The Difference Between Low and High Efficiency Replacement Windows

Dr. Energy Saver's owner and president was On the Job down in Florida helping us understand how to make homes more energy efficient in warmer areas of the country. Today, he focuses on how windows can lose or conserve energy.

Clear glass, conventional windows allow infrared rays, the heat component of the solar spectrum, to pass through the pane and heat the interior of the house -- putting an extra load on the air conditioner. Windows with aluminum frames are even greater energy wasters, because aluminum is highly conductive. 

High efficiency replacement windows share basic features that inhibit heat transfers in many ways. Energy efficient windows are built with low E glass, a material that has a built in metallic coating to reflect heat to the outside during the summer, and to the inside during the winter. These windows are slightly tinted and work like sunglasses, filtering out infrared rays. 

High efficiency windows also have double pane and argon gas in between panes to provide insulation and eliminate conductive heat transfers.Visit our website for information on saving money with replacement windows and doors and for a wealth of energy saving tips!