Windows make a big impact on your home’s energy efficiency. Glass by itself has virtually no insulating value and a home with single-pane or dual-pane windows that have lost their vacuum will gain or lose heat rapidly. Anything you can do to improve home efficiency reduces the amount of time the HVAC system runs, which lowers energy bills.
Replacing inefficient windows with Energy Star or thermal windows costs a good deal of money, and if an upgrade isn’t in your budget, you might be able to achieve some energy savings by using window treatments designed to block the flow of heat indoors and out.
Types of Window Treatments
Exterior treatments.
The most effective way to slow the heat transfer that goes through glass is to prevent it by installing shades on the outside of the windows. Homeowners in southern and southwestern climates have used solar shades on south- and west-facing windows.
The shade cloth used in these screens can block 90 percent or more of the radiant heat hitting the window, which lowers the amount of heat entering through the glass. Besides hanging the solar shades on the windows or using them as roller shades, some people install awnings over the windows or use shade sails as covers on adjacent patios.
Interior treatments.
The most energy efficient window coverings are cellular shades. They will prevent summertime heat gain and wintertime heat loss, making them a practical improvement for your home.
Window quilts are another efficient way to block window heat transfer, especially if they fit snugly between the window frame on all sides. If you prefer a more formal look, consider insulated thermal draperies.
You’ll get the best performance from the draperies when they extend four or five inches beyond the edges of the window frame. Both cellular shades and thermal drapes will work year-round to improve the efficiency of your windows.
Windows have a big impact on the energy efficiency of your home, and are a driver in how hard your cooling and heating system has to run. To learn more, contact Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning today.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area