by M. Lynch

Warmer weather is here, and with it comes a list of home improvement projects to tackle before winter returns. If you are considering whether to replace your windows, here is some valuable information and potential financial help.

Do You Need New Windows?

Do you really need new windows? To know for sure, evaluate the condition of your windows. If you have single-pane windows without storm windows, you would benefit at the very least from the installation of storm windows. Properly installed and caulked storm windows make a substantial difference in hindering unwanted air flow throughout your home.

If you have double-pane windows that are in good condition but you feel a draft from around the window frames, you need to confirm that the caulking and insulation around the windows are intact. If you are uncertain how to check, ask a construction professional or retailer for help or visit Web sites such as www.energystar.com for more information. If air leaks in between the frame and sash (the moving part of the window), and you are certain your windows are installed correctly, you most likely need to replace your windows.

Why New Windows?

Immediate comfort and long-term cost benefits are reasons for considering replacement windows. Low-e glass coatings and insulated glass, with or without gas fills, can significantly reduce winter heat loss and summer heat gain and make your home more comfortable. The resulting comfortable temperature minimizes the amount of energy required to heat or cool your home and reduces the effort required of your heating and cooling systems, which in turn extends their long-term operation.

New windows increase the value of your home, should you consider selling. For nineteen years, Remodeling Magazine, has published an Annual Cost l v. Value Report on a variety of home improvement projects, including window replacement. Its 2005 report states that by replacing ten 3’ x 5’ double-hung windows, 90% of the cost of the replacement windows would be recouped at the time of reselling the home. This percentage was up from 84.5% from the year before, because of higher energy prices.

If old rattling window frames keep you awake on windy nights, new windows can eliminate the problem. The tight fit and insulating quality of new windows also makes the general outside noise less noticeable.

Richard Holt, the owner of an old farmhouse in Glastonbury, Connecticut, replaced his windows in 2005 and says he is amazed at the difference the windows have made over his old storms/window combination. He immediately noticed a decrease in the winter winds that blew in around the windows, and the rattling sounds that kept his family awake at night stopped when he replaced the old windows. He estimates he saves about $250 in heating bills each winter. At that rate the windows will pay for themselves in saved heating costs in seven years, and he is certain the new windows increased the resale value of the home because of the enhanced appearance and the energy savings he can report to prospective buyers.

What to Look For

The window industry measures the energy efficiency of products in terms of thermal transmission, or U-factor. U-factor measures the rate of heat transfer through a product. The lower the U-factor, the lower the amount of heat loss and the better the window is at insulating a building.

Emissivity is the ability of a window to absorb certain types of energy and radiate that energy through itself and out of a room. Certain types of windows are referred to as “low-e”, the lower the emissivity of the window, the lower the rate of heat loss.  Use of low-e glass improves the thermal performance of the window.

To simplify the evaluation process, the National Fenestration Ratings Council (NFRC) developed a universal standard for rating windows. When comparing window performance, always ask to see the NFRC label or label certificate, which will list the U-factor of the window. Also, the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy introduced an ENERGY STAR rating system that makes it easy to identify energy-efficient products, including windows. If energy savings is your focus,  look for an ENERGY STAR rated window with a U-factor of .35 or lower.

Who Should Install Your Windows?

If you are particularly handy at home repair projects, with proper guidance and direction, you could probably install your own windows. Correct measurements of the window openings are essential. If you choose to do the work yourself, buy your windows from a known and established retailer and get directions from them on how to correctly measure for and install your windows. Installing your own double-hungs is very straightforward; the more complicated a window project, such as a bay or bow, the more you might want to consider getting professional help.

There are two types of professionals involved in the window buying process–the one making the windows, and the one installing them. Your criteria for selecting both should be the same. Look for a company that manufactures and/or sells energy efficient products, has a reputation for providing good service, has been in business a significant amount of time, and provides a warranty. The Better Business Bureau is always a good resource for businesses you can trust.

Even the most energy-efficient window must be installed properly to ensure that it operates correctly and provides its best energy performance. No amount of money saved by installing windows yourself, or purchasing windows without appropriate documentation and warranties, will make up for what it will cost you to have the windows reinstalled or replaced if the job is installed incorrectly or the windows are not well made. In addition, even if your window is warranted, incorrect installation may void the manufacturer’s warranty. Find out all this information before deciding what to install and who to install it.

Financial Assistance

Thanks to the federal Energy Policy Act of 2005, homeowners in the US can claim tax credits if they upgrade their primary residence with energy-efficient building components, including exterior windows, in 2006 and 2007. Ten percent of the window purchase price, up to a maximum of $200, can be deducted from the homeowner’s income tax. To request this tax credit you need IRS Form 5695 and documentation from the window manufacturer.

In addition, the State of Connecticut declared a sales tax exemption on home weatherization products purchased between June 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007. If you purchase low-e windows or doors, caulking, window film, or window and weather strips during this time period, no sales tax will be charged.

Additional financial-help programs worth investigating, include the following:

WRAP Weatherization Program by Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) for customers who use more than 2,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year with a household income at or below 60% of the state median income qualify for free inspection of windows, weatherization stripping, and other relevant parts of the home (www.cl-p.com/clmres/energy/wrap.asp).

The Energy Conservation Loan Program from the Connecticut Housing Investment Fund offers loan financing for home renovations (including windows) with up to $15,000 for single family homeowners and up to $2,000 per unit for owners of multifamily property www.chif.org/owner_borrowers/index.shtml#energy).

Massachusetts Residential Conservation Services Program provides information on in-home programs, incentives, and rebates toward the installation of ENERGY STAR qualified equipment and products offered by Massachusetts member utility companies (www.masssave.com).

 

 

If these programs don’t apply to you, check with your utility company for local resources or visit www.energystar.gov for listings by state. Contractors in your state who participate in a locally sponsored Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program can help you cost-effectively improve your home’s energy efficiency. These specially trained contractors evaluate your home using state-of-the-art equipment and recommend comprehensive improvements that will yield the best results. These contractors can also help you take advantage of federal tax credits for energy efficiency improvements.

Informational Links:

ENERGY STAR: www.energystar.gov
National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC): www.nfrc.org
Alliance to Save Energy: www.ase.org
Efficient Windows Collaborative: www.efficientwindows.org

Fenestration* Fact:

According to the US Department Of Energy, windows currently account for 3.5 quadrillion BTUs in US energy consumption at a cost of $20 billion per year (British Thermal Unit is a unit of energy used in North America)


The ENERGY STAR window program reports that:

o An average household spends more than 40% of its annual energy budget on heating and cooling costs.

o Household energy costs in most US homes could be reduced by 15% by installing more energy efficient windows

o If all residential windows in the US were replaced with the more efficient ENERGY STAR qualifying models, we’d save $7 billion in energy costs over the next fifteen years, enough to light every home in the New York metropolitan area.

* CL&P reports that if every household in the United States lowered its average heating temperature six degrees over a twenty-four-hour period, we would save the equivalent of more than 570,000 barrels of oil a day.

* Fenestration = the arrangement, proportioning, and design of windows and doors in a building.

Anatomy of an Energy-Efficient Window -reprinted from www.EnergyStar.gov.

M. Lynch is the marketing manager for Mercury Excelum Inc. of East Windsor, Connecticut. She can be reached at 860-292-1800 or www.mercuryexcelum.com.