With summer comes the need to shield your home against the heat and seal in the cool air. The Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency have developed an Energy StarŪ designation for products meeting certain energy performance criteria.
Product recommendations from Energy Star are given for four distinct climate zones. The Energy Star Web site also provides an explanation of the anatomy of an energy efficient window.
The National Fenestration Rating Council offers a window rating system that provides the only reliable way to compare products by analyzing properties, including the U-Factor―a measure of the rate of heat loss; visible transmittance, indicating the amount of visible light transmitted; air leakage from infiltration through cracks in the window assembly; and a measure of solar radiation admitted through the window. By analyzing the properties of a window, you can evaluate its energy performance.
Selecting new energy efficient windows may also allow you to claim a tax credit. Learn more at the Efficient Windows Collaborative Web site.
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