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Good quality windows are very important. The Department of Energy estimates that inefficient windows are responsible for a loss of about $35 billion annually in the United States. That’s a staggering number, and people want to know what they can to reduce that. Recently on my radio show I was speaking with Tom Herron with the NFRC, which is the National Fenestration Rating Council. It’s a non-profit organization that evaluates and provides energy performance rating labels used on windows, doors, skylights, curtain walls and some window films. These labels certify that consumers can rely upon the product claims of a manufacturer in order to make the best purchasing decision. The NFRC has no vested interest in the figures that appear on label. They just test the product, so consumers have a way to do their homework in order to make the best buying decision on product that best meets their needs. When measuring the energy-efficiency of a window, there are four criteria that are evaluated. The first of the four criteria on the label is the U-factor, which is a measure of heat loss. In colder climates where heating bills are a major concern, choosing windows with low U-factors will reduce the amount of heat that escapes their window from inside the house. That can play a big role in conserving energy. The second criteria are the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC), and that measures the rate of heat gained through a product. It’s the solar radiation that’s coming into a house from the sun. And the lower the Solar Heat Gain, the less heat there is coming through – and the less you have to run your air-conditioning. The third rating is the Visible Transmittance. That is the amount of light that’s coming in. That affects energy-efficiency, and can help you run your lights less. You can sit and a read a book without having to turn on your internal lighting. Over the course of time, this can really add up. The fourth rating is Air Leakage, which measures how much outside air comes in to a home or building through a product. When you are looking at these four different ratings - U-factor, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, Visible Transmittance and Air Leakage – you need to know what’s good and what’s bad. The U-factor is particularly important; the lower the U-factor, the better the insulating is. This means there is less heat escaping from your home. And the lower the Solar Heat Gain, the lower the heat coming in. So those two factors are really important. Now, we’ve heard the term “Energy Star” thrown all around a lot. To qualify for the Energy Star label, a residential fenestration product has to be NFRC-certified. NFRC has a number of laboratories that do the testing. So, Energy Star actually relies on the NFRC to get its rating. When you see the Energy Star label on a window, you can’t go wrong. The NFRC is the only independent organization doing this kind of testing. When you see the NFRC label you know it’s been independently tested and certified by an organization that has no vested interest in the outcome. So a consumer is really getting good solid information. Also, there are solar films that can be applied to the windows to reduce the Solar Heat Gain, instead of buying all new vinyl or insulated glass replacement windows. The NFRC website is www.nfrc.org, and they have a Certified Products Directory that’s available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for free. It contains energy performance information for over 1.67 million fenestration product options listed by over 700 manufacturers that consumers can compare in order to make the right buying decisions. For home improvement advice and service, visit the Universal Roof & Contracting website. Jared Mellick and his father Ken Mellick are the owners of Central Florida’s premier construction company Universal Roof & Contracting, a family-run business which has been serving homeowners in the Greater Orlando area for nearly 20 years. Together they host a local radio home improvement and construction talk show called “In The House”.
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energy efficiency, window efficiency, door efficiency, energy ratings, home improvement,
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