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Buying a new home? Quick list to check your window efficiency
By Ken Sheinkopf
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| NREL efficient windows in Las Vegas prototype home |
Ken Sheinkopf's questions and answers
Q: We're spending our weekends house-hunting, and I know
how important windows are in a home. What do we look for during
these visits?
A: There are several things to consider. Do the windows seal tightly when closed? Are they easy to open and close so that you take advantage of natural ventilation? Are the frames in good condition? Are they the right type of windows for the climate (e.g., double-pane in warmer climates, insulated air spaces and special gases in colder climates)?
More information:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program
with a directory
of window providers is a great place to start.
Also try American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy's Consumer Guide to efficient windows.
The Efficient
Windows Collaborative highlights how efficient
windows work, where to get them and why you might be throwing
money out of your windows without them.
Bibliography:
Editor's Note: Ken Sheinkopf is Associate Director of the Florida Solar Energy Center. Write to him at 1679 Clearlake Road, Cocoa, FL 32922, or e-mail Sheinkopf@fsec.ucf.edu
REPP does not endorse products and this is not to serve as a
scientific or comprehensive analysis of any product.
Photo credit: NREL Las Vegas Windows
PIX number
06466
Title:
High-performance windows installed in a prototype home in Las Vegas, Nevada, by the Building Science Consortium (BSC), a Building America Program Consortium
Caption
BSC installed double-paned, low emissivity, vinyl framed windows in their test home in Las Vegas, Nevada. Compared to standard windows, the high performance model reduces heat losses and heat gains through the windows by 30% to 50%.
Credit:
Farrar, Sara
Date:
1/1/1997
Index Date:
9/17/1998
DOE_office:
Building America Program
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