With winter beginning to wane in the area, your monthly utility bills may well still be in the process of catching up to your usage. Even with an efficient home, utility usage can often become difficult to manage with the extreme weather in the area. One of the key areas where heat leaves your home in the winter is through your windows and doors. As breaks in your home’s wall system, windows and doors provide natural lighting, entrance, and exit to your home.
However, they’re also among the top culprits of heat loss and inefficiency, especially if they haven’t been updated. In this post, we’ll look at how updating your Rochester home with energy efficient window and door replacements can lead to significant savings on your energy bills.
Update Your Doors and Windows for Lower Energy Bills
The Connection Between Doors, Windows, and Energy Bills
There are two ways in which windows and doors waste your heating and cooling energy. The first is in how they are sealed. If you’ve ever walked past a window and door and felt a draft, that’s a good sign that there are problems in how well those parts of your home are sealed from the outdoors. This type of issue may be fixed with weatherstripping or door seals, but are often a sign of further issues with the door or window as a whole.
Benefits of Updating Your Doors and Windows
A high-quality door or window not only seals more tightly, but it’s also often constructed from better materials to enhance energy efficiency. They’re also constructed more carefully to ensure that it will seal more tightly against the sash or other parts. They also have additional features that you may not be aware of, such as double- or triple-panes to reduce heat loss, insulated frames to improve heat retention, and similar factors you may not have taken into account.
Aspects of Energy-Efficient Windows and Doors
- Double or Triple-Paned Windows: The additional layers of glass and air between the layers improve your energy efficiency by creating insulating layers.
- Low-E Glass Windows: Rather than actually being a part of the glass, Low-E actually refers to a coating on the glass that allows natural light in while reflecting heat.
- Gas-Filled Windows: By filling filing the space between multi-pane windows with gas, additional insulation value is received, with argon more economical and krypton more insulating.
- Frame Material: The material used in your window or door frames can also impact your efficiency through heat transfer. Metal often transfers heat to the outdoors.
- Insulation: The type of insulation used to fill the frame or door can impact how efficient the window or door is, with some doing better or worse in insulative value than others.
- Weatherstripping and Sweeps: How well will the weatherstripping and door sweeps prevent drafts? These important components ensure that your heat stays where it’s needed most.
- Proper Installation: Professional installation helps ensure that you’ll get the best possible performance from your new doors and windows.
Additional Steps to Maximize Energy Efficiency with Doors and Windows
Beyond replacing your doors and windows with more energy efficient models, there are also other steps you can take to ensure that you’re maximizing your energy budget. To start, make sure that any doors or windows that are not being replaced seal tightly, replacing hardware if needed. You can also seal any gaps or leaks.
Another option to consider is the addition of storm windows or storm doors to help keep the wind from blowing your door away from the seals while keeping an insulating barrier of air between the two doors or windows. Similarly, the right window treatments can help improve temperature control and reduce heat loss.
When to Consider Updating Your Doors and Windows
If you see high energy bills, drafts, problems with visible damage, opening, or closing your windows or doors, condensation between windowpanes, or similar issues that signal that something isn’t right with your doors or windows, it’s time to consider replacement. The best time to handle this process is during mild spring or fall weather, when it won’t impact your heating bill or home comfort as dramatically.
Updating your Rochester home with energy efficient window and door replacement options can make a dramatic impact on your utility bills while reducing your energy consumption. Beyond the immediate benefits of a more comfortable home, you’ll also have long-term benefits in the form of lower utility bills and, in some cases, tax benefits.
Why not take the time to look at your existing windows and exterior doors to see whether they may be due for replacement with more energy-efficient options? At Maressa Remodeling, we’re happy to take a look at your system and provide you with a quote for quality, energy-efficient door and window replacements for your Rochester home that will make it more comfortable – and make your wallet happy. Just contact us today to get started!
