Energy-Efficient Windows Can Reduce Your Monthly Utility Bills
The replacement windows installed by Master’s Roofing & Construction include some of the most advanced features available today from the most inovative window manufacturers in the industry such as the Soft-Lite Imperial LS line of replacement windows.
The combination of:
- Low-E glass,
- Insulated frames
- Technologically superior materials
results in a window that reduces energy loss and can significantly lower your monthly energy bills.
GLASS IS THE HEART OF THE WINDOW
If your current windows have a single pane of “regular” glass (or even a double pane!) you are not getting the energy performance you deserve. Advances in glass technology have resulted in a glass package that keeps your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
HIGH-TECH EFFICIENCY WITH SOFT-LITE LOW-E GLASS WINDOWS
Low-E Glass maximizes your home’s energy efficiency by reducing the amount of heat entering or escaping. Low-E Glass (“low emission”) has a thin layer of oxidized metal on one side, which greatly enhances the glass insulating properties. Heat and light are allowed to enter, but the thin metal sheen does not allow heat or light back out. The glass is still transparent.
MEASURING A WINDOW’S PERFORMANCE
Industry standards have been established for rating the energy performance of replacement windows.
U-Value
The most important measure of a window’s performance is its U-value. The U-value indicates the rate of heat flow through a window. The lower the U-value, the more energy efficient the window will be. U-value measures the entire window unit — glass, frame, sash, spacers — and is the only measurement accepted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s EnergyStar program.
R-Value
R-value is the measure of the resistance of glass to the flow of heat. The higher the R-value, the better the glass will be at insulating your home. But R-value is NOT an accepted form of measurement by the National Fenestration Research Council (NFRC) or EnergyStar, as it does not measure the overall window unit.
WHAT IS THE NFRC?
The National Fenestration Research Council (NFRC) is an independent, non-profit organization that administers the only nationally accepted rating system for energy performance of windows, doors and skylights. The NFRC provides fair, accurate and reliable energy performance ratings so that architects, engineers, builders, code officials, contractors and homeowners can compare different products and make informed choices. You will find an NFRC label on any window you purchase from Master’s Roofing.
