If you’re trying to decide what type of energy efficient windows and doors to buy for your home renovation, remember that looks are important but energy efficiency is a crucial consideration as well.
Selecting the right energy efficient windows and doors that will reduce your heating bills in the winter and lower your air conditioning costs in the summer can also look great and add value to your home. With manufacturers across the U.S. regularly making higher quality windows and doors, homeowners are able to find a product that will appeal to their design sense and make their home cost less to use.
In the tri-state (New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey) area, homeowners, construction professionals, designers, and architects have an excellent resource for energy efficient windows and doors in Northeast Architectural. Established in 1994, Northeast Architectural has a team of window and door specialists who can help clients navigate the daunting challenge of selecting, purchasing and installing windows and doors in a new build or remodeling project.
Research indicates that the average single-story home in the U.S. has between 10 and 14 windows, while the average two-story home can have as many as 24 to 32 windows. Add an average of about 20 doors per home, and you can see why selecting energy efficient windows and doors can be so important to how much a family spends on energy costs each year.
How many windows and doors a home can have varies greatly based on geographic location, the age of a home, and the overall square footage of the home. But if air from inside your home is escaping through small cracks, missing or improperly installed sealing, or inefficient glass, a home’s heating and cooling systems will have to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature. That results in higher energy bills year round and a larger impact on the environment.
The installation of energy efficient windows and doors is designed to do different things in different regions of the U.S. In colder climates like the Northeast, windows that allow more energy from the sun into a home are a better option, while in hotter climates, windows that block some of the sun’s rays are a better pick for homeowners. While doors don’t allow more sun in a home, or block the sun’s rays, the right type of exterior doors need to be installed to prevent cold air from getting inside during the winter, and hot, humid air from getting inside during the summer.
The window and door specialists at Northeast Architectural can help homeowners determine what type of windows and doors are right for your specific project. Every window and door that is manufactured receives two energy performance ratings, which tell homeowners the potential for gaining and losing heat, as well as how much sunlight is transmitted into a home.
One of the ratings, the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC), independently tests, certifies, and labels doors and windows based on their energy performance ratings. ENERGY STAR is a government program that certifies energy efficient windows and doors, in addition to appliances and other home products.
The ENERGY STAR rating tells a homeowner whether a window is certified, and in what part of the country the window should be installed. It also contains information of how much energy and money the specific product could potentially save a consumer.
If you’re starting a new build or renovating a portion of your home and will be purchasing new windows and doors, get expert advice from the specialists at Northeast Architectural. We can help you determine which windows and doors are best for you and your specific project.
Call 732.876.4112 to schedule a consultation with one of our design specialists, or visit https://northeastco.com/architectural/ and schedule an appointment online. Let us help you design, purchase and install windows and doors for your home.