Energy Star Windows and Doors

Energy Star Windows & Doors

Residential Windows, Doors, and Skylights

Want more from your windows? Ask for ENERGY STAR.

ENERGY STAR qualified windows, doors, and skylights save you energy and money, increase the comfort of your home, and protect your valuable possessions from sun damage. They are also better for the environment because lowering your energy use means less air pollution from power plants.

Save money and energy.

Replacing single-paned windows with ENERGY STAR qualified windows or choosing ENERGY STAR overthe typical clear-glass double-paned alternative can save a significant amount of money on your energy bill.

Say goodbye to winter drafts and sweating in the summer sun.

Thanks to a host of new technologies, ENERGY STAR qualified windows, doors, and skylights keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, making you more comfortable.

ENERGY STAR qualified windows, doors, and skylights do more than just lower energy bills – they deliver more comfort, create less condensation, and protect your valuables from sun damage better than conventional clear-glass double-paned alternatives. By lowering your energy use, these windows are also better for the environment: The less energy you use, the less air pollution power plants produce.

Protection from Winter Chills

On cold winter nights, do you avoid seats near the window? Do drafts chase you from room to room? When the mercury drops to single digits, even tightly sealed traditional double-paned windows can still make you shiver. The cold, inside surface of an inefficient window pulls heat away from your body, so you can feel chilly in a sweater with the thermostat at 70 degrees. With ENERGY STAR qualified windows, the inside window glass stays warmer, so you can relax in your window seat even when the temperature outside dips well below freezing.

Shielding from Summer Heat

In summer, do your windows seem like giant heat lamps? Are you denied your view because you have to keep your blinds perpetually closed? A typical double-paned, clear-glass window allows approximately 75 percent of the sun’s heat into your home, almost as much as a single-paned window. Windows qualified for ENERGY STAR in the North/Central, South/Central and Southern ENERGY STAR Climate Zones transmit only 30 to 55 percent of the sun’s heat, usually without noticeably reducing the visible light. You get the light but a lot less heat. So you can relax and enjoy the view in summer too.

Protection for Valuable Interiors

Your favorite photograph, half a loveseat, your Persian rug, even your flooring can fade or discolor after repeated exposure to direct sunlight. An ENERGY STAR qualified window with Low or Moderate Solar Gain Low-E coatings–the same coatings that keep out the summer heat–can reduce fading by up to 75 percent. These coatings are like sunscreen for your house, blocking damaging ultraviolet light without noticeably reducing visible light.

Reduced Condensation

When you open your curtains on winter mornings is the ice or fog you see on the inside or the outside? If an inefficient window or window frame gets too cold, water can condense or even freeze on the interior surface and then pool on the sill. Over time, chronic condensation can damage sills, cause paint to crack, and encourage the growth of mold. Advanced frame, glass coating, spacer and other technologies enable ENERGY STAR qualified windows to keep the inner surface of the glass and frame warmer, reducing the potential for condensation and ensuring a clearer view on winter mornings.

Don’t Forget the Last “Window”

In most homes the air leaks and unsealed gaps under doors and around pipes allow as much heat in or out as a wide-open window. Make your home more comfortable and efficient with Home Sealing.

Protect your home’s interior

Many ENERGY STAR qualified windows, doors, and skylights act like sunscreen for your house, protecting your photographs, artwork, furniture, carpets, and wood floors from sun damage.

Buy with confidence.

Every ENERGY STAR qualified window, door, and skylight is independently certified to perform at levels that meet or exceed strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Ask for ENERGY STAR.

To purchase the most efficient window for your home, ask for products that are ENERGY STAR qualified in your Climate Zone. To learn more, see the window purchasing tips.

Confirm the ENERGY STAR Label

Before the new product is installed, check for the ENERGY STAR label and make sure you have received the correct product.

Windows should display an official ENERGY STAR label (examples below) or equivalent custom label, next to the NFRC label. There are a variety of custom labels, but all should include the same elements as the official label:

• The ENERGY STAR Certification Mark
• A map showing where the product is qualified
• A qualification statement
• Seal and insulate with Home Sealing. Sealing your home’s envelope is one of the most cost-effective ways to lower your home’s energy bills and improve your comfort.

What’s in a pane – or two?

All energy efficient windows have at least two panes, but not all double-paned windows are energy efficient. Twenty years ago, double-paned meant energy efficient; today, advanced technologies have enabled the development of windows that are much more efficient than traditional clear-glass double-paned windows. For maximum energy savings, don’t count panes; count on ENERGY STAR.

Have Windows Properly Installed

Proper installation is critical for achieving full product performance and avoiding water damage. Windows, doors and skylights should be installed by trained installers according to manufacturer instructions. Many manufacturer warranties are void if the product is not installed according to instructions. When hiring a contractor, interview candidates and ask for references. The Federal Trade Commission recommends questions to ask potential contractors . (new document) If installation requires scraping lead-based paint, be sure to take proper precautions.

Source:
www.energystar.gov

About the Author

S&K Roofing, Siding and Windows is Maryland’s leading company in roofing and maintenance-free home exteriors. Family-owned and operated since 1980, S&K Roofing, Siding and Windows provides high-quality exterior home workmanship and customer service that is among the best in the industry. We offer maintenance-free home exteriors including roofing, siding, windows, doors, gutters and downspouts, custom trim/wrap, and decks.

To learn more visit SKRoofing.com.

Should an energy star rated window have moisture condenzation on the glass?

My had all my windows replaced by energy star rated windows a month ago. These windows are low-e, argon gas 3 type. they look great when installed. Now it is winter, have heat inside, outside temp is around 3-8 degree C. I noticed that at the bottom of inside glass surface, there is moisture-tiny water drops accumulated, not inside the glass pane, but on the inside surface, wet to the touch. I thought the energy star windows have good insulation effect so should not have such moisture condenzation. Window maker says it is normal, but is it really? Anybody knows? Thanks!

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=windows_doors.pr_ind_tested

Half way down the page is this paragraph :

Condensation Resistance: measures how well the window resists water build-up. Condensation Resistance is scored on a scale from 0 to 100. The higher the condensation resistance factor, the less build-up the window allows.

I don’t know if this help but maybe check out the website? Or google it for another website.