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[Mike Rogers, Senior Vice President, GreenHomes America speaking: ]
So, you’re thinking about new windows, Replacement windows are great! There’s a whole host
of benefits. Comfort’s a big one: if you are standing next to an energy-efficient window
in the middle of winter, you are going to feel more comfortable than if you are standing
next to an inefficient window. The surface of that window will be warmer and your body
will be able to sense that difference in temperature. The opposite is true in the summertime: “low-E”
coatings block the sun’s rays keeping the heat out and keeping you cool inside. More
efficient windows don’t have the same problem with condensation…think of a glass of iced
tea on a summer day, all the water that condenses on the outside. Windows do the same thing
in the wintertime, because they are cold. They are being cooled off by the outdoor temperature.
Your warm, humid air from the inside hits that cold glass and condenses. Well, if you
have an efficient window that glass is actually warmer so you don’t get the condensation.
Good energy-efficient windows have coatings on that block UV rays so things like your
furniture, your carpets, upholstery, drapes, clothing, things don’t fade as much as they
do with an old inefficient window. Some people want to put new windows in just because their
old windows are painted shut, they can’t open/slide them. There are concerns about
lead paint in older windows. So, having new windows that operate, that you can open/close,
clean, you don’t have to worry about lead dust, all those are great reasons to put in
new windows. And if you want to put in new windows for any reason at all, put in the
right window and make sure it is installed properly. You know, if you put in a great
window but your contractor does not pay any attention to how it is installed, you have
essentially just wasted a lot of money. It is important when you pull out the old window
to seal around where the old window was. There are little pockets, especially with old double-hung
windows, there are actually big weighted pulleys that slide up and down in those cavities,
a great pathway for air to get from inside to outside or vice versa. So all that air
that you paid to have heated or cooled is escaping right out through those gaps around
the window. So even if you put in a new efficient window, if you have not tightened up, you
are not getting your money’s worth. For comfort, for energy efficiency, for a fresh
new look, replacement windows make a lot of sense.