If you live in Canada, you’re undoubtedly going to be dealing with long, harsh winters. You want nothing less than top-quality, fully reliable windows for your home. If you need to replace your windows, finding new ones can be an intimidating prospect. How can you determine which windows are really the best? Every company claims to be the industry leader, of course.
Educating yourself on the features to look for in windows can help you make an informed decision. Let’s take a look at some of the things that you should be looking for in windows, and some pitfalls to look out for.
Importance of shutters
Window shutters offer many benefits, such as: protection against weather, light control, privacy, style and security. Check out Forever Shutters for all your shutter needs.
Why triple-pane?
Anyone who has lived in cold weather environments knows that single-pane windows can be very inefficient when it comes to keeping the cold out. Both cold temperatures themselves, and even wind can sometimes seep through, which will really make life miserable for anyone hoping to keep their house warm.
If you decide that you need triple pane window replacement, it would be wise to familiarize yourself with the criteria by which window quality is measured. That way, you’ll be able to make a more informed decision and know exactly what kind of quality you’ll be getting.
How is window insulation measured?
Window quality is measured according to a couple of different metrics. One of these is “U value.” U value is a measure of insulation, and a good value is considered to be anywhere between 0.20 and 1.20. The lower the number, the better the insulation. For double- and triple-pane windows, the number should be close to 0.20.
In addition to U value, there is also an indicator known as R value. R value is a measurement of a window’s resistance to heat flow in both windows, as well as doors. You should be cautious about relying solely upon R value as a definitive indicator of window quality, though, as it often only measures a certain area of either a window itself, or possibly even its frame.
A third factor is called the solar heat gain coefficient. This is a measurement of a window’s ability to block heat-producing sun rays, thereby reducing the amount of heat that will enter through a given window. It is measured by calculating the solar radiant heat transmission properties of a given glazing system against that of the glass on which the system is used. It is expressed on a scale of 0 to 1, with lower percentages being preferable.
All of these factors are things that you can investigate when choosing a company from which to buy your windows. And of course triple is better than double or single when it comes to numbers of panes. The more layers of protection that your house has against the elements, the better it will be for you.
Benefits to be gained from having solid windows
Not only will your house be better protected in the winter, having reliable windows will also help to reduce humidity in the summer, and consequently you will have to spend less on air conditioning, as well.
Another benefit is that outside noise will be reduced. If you have solid, multiple-layer protection from the outside, the amount of noise that will enter your house from the outside will be reduced significantly.
Beyond this, having reliable triple-pane windows can reduce the amount of condensation that is accumulated on standard windows. Condensation builds up when the surface temperature of an interior window pane is lower than that of the water vapor in the surrounding air. If the temperature of the interior window is higher (ie there is better insulation between it and the other panes), there is a much lower possibility that condensation will build up.
Is it expensive to replace triple-pane windows?
Many people are leery of the prospect of replacing triple-pane windows, because the costs involved can be significantly higher than replacing single- or double-pane ones. In fact, it is estimated that triple-pane windows coat an average of 10-15% more than their double-pane counterparts.
This is particularly true for people who have large homes and need to replace a large number of windows. If you replace only part of your home with quality windows and other parts with inadequate ones, your efforts will be in vain as outside elements will continue to seep through.
However, your investment will be worthwhile as the amounts that you save on energy bills (and possibly also winter clothes!) will be even greater within a short period of time. In addition, if you have a very large house (or building), you might be able to get a discount if you can negotiate a deal with the company you choose. You could also look around online to see if any discounts are available.
Look around carefully before you make a decision
Even if you think you’ve found a company that meets all of your criteria, it would be a good idea to do a price and quality comparison to make sure your chosen company really has all of the features that you want. You never know if there might be an even better deal around the corner somewhere.
In addition, you should always cross-check any information you see on a company site against third-party reviews. Find out which review sites are most reputable in your area and look up triple-pane windows on those sites. If what you see from reviewers matches what you see on your chosen company site, you’ll likely be getting the quality and service that you expect. And this will lead to a much more comfortable home for years to come.
