Windows and Entrance Systems account for one-third of a home’s heat loss and today’s windows insulate nearly four times as well as the best products on the market just 20 years ago. However, not all homeowners are interested in completely replacing all of their windows and entrance systems, and there are numerous ways of increasing energy efficiency with existing systems.
EnerGrade Recommendations for Existing Windows and Entrance Systems
- Check for signs of old/worn windows and doors and the potential energy loss/costs.
- Ask your EnerGrade expert for information on the energy-efficient options now available in windows and doors including glazing, improved frame materials, multiple panes, low-E coating, gas fill, and insulating spacers.
- Consider not only the function of heat retention but also options like skylights and light tubes to provide additional sunlight and reduce the light bill.
- Consider lower-cost methods for minimizing heat loss with existing windows and doors – weather stripping, caulking, etc.
Window Performance
Window Frame Considerations
Window and entrance system frames play a big role in energy efficiency.
Here’s an outline:
Wood – more expensive than other materials, wood also requires more attention. Without regular maintenance, wood is vulnerable to rot and weathering. Some manufacturers clad the exterior of wooden sashes and frames with vinyl or aluminium.
Vinyl – by far the most popular choice due to lower costs, vinyl can be a lower performing window. However, it is impervious to moisture and does not require regular maintenance.
Aluminium - strong and durable, aluminium is unfortunately an excellent conductor of heat, making the windows hot in summer and cold in winter. Condensed moisture or frost may appear on the inside during cold weather.
Fiberglass – less common, fiberglass frames are rugged and resist rot, but must be protected with paint. Some frames are hollow, but energy-efficient ones filled with insulation are available.
Composite – made from recycled wood scraps and sawdust, composite frames are more impervious to rot than wood and will accept paint or strain.
Window Tips
- Always look for the Energy Star label on windows.
- Open and close curtains and blinds to maximize sunlight and natural heating and cooling.
- Portable fans are more efficient than air-conditioners.
- Insulator kits are a cost-effective way to manage if you’re not ready to replace.
- Existing windows can generally be made far more energy-efficient simply by weather stripping and adding storm windows.
- If a sash lock has worked loose, remove it. Put a drop of glue on a few wooden matchsticks and put the matchsticks in the screw holes. When the glue has dried, break the matchsticks off, drill a hole slightly smaller than the diameter of each screw, and drive the screws into the new holes.
- If you have single-pane windows, you can add new storms for about one-third the price of replacing them with new energy-efficient units.
- Adding a second or third pane insulates homes from leaks and noise.
- If windows don’t have a LoE coating, homeowners can buy LoE film and place it on the glass for far less than the cost of replacing windows.
- Skylights can provide additional sunlight and reduce electricity costs; however it is important they have LoE coatings as they may bring in unwanted solar heat in the summer and lose heat in the winter.
Entrance System Tips
- Longer screws driven through the jamb at the upper hinge plate into the wall stud can help a sagging door. Replacing the hinges or shimming out the lower hinge with one or more thicknesses of playing cards can also help.
- When replacing patio doors, hinged doors have a better track record of weather stripping holding up better.
- A steel or fiberglass door with a polyurethane core and no glass insert can have an R-factor of up to three times that of a solid wood door. All new doors should be well weather-stripped.
- A new storm door will have a quick payback period if it costs no more than $200 and is used over an older door.
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