There aren’t any shortages of advertisements for window companies in the Sunday paper. Some of the advertisements boast huge energy savings for your home. But what exactly should you expect when you’re thinking of replacing your new windows? The answer is a bit more complicated than “SAVE UP TO 40% OFF YOUR HEATING AND COOLING BILL”. The industry term for this practice is called “Greenwashing” or disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible public image.
Practices like “greenwashing” have hurt companies and manufacturers that promote honest expectations of products they represent. So what return should you expect on your investment in an energy-efficient remodel? You might have guessed there isn’t an easy answer here. A new EnergyStar qualified door or window will all but certainly make your home more comfortable and air-tight, but too many variables exist to give a “one-size fits all” answer. Fortunately the Efficient Window Collaborative has some great tools to help get a refined look at your home and the impact new windows and doors will have.
EWC Window Selection tool:
- Select windows for either new construction or replacement.
- Customize the design conditions based on location, house type, orientation, window area, and shading type.
- Based on the user-selected conditions, the app provides energy performance results for generic set of 23 windows, listing the top performers first.
To find out more about the EWC Window Selection app visit: http://www.efficientwindows.org/app.php
Check out my blog post where I break down the energy metrics of the windows, and how they impact the efficiency of your home: