Today's homes
are designed to introduce sunlight from many windows covering all angles.
Scenic views are a very common request/requirement in homes both new and old.
Although they can be beautiful, windows present specific problems, especially
with respect to the sun. High air-conditioning costs, fading of your belongings
and furnishings, excessive glare and eyestrain, and personal discomfort caused
by excessive heat, are just some of these problems.
The choices of windows and shades on the market today
are many and varied. It can be very difficult to know what window or shade to
purchase, and to find adequate information about their performances.
Windows can make a major contribution to energy
conservation and comfort. Today's windows are available in a wide range of
materials. Windows are among the most complex building components in a house,
and at several hundred dollars or more apiece, also among the most expensive.
In addition to the important architectural contribution they make, windows have
far-reaching energy consequences. Their number, total area, and orientation to
the sun can make or break the energy efficiency of a high-performance home.
Fiberglass and aluminum are likely to be the most
durable choices. From an energy perspective, fiberglass is far preferable to aluminum. The best performing windows don’t always look the best. Low-e glazing. A low-e coating is a thin, nearly
invisible metallic coating on glass that lowers the
emissivity of the glass.
In all climates, windows with a low U-factor perform
better than windows with a high U-factor.
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