Content courtesy of Modernize

There are a few factors that will make your new home windows energy efficient and help you save money in the long run. A window becomes energy efficient when it has multiple window glass panes – double paned or triple paned glass windows, high quality window frames, low-e glass coatings, has argon or krypton gas filled in between window panes, and has window pane spacers installed. These energy efficient features all help curate the perfect window for energy savings

Multiple Window Glass Panes
Energy efficient double paned windows and triple pane windows are made up of multiple sheets of glass sandwiched together with spacers. These multi-layer constructions create air pockets between the layers of glass, which are sealed shut to prevent any air from entering or escaping. Finally, they are filled with different gases to increase their efficiency.

Quality Window Frame Materials
Installing an energy-efficient window is necessary for saving energy, but it will not do you much good if the window frame is not efficient as well. Energy efficient windows can be paired with composite, vinyl windows, fibreglass windows and also wooden window frames, or clad-wood windows which are highly energy efficient. High quality frame materials will reduce the transfer of heat and insulate your windows better leading to more efficient heating and cooling in your home.

Low-E Glass Coatings
Low-e or low-emissivity coatings are an effective way to keep heat inside your home in the winter or to keep it out of your home in the summer. These coatings are designed to control the way the heat energy from sunlight moves around. An exterior low-e coating can prohibit the ultraviolet and the infrared light, in other words, the heat from entering your home while still allowing the sunlight to pass through. In northern climates when heat gain is more desirable, a low-e coating is often used in the reverse. The full spectrum of light is allowed into the home as much as possible, but the heat energy it produces is trapped inside. This creates a powerful greenhouse effect that keeps a home extra warm during the coldest months of the year.

Window Gas Fills
Energy-efficient windows will often have gas fills between window panes which help insulate your new home windows better. There are argon, krypton, and other gases that can be filled inside, all of which are non-toxic, odourless, and colourless.

Window Spacers
In double and triple paned windows, there are spacers installed in windows at the perfect distance apart in-between glass panes. These are either a non metal and metal hybrid spacer that insulates the window pane edges which in turn reduce heat transfer,  improving energy efficiency of the entire window.

Learn more about Westeck’s high performance Vinyl Slider Windows

Learn more about Westeck’s high performance Aluminum Windows and Balcony Doors