Tomorrow marks the first day of fall and with winter suddenly on the horizon (shiver!) people are getting closer than ever to turning the thermostat on for the first time (insert sad face for those of us who love summer). As the inevitable chill in the air returns, many begin to consider their home energy costs.<\/p>\n
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How you heat your home is just as important as how you contain that heat.\u00a0Did you know that on average\u00a015- 20% of all home energy is lost through windows and doors? Old, drafty windows can cost a home up to 40% of its energy. Yes, it\u2019s true. You can upgrade your home heating and cooling systems with the most energy efficient systems, but if your home isn\u2019t insulated well, those changes won\u2019t serve you effectively or efficiently.<\/p>\n
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Aside from adding Pro Thermic attic insulation and sealing up any poorly insulated areas of your home, window replacement is often the second line of defense when it comes to keeping the heat in and the cold out. But where to start? If you\u2019ve ever looked into window replacement you know that there are lots of energy efficiency ratings and even the most tech savvy of us can get lost. Window energy efficieny ratings made easy and simple, let’s take a look.<\/p>\n
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Here\u2019s a quick guide to help you navigate \u00a0window performance energy efficiency ratings for comparison\u2026<\/p>\n
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STEP ONE<\/span>:<\/p>\n First and foremost, when shopping for windows look for the ENERGY STAR service mark, an international standard for energy efficient products. Consumer products carrying the ENERGY STAR service mark generally use 20 to 30 percent less energy than required by federal law.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n STEP TWO<\/span>:<\/p>\n Look at the U-Factor.\u00a0U-Factors range from 0.14 to 1.20 and indicate how efficient a product is in preventing heat from escaping. Windows with lower U-Factors have a better insulating value and have a higher resistance to heat flow. At Aladdin, our Preservation window line offers the lowest U-Factor on the market at .14.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n STEP THREE<\/span>:<\/p>\n Look at the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient.\u00a0Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) ranges from 0 to 1 and measures how well a product blocks heat created by sunlight. The lower a window\u2019s solar heat gain coefficient, the less solar heat it transmits into the home. In cooler climates like the Northeast, people should seek slightly higher numbers so that the sun can help heat the home in winter. The highest SHGC value (paired with a low U-factor) is up to 0.58 and our Preservation windows offer this SHGC.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n STEP FOUR:<\/span><\/p>\n Consider Visible Transmittance.\u00a0Visible transmittance (VT) ranges from 0 to 1 and refers to how much visible light comes through a product. The higher the VT, the more light that\u2019s transmitted. Choose a higher VT for rooms you want to fill with natural light. A very low VT rating would require artificial lighting even during the day.<\/p>\n Now that you know what to look for, want the best news? New energy efficient windows and doors offer a ROI (return on investment) in as little as 4-5 years. \u00a0Check out\u00a0Preservation\u2019s\u00a0website\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0for more information.\u00a0\u00a0Our company offers the best products, service and warranties in the Atlanta and surrounding areas..\u00a0 Our office is located in Alpharetta, GA \u00a0but we install insulation, siding, windows and doors all over the Atlanta area.\u00a0 Contact us today for a free estimate: 678-528-7115 or visit us at aladdinhomepros.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tomorrow marks the first day of fall and with winter suddenly on the horizon (shiver!) people are getting closer than ever to turning the thermostat on for the first time (insert sad face for those of us who love summer). As the inevitable chill in the air returns, many begin to consider their home energy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":932,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-resources"],"yoast_head":"\n