Many people are replacing the windows of their home with new, energy-efficient windows. But does the amount of money you save in energy costs as a result of installing energy-efficient windows really justify their cost?
In a word, yes. But the exact amount of savings will depend on your particular home, the climate in which you live, how efficient the old windows were, and what kind of energy-efficient windows you install.
Depending on the above-mentioned factors, a household will save anywhere from $125 to $465 a year in heating and cooling costs when upgrading from single-paned windows, and you’ll save about $100 a year if you’re upgrading from double-paned windows to energy-efficient windows. On average, energy-efficient windows will pay for themselves in about two years. And the savings don’t stop there.
While your climate will impact how much you save, you’ll continue to save some money in energy costs every year as a result of installing energy-efficient windows, no matter where you live. Moreover, you might be able to get a tax credit t
o replace the windows in your house with energy-efficient ones.
So, just what makes energy-efficient so … energy-efficient? Well, the main difference between a regular window and an energy-efficient window is that the glass of the energy-efficient window has a transparent metal coating which reflects sunlight. The frames of energy-efficient windows also help to insulate your home by preventing hot or cool air from escaping.
Yet another benefit of energy efficient windows is that not only do they keep the weather out, but they also keep the noise out. Energy-efficient windows typically provide excellent noise insulation in addition to weather insulation.
(Flickr Photo by stefg74)