Energy Efficiency
Q: Are impact windows more energy efficient
Q: Impact windows energy efficiency
Q: Impact windows energy savings
Google’s Answer: “Hurricane impact windows will make your home more energy efficient by giving more air and temperature insulation to your home. … This will help keep the home well insulated reducing the requirement for greater amounts of energy to keep the home’s temperature intact.”
Smash City Pro’s Answer:
Impact windows are going to be significantly more energy efficient than older windows. Traditionally, at Smash City, we are replacing or upgrading windows that are anywhere from 10 to 40 years old. We are typically taking out a single or double pane window and putting in an impact window.
The values that make an impact window more efficient are a combination of three things:
- The additional layers and overall density of the glass
- The coatings that are placed on the surface of the glass
- The gas that is within the air space of the window itself
For the sake of this answer, I’m going to keep those elements generic, because each manufacturer has different names associated with those applications. Overall, an impact window has four pieces of glass and a piece of laminate. When you put all of that together and make one unit, you are putting a true barrier in between the outside and inside of your home.
The other side of energy efficiency is moving away from what we traditionally take out of homes (older style aluminum window frames) and putting in a vinyl window frame or an aluminum frame that is thermally broken. Let’s break that down.
A vinyl window frame is a nonconductor of heat, meaning heat does not pass through. The vinyl does not heat to a temperature where the heat would radiate off the frame itself. In laymen’s terms, if the outside is hot, the inside of the frame will be cool. If you touch your metal aluminum windows in the middle of the day, they will be very hot. The vinyl product will be the same temperature as the inside of your home.
We also have the ability to install thermally broken aluminum frames. With these types of frames, there is both an inside and outside piece of the frame as well as a piece of composite in between that act as a washer from the outside to the inside. The outside aluminum will heat up, but that heat will not be radiated to the inside of the frame because of a consistent, composite barrier that the two sides are fastened through.
Approximately 90% of people in the Greater Tampa Bay or Sarasota areas go with a vinyl product because it is less expensive. Thermally broken aluminum is by far the most expensive, high-end product on the market. It should also be noted that most aluminum products are not thermally broken. If you get an aluminum product from a big-name vendor and the price is not significantly higher than the vinyl, it is a solid aluminum frame, and you will miss out on a significant amount of energy efficiency. You will still get lots of heat radiation through the frame.
Going with a vinyl product with an energy efficient, low-e coating and argon gas air fill will result in huge savings on your energy efficiency, especially if you have a ton of windows. If you have less windows, you will see a smaller margin of savings, but you will still be more energy efficient than you would with alternate options. Your savings will also correlate with how often the sun pounds on your windows.
We had one customer at Smash City say that they felt like their house was actually sealed off for the first time after we installed new impact windows and doors. I asked her what she meant, and she went on to tell us how much cooler the area was. They couldn’t previously use a breakfast nook in their home before the upgrade because of the direction their home faced. After the replacement, they’ve eaten breakfast there every single day. They no longer feel the heat pounding on them and have a much more comfortable space. We gave them additional square footage in their home that they did not have prior to having the energy efficient impact windows.
It may be the right time for you to replace your windows and doors. But how do you know? And how do you choose the best option for your home?
Selecting the right replacement windows or doors can be challenging. Many people find themselves chasing down estimates or sifting through product catalogs when they should be enjoying the benefits of new doors and windows inside their home, such as aesthetics and functionality, noise reduction, and desired natural light.
Our purpose at Smash City is to show you the true strength of impact windows and doors. We want to show you the benefits of what impact products can be to you and your home. We see first-hand how powerful impact products are and how fragile the windows and doors in your home are now.
If you haven’t upgraded your windows already fill out our form and let us help you. Send us your quotes and we can compare them for you.