As eye-catching architectural elements, windows and doors define the look of your Lake County home. They can also account for up to 30 percent of the energy used for residential heating and cooling. Drafty windows or poorly insulated doors force HVAC systems to work harder to keep you comfortable, driving up energy bills. New installations can lower your utility costs, enhance your comfort and increase the value of your home.
Heat Gain and Loss
As critical components of your home’s exterior structure, windows and doors provide a barrier between you and the great outdoors. Energy-efficient upgrades help keep your home from gaining heat in the summer and losing heat in winter. Heat gain and loss occurs in three ways:
- Through direct contact with the surface of the door, frame or window glass
- Through the absorption of radiant heat from the sun or the interior warmth of your home
- Through air leakage around the frame of your doors and windows.
Energy Performance Ratings
Windows and doors are rated for efficiency by their ability to block the flow of solar or non-solar heat. These ratings make it easier to make apples-to-apples comparisons when shopping for products:
- The U-factor measures a window’s ability to conduct heat. The lower the U-value, the better the window will help lower utility costs.
- The solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) calculates the amount of sunlight that makes it indoors as heat. Products with high SHGC ratings are best for cold climates.
- The air leakage (AL) rating measures the amount of air moving around the frame. A product with a low AL will provide a tight seal.
- R-values are used to rate exterior doors. Those with insulation cores are five times more efficient than solid-wood doors.
Energy-Saving Solutions
At Herchenbach Mechanical, one of our most important jobs is helping our customers understand how to lower utility costs. Although we don’t do door and window installations, there are many ways that we can help improve your home’s energy-efficiency. Since your HVAC systems account for up to 50 % of the energy used in your home, this will substantially reduce your monthly utility bills. To learn more, explore our full range of HVAC services or call (847) 260-9335.
