| Houses leak most of their heat through the | | | | Energy Star rating? The market supplies many |
| windows. Seals and weather-stripping on cheap | | | | choices, but here are some guidelines. |
| and badly installed windows allow heat-robbing | | | | First, most insulating windows are made with two, |
| drafts, and regular glass is not a very good | | | | or sometimes three, panes of glass. The |
| insulator. But the initial cost of quality | | | | manufacturer often fills the space between the |
| energy-efficient windows can give one pause. Is it | | | | panes with an insulating inert gas such as argon or |
| really worth the extra money to get windows | | | | krypton. |
| that can reduce your house's energy consumption | | | | There's also a film or reflective metal coating that |
| by as much as twenty-five percent? | | | | manufacturers can put on the glass which helps |
| It's certainly true that the US Government wants | | | | to achieve lower U-Factor ratings. Some |
| to encourage you to fit energy-efficient windows | | | | treatments of this sort can even help to filter out |
| by giving you a 10% tax break for doing so up to | | | | damaging UV radiation. It's a good idea if you are |
| a maximum of $500 per year. This specific tax | | | | installing a west-facing window to attempt to |
| credit is called the Existing Home Tax Credit for | | | | obtain glass that has a really low Solar Heat Gain |
| Fenestration and covers windows installed | | | | Coefficient. This is useful because rooms with |
| between 31st December 2005 and 1st January | | | | west-facing windows often have overheating |
| 2008. So there's still time for you to benefit. | | | | problems in the afternoons. Your dealer should be |
| The organization that rates the energy-saving | | | | able to help you with this. |
| capabilities of windows is the National Fenestration | | | | Another very important consideration is the |
| Rating Council (NFRC). Their measures are the | | | | window seal. It's imperative that any window you |
| U-Factor which rates how well the window retains | | | | are contemplating buying has a tight seal. You can |
| heat in your house - the lower this rating, the | | | | check this by noting the resistence felt when |
| better - and the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient which | | | | opening and closing the window in the showroom. |
| shows how well your windows keep your house | | | | The higher the resistence, the better the seal. |
| cool - again, the lower, the better. In order to | | | | So, although replacing those old, drafty windows |
| qualify for the above tax credit you need to install | | | | may look to be an expensive proposition in the |
| energy-efficient products rated by this | | | | short-term, remember to factor in the |
| organization. They'll all display NFRC stickers which | | | | government tax break of ten per cent and ten to |
| you'll need to keep along with your receipts as | | | | twenty five per cent savings on energy costs, |
| proof of purchase. | | | | and they might not look quite so expensive after |
| What should you look for in a window, besides an | | | | all. |