Seeing Window Replacement In a New Light: Green Living Tips From Better Life Maids
Windows provide a portal into the world outside our homes as well as bring light into darkened rooms. They come in countless shapes and sizes and varying degrees of energy efficiency. If you live in an older home, chances are you might be considering replacing your existing panes for ones that offer a newer look and greater energy conservation. But not all replacement windows are created equal. (You knew that was coming, didn’t you?)
Window manufacturing technology has significantly improved over the past two decades, with new windows designed to reduce heat and air leakage and prevent condensation. All of these things go a long way toward lower your energy bills. Yet, some manufacturers go a little crazy with their marketing – even so far as to claim you’ll lower your bills by 50 percent or more. Other manufacturers claim their windows reduce mold (who wouldn’t want that?) and condensation (also a good thing). But not all claims match up to all windows. It pays to know what’s true versus false and misleading.
In February, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released information reporting that five companies selling replacement windows in several states are now prohibited from making “exaggerated and unsupported claims about the energy efficiency of their windows, and how much money consumers could save on their heating and cooling bills by having them installed.” This is great news for consumers since “Energy efficiency and cost savings are major factors for many consumers buying replacement windows,” according to David Vladeck, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The FTC is committed to making sure that the information consumers get is accurate and that marketers can back up the claims they make.”
In reality, the energy savings seen with replacement windows is dependent upon several factors such as:
- How well the house is insulated
- What shape the existing windows are in
- How large the home is
- What climate in which the house is located
- How shaded the house is
Because there are nearly an infinite combination of these five variables, estimating an accurate energy savings for a particular homeowner is virtually impossible. This doesn’t mean you have no basis for making a replacement window decision. While you may not know exactly how much money you’ll save, if your windows are old, single pane or double pane with the seals compromised, you’ll definitely see lower energy costs. Further, if your windows are metal, replacing them with plastic or wood will reduce the potential for condensation since warmer windows create less opportunity for moisture formation.
The infographic below from the FTC provides additional variables to consider when shopping for replacement windows. It also clearly explains the mysterious numbers you’ll see on window labels regarding heat escape, light filtration, moisture control, etc.
Once you have your new windows installed, give Better Life Maids a call so we can come clean them for you!
Better Life Maids is a green house cleaning service founded in St. Louis, MO. Better Life Maids is seeking to grow in select markets through a franchise development program, as well at the addition of new company owned units. Better Life Maids has partnered with Better Life a green household cleaning products company to help create the first national green product and service brand. For more information visit https://www.betterlifemaids.com orhttp://www.cleanhappens.com.