window replacement costs vs benefits

Window Replacement: Costs vs. Benefits


PART 1Investing in the FutureWindows hardly ever need replacing, so getting new windows for the home is something that’s hardly ever on our home improvement priority list. When we do need to get our windows fixed or upgraded, however, doing so can be quite costly; for this reason, getting windows replacements isn’t something that should

be decided on lightly.


New windows can cost you from several hundred to several thousand dollars per window (excluding installation costs), but keeping your old windows can cost you even more. Statistics show that in a bid to buy more comfort and energy efficiency for homes, as many as 61 million new windows were bought and installed by homeowners nationwide in 2001. Twenty-six percent of those were replacements. Today, in the face ofrising energy costs, the pressure is on to replace old wood windows, which many perceive to be inferior to the modern options available today.

OUT WITH THE OLD? The most common reason for getting rid of old windows is that they can no longer protect your home (and you) adequately against the vagaries of climate change. Most old windows aren’t tinted or coated and are single-pane. Cold or warm air can easily seep through the glass itself, as well as through cracks in your window frames.

If your home’s getting to be inefficient at keeping you cool in the summer and toasty in the winter, then old windows are your likely culprit. They’re probably also responsible for driving your energy bills up.

If you suspect that your original windows are sucking the energy right out of your home, then you seriously need to consider new windows. Sometimes, though, homeowners are hesitant about making changes. It’s perfectly understandable to be worried about how the new windows could impact on how your house looks—will they make it look more appealing or not? Also, how soon can you recoup the expense of getting your windows repaired or updated?

Investing in the Future


CONSIDERING THE NEW

One of the most obvious arguments for getting new windows is the savings you can generate from better energy efficiency and lower maintenance costs. However, homeowners may have a hard time determining the typical payback period for a window replacement project. Variables that can affect a

project’s scope and cost can vary widely: “The area’s typical climate and weather conditions, the design and shape of the building, the HVAC system, insulation, and the window types chosen by the homeowner—all these will determine the probable return on investment,” says an experienced building contractor.

Beyond these more obvious and measurable considerations, though, it’s also important for homeowners to understand the costs and benefits of the different window and replacement options available to them. This means understanding the impact not just in a monetary sense, but also in the sense of how their choices today may affect the future of our nation, and the world at large.

If we keep an eye solely on our financial bottom line, then we lose sight of the bigger picture: what we can do to preserve the planet for the generations to come. Is a penny in the pocket now really more important than the immeasurable benefits in the future that can redound from something as simple as making the right window choices?

Savvy homeowners are now aware of the impact of technology—including window technology—on the environment. Not up on the latest in window technology yourself? No worries—Part II of this eBook discusses the various features of today’s windows that make them a responsible choice for today’s homeowner.

Investing in the Future


PART 2What Am I Investing In?

The quickest and most immediate answer to the question above is, of course, that you’re investing in yourself and in future generations by getting new windows. The preceding statement, however, is pretty abstract. For the amount you’ll likely be shelling out for window replacements, you’re sure to want a more

concrete measurement of what you’re investing in.


It goes without saying that energy efficiency is the key to getting your money’s worth when deciding on replacement windows. Here are the things to look out for:

R AND U VALUES indicate the energy that could be escaping through your windows. U-value is the amount of heat lost or gained based on temperature differences between the indoors and your outdoors. The lower the U-value number, the better. The inverse is true of R-values: the higher the R-value, the more the window resists heat flow.

GAS INSULATION helps reduce energy loss. Most windows today have two panes of glass that sandwich air or an inert gas, typically argon (which is nontoxic, clear and odorless) to reduce heat loss and gain. Windows with a narrower space between panes typically use krypton gas. Windows with air gaps cost 3 to 7 percent less than argon, but are less effective at insulation. Krypton gas windows, on the other hand, have the best thermal performance but are also the most expensive.

TINTING & SOLAR CONTROL film blocks a certain amount of the entire spectrum of sunlight entering your home. A low-e metallic tint can improve thermal performance, and can also reduce visible light transmittance to help keep the interior comfortable, especially in warmer climates. Tinting typically adds about 10 percent to the cost of the window.

What Am I Investing In?


LOW E-FACTOR coating on windows can reflect solar heat, to help keep your home cool. In the winter, a low-e coating can reflect ambient heat back into the home’s interior, cutting heat loss from conductance. A low-e coating allows daylight to enter, translating to lower lighting energy use and, subsequently, energy savings.

Apart from much-improved features for window glass, today’s homeowners can also choose from various framing options that can impact on energy savings. Part III focuses on framing options available to you.

What Am I Investing In?


PART 3Framing Things the Right WayBesides saving energy, modern windows offer other advantages. They can block ultraviolet rays that cause fading and deterioration of fabrics, furniture, and floors. They can be engineered to help muffle outdoor noise, bringing an increased level of comfort to the occupants of a home. In the last section, we learned about the various improved features of glass, but what about window

frames? How do we know what to look for?


VINYL OR WOOD? FIBERGLASS, COMPOSITE, OR ALUMINUM?

VINYL dominates the market, especially since windows in this material, thanks to new technologies, can now be painted in a wider variety of colors. Vinyl frames used to be available only in beige or white because vinyl is extremely sensitive to heat and would buckle as a result of absorbing heat from darker paint colors. Now that heat-deflecting paints are available on the market, vinyl can be painted in a wider range of colors, even dark colors. Vinyl frames are pliable, making them suitable for custom-designed windows. They’re also low-maintenance and insulate just as well as wood.

WOOD is favored for the style and beauty it brings to the home. Today’s wood frames are more durable than those installed decades ago: they’re treated to resist rotting, mold and termites. Wood, however, is expensive and can cost two to three times as much as vinyl. These frames also need regular maintenance to keep them in good repair. You can now opt for frames that are wood on the inside but clad in aluminum on the outside for protection. The downside to this is that moisture could form under the aluminum and decay the wood.

Framing Things the Right Way


FIBERGLASS AND COMPOSITES

Give you virtually no-maintenance, easy-to-paint windows that can even be designed to look like wood grain. Typically, they cost more than vinyl. They offer good thermal resistance.



ALUMINUM frames are less prone to deterioration than wood, and feature scratch-resistant anodized finishes. To ensure your window frames don’t conduct unwanted heat (as metal frames do), check if the frames are thermally broken. This means that a layer of insulating plastic or polyurethane is used to separate the metal that’s exposed to the outside from the metal exposed to the interior of the home. Aluminum frames are also corrosion-resistant, which means they’re less likely to leak air. They do, however, tend to gather interior condensation that can potentially cause mold problems.

Without a doubt, new replacement windows will be much more energy-efficient and will make your home a much more pleasant place to hang around in. Should you decide against new windows, however, then you’ll need to look for a company that specializes in old window restorations. While this’ll still be a considerable expense, it’ll be cheaper than installing all-new windows.

Keep in mind, though, that fixing cracks and leaks will not generate as much energy savings as installing new, energy-efficient glass. New EnergyStar glass, estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show that you can save an average of between $126 and $465 a year. It’s the payback in environmental terms, however, that you can never really put a price on.



Homecraft1407 Philadelphia Pike Wilmington, DE 19809

1-877-494-0377www.HomeCraftInc.com

http://www.HomeCraftInc.com

window replacement costs vs benefits

Documents