldn’t be all that difficult, either. Every home has unique needs and specifications, and considering these things before shopping can help you with finding the right options for your home.

ArchitecturAl Style

The right windows can accentuate your home’s architecture, as well as enhance its curb appeal. Similarly, installing less-than-ideal styles – those that clash with your home’s overall design – can damage your home’s aesthetics. Tudor houses, for starters, normally benefit from diamond-shaped mullions. Colonial styles, on the other hand, usually go best with double-hung, bay, or grilled windows. The Ranch style pairs well with casement and picture windows, with or without grilles. And floor-to-ceiling windows and clean lines are most suited to contemporary-style homes, although just about any window style can be matched with these homes.

PART 1: FOR YOUR HOME

GeoGrAphic locAtion

Where you live should also be factored into your window selection process. The Pacific Northwest, as an example, typically experiences short, mild summers – so windows with a higher solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) are recommended to maximize daylighting and passive heating. Residents of the Southeast, however, will do well to invest in windows with great solar control capacities. Spectrally selective low-emissivity glass is especially recommended. This is because the heat in the region can become quite unbearable, and homes equipped against unwanted heat gain or radiation will be more comfortable – and it will also lower energy bills.

orientAtion

Homes oriented to the south get the best passive heating and cooling; however, those oriented to the east or west aren’t likely to make the best use of natural heating and cooling – so homeowners need to be adaptable if they would like their home’s chosen orientation to work well for them. Note that your home must be within 20 degrees of true south to maximize your windows’ energy performance, and the further off course you venture, the more heat or cold your units may absorb or lose. For the east or west axes, homes with a rectangular – as opposed to boxy – shape can stand to gain more energy benefits.

PART 1: FOR YOUR HOME

Any property owner who wishes to curb energy bills through his windows will find himself in luck, since the industry has made great headway in this regard, bringing us residential products that are also energy efficient. Premier among the organizations who oversee energy management in fenestration products are the National Fenestration Rating Council and ENERGY STAR.

But having a lot of energy-efficient window product choices may make matters rather more confusing than having few or none at all. So when you choose windows for energy efficiency, always mind these factors:

•WINDOW DESIGN. Awning and casement windows have low air leakage rates; fixed windows do, too, but only if they are installed properly. When it comes to daylighting and natural ventilation, double hung and sliding windows are considered highly effective.

PART 2: FOR YOUR ENERGY NEEDS

•YOUR CLIMATE ZONE. How well your windows perform hinges upon how well they can deal with the patterns of your specific climate zone. Some of the important factors that can determine performance, and which you should consider are:

o U-factor. Measures how well a window resists heat flow. o Solar heat gain coefficient. Measures how well a window transmits solar radiation. o Visible transmittance. Measures how much natural daylight a window transmits. o Air leakage. Measures how well a window insulates. o Condensation resistance. Measures how well a window resists the formation of condensation.

The thing to remember about these benchmarks is that their performance differs from region to region. A low U-factor in a cold region is ideal, but the same resistance to heat flow in a warm region may be problematic. In the same way, a high SHGC may be beneficial if you live somewhere cold and want to keep the heat in during winter.

•YOUR BUILDING CODES. Installing your windows according to your state or local codes is also important. In some cases, you may be entitled to federal tax credits – but only if you have followed the prescribed regulations to the letter.

PART 2: FOR YOUR ENERGY NEEDS

What you intend to achieve with your windows is important. Energy-efficient options vary from region to region, and some of them may not be the most ideal options if you also want enhanced curb appeal. In the same way, windows that cost less may not be the most functional or long-lasting. When choosing, always try to reconcile your purpose with the best possible window material available that’ll meet your needs.

low coStComposite frames such as vinyl, engineered wood, or fiberglass usually cost less than frames made of other materials. But if you wish to sell your home or gain more market value, you are better off choosing natural wood.

FunctionAlity And low MAintenAnceComposites also score well when it comes to functionality and maintenance. These materials do not require much by way of installation, but once installed, they routinely perform well. Some composites, such as Fibrex, are even better equipped. Fibrex, vinyl, engineered wood, and fiberglass all require little to no maintenance; although vinyl should be swapped out for replacements every 20 years or so.

PART 3: FOR YOUR GOALS

enerGy eFFiciency And SuStAinAbility Wood is a good window material, as far as sustainability as concerned. Where energy efficiency is an issue, it is also great at reducing material conduction. But it is quite susceptible to rotting. Fibrex, on the other hand, easily combines energy efficiency with sustainability. The material is made from recycled materials that can be recycled back into production once it reaches the end of its life cycle, and it preserves its structural integrity while also curbing energy costs.

AeStheticS

The charm of real wood is still something most homeowners cannot deny, but it is not the only material that achieves the same look. Composites are engineered to look like real wood, but without the hefty price and maintenance.

A FINAL WORD

Choosing the right windows should end with hiring the right installer. A professional window contractor is important to harnessing the advantages of your window material, as well as ensuring it helps turn your house into more of a home.

PART 3: FOR YOUR GOALS

Renewal by andeRsen san diego

8266 Miramar Rd NE,San Diego, CA 92126

(858) 201-6742www.RBASanDiego.com