Windows are the major source of warmth, light, and ventilation in our homes, though it’s also possible for them to affect our homes negatively by reducing its energy efficiency. Windows that are poorly installed or designed can make a home excessively cold or hot depending on the climatic conditions and you may be surprised to learn that about 25% of your home’s heat can be lost through the windows.
To improve the energy efficiency of our homes and minimize the amount of energy that is lost through windows by almost 75% we need to install energy efficient windows in our homes. Although quite expensive, these windows are the most ideal choice to solving our energy loss issues and for individuals on a limited budget; you can simply make energy efficiency upgrades to your existing windows.
If designed properly, energy efficient windows provide comfort throughout the year, and might even end up minimizing or even eradicating the need for artificial cooling and heating in our homes during the ever-changing climatic conditions.
Energy efficient windows can improve the comfort of your home and considerably lower your energy expenses. It also gives cleaner, brighter and improved surroundings.
When making your choice on the best energy efficient window to install in your home you need to consider certain features, of which, the most important is the thermal mass of the window. Thermal windows are capable of storing heat though they can generate it. This makes them ideal for regions of extreme cold weather. They are capable of keeping heat in a room.
Another feature is noise control which can be further controlled by installing the right quality of energy efficient windows in your home. An energy efficient window with sealed double glazing and a large air gap is capable of reducing the frequency of noise transmissions in a building. Thick laminated glasses are also a good choice of noise reduction though they are less effective as thermal conductors.
Energy efficient windows are capable of reducing the violet, ultraviolet and blue wavelengths that penetrates ordinary window panes and cause fading of interior furnishing in your home. These glazed glasses are thick enough to deflect most of the sunlight beams and protect your properties.
The exterior and interior glass surfaces of energy efficient windows are within touching distance of the adjoining air temperature, minimizing the level of condensation, which is the cooling of moist air and the accumulation of unpleasant and harmful mold and mildew. Windows that are of less efficient quality can cause far bigger variation between the glass surface temperature and the room temperature, making it easy for condensation to form. The life cycle of whichever energy efficient window you choose to install in your home is also an important consideration to make.
Whether you are building a new home or renovating an existing one it is important you contact your house builder or contractor to carefully decide on the appropriate kind of glass, sizes, frames, shading and thickness of windows which will be most suitable to the orientation of your home and the climatic condition of your environment.