How Can I Create More Energy Efficient Windows?

One of the most effective ways of cutting bills and reducing your carbon footprint is to install energy efficient windows in your home.

With rising fuel costs and increasing concerns about global warming, installing energy efficient windows has never been more advisable. Fitting new windows brings a number of direct benefits, from increasing the value of the house itself and cutting your fuel bills, to providing a more comfortable living space or improving your home’s asthetic.

How energy efficient windows work

Energy Efficient

The idea is simple: more energy efficient windows stop heat passing through the glass, inhibiting the movement of air through the frame. This in turn stops energy being used to heat the home and cuts your fuel bills. The best way to achieve energy efficiency is by installing new double glazed windows.

Window design today is geared to energy efficiency as well as insulation, and there are loads of solutions that can suit any home and budget. Glass for double glazing is of low emissivity, with a coating that lets in light but stops heat from escaping. The designed gaps between the sheets are filled with gases like xenon to improve energy efficiency, and pane spacers keeps the panes apart. Choose windows with plastic or rubber pane spacers, as these conduct less heat and are more efficient.

There are a myriad of different styles and colours available on the market – just look at some of the new windows and doors in Dublin if you need ideas – but there are some things to think about before you decide to buy from a company such as http://keanewindows.ie/.

Checking the energy rating

Check the Energy Rating

Frames today tend to be UPVC or aluminium, or a combination of both. Whatever type of frames or style you decide on must have an energy efficiency rating from A to G. Choose the best rating you can afford on your budget. The long term financial benefits are definitely worth it. In conservation areas or on listed buildings you may have to use wooden frames which need more maintenance, but these can be made just as energy efficient with modern production methods.

What to do if you can’t replace your windows

If planning restrictions do stop you from installing new double glazing, you can still try and improve your windows’ energy efficiency. Hang heavy lined curtains, or install shutters and secondary glazing to inhibit the air flow.

Summary

This article explains how energy efficient windows cut fuel bills by stopping heat escaping through the glass and frame, mainly through double glazing with low-emissivity coatings and gas-filled gaps between panes. It advises checking a window’s energy rating from A to G before buying, and suggests heavy curtains, shutters or secondary glazing as alternatives where planning restrictions rule out new double glazing.

Questions this article raises

• How much can double glazing realistically cut a home’s fuel bills?
• Why might a listed building be restricted to wooden window frames?
• How big a difference does secondary glazing make compared with full replacement?