Home Improvement: Staying Warm and Saving Energy

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• Window Expert: Minimize A Home's Heat Loss To Improve Comfort, Energy Efficiency

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  The first extended period of winter weather often highlights where a house is losing heat — something that can make a home less comfortable and also increase energy costs.

  Windows and doors are prime culprits for heat and energy loss since they are breaks in the envelope of the building. To solve the problem, choosing the right product and installing it correctly is key.

  “Having that ‘first line of ‘defense,’ which is a storm door in our climate, is really important,” according to Chas Vaughan, the project manager at the Window Design Center in Madison. “It allows you to step out and get the paper … without all the heat of the house coming out.”

  Chad Speight, the owner of Chad’s Design Build, agreed. He explained that until Thermopane window technology was developed in the 1970s, all windows were single pane. Installing a storm window was adding a significant layer of additional protection.

  “It’s only in the last 40 years that we’ve actually created glass technologies and systems that give a substantial improvement in efficiency,” Speight said.

  Those advances have led to a few different window options. Vaughan said that the Thermopane technology has made double panes common, and that they are usually filled with an inert gas that is more dense than air for maximum insulation.

  Vaughan said that triple-pane windows are also available, but warned that the increased insulation isn’t exponentially more than what is achieved with a double-paned model.

  “The payback can be very long-term on those multi-chambered systems,” he said, adding that it’s important to weigh replacement and repair.

  Another development is coatings that are used on window glass. Those layers help to protect furniture and carpeting from damage from direct sun exposure. But more importantly, Vaughan said that they also help to mitigate temperature fluctuations caused by sunlight that can make consistent home temperatures hard to maintain.

  Owners of old homes have a few options to increase efficiency, Vaughan said. Storm windows can be added to older windows if they are still in good shape and not leaking. He said that the extra pane of glass provides some increased insulation, but the real value is the dead air space between the two panes. He added that it is the same principle with the added storm door.

  If the owner of an older home wants to upgrade the entire window, they don’t have to sacrifice efficiency for aesthetics. Vaughan said that there are models that will blend well with the character of an older home, but will provide the most current technology and efficiency.

  For any homeowner, it can be difficult to know when it is time to replace a window or if a repair is sufficient. Vaughan said that assessing the amount of work to be done to increase a window’s performance can inform the decision.

  Vaughan said to check the most basic elements first. For example, all of the parts of an older window might be working as they are meant to, but at some point it will need to be repainted and reglazed. There may also be damage from moisture, and the wood may be rotting.

  On a more modern window, Vaughan recommended checking the weatherstripping as well as whether a thermal pane window is still holding its seal and is not cloudy. On a casement window, he added, it’s wise to check that all the mechanical parts are working well.

  Speight added that ongoing maintenance is part of taking care of windows. For example, the gaskets around modern windows can wear out after a while and need to be replaced.

  “It’s just another part of the modern window that we need to stay on top of,” he said.

  For Vaughan, the decision of whether to repair or replace comes down to how much benefit there will be in putting in a replacement that will “bring the window into the 21st century.”

  The efficiency of the window itself is important, Speight said, but there can also be leakage from the window trim. To avoid that heat loss, he said that the do-it-yourself kits from a hardware or home improvement store can help. Once that’s sealed, he said, a home’s comfort can be increased considerably.

  While it is important to check windows and doors for efficiency, Vaughan warned homeowners not to stop there.

  “You have to look at the house as a system, he said. “Just throwing money at windows is not necessarily the answer to all the problems.”

  He said that getting an energy audit done, checking levels of insulation and air sealing are also key to a home that is comfortable in every season.