in d o o rs

H o w t o c o n s e r v e e n e r g y , l i v e h e a lt h i e r , a n d s a v e m o n e y

BYKITSELZER

T H IS M O N T H

W INDOW W ISE

R e p la c e y o u r in e ffic ie n t

w in d o w s n o w and e n jo y lo w e r

co o lin g b ills th is su m m e r.

\

2009

T o d a y ’s e n e rg y -e ffic ie n t w in d o w s w o rk h ard

to keep o u t heat in su m m e r and keep it from

e sca p in g in w in ter. A lth o u g h w in d o w

re p lace m e n ts are often p la n n e d for fall in

a n tic ip a tio n o f h ig h h e a tin g costs, a s p rin g

p ro je ct lets yo u beat the ru sh , take advantage

o f good in sta lla tio n w eather, and e n jo y g reater

co m fo rt d u rin g s u m m e r’s hottest days.

W ith n ew w in d o w s sta rtin g at several

h u n d re d d o lla rs ap ie ce , h e re ’s the p ane tru th

ab o ut costs: “T h e [energy] p a yb a ck is not

e n o u gh to p a y fo r the w in d o w s,” says C h a s

V a u g h a n , p ro je c t m a n a g e r fo r W in d o w D e sig n

C e n te r in M a d iso n , W is c o n s in . Y o u w ill,

ho w ever, d e fin ite ly re d u ce y o u r e n e rg y b ills ,

as w e ll as d rafts an d in te n se heat. “W e

e n jo ye d o u r h o u se m o re afte r w e re p lace d

the w in d o w s,” says V a u g h a n .

Fe atu re s to lo o k for: tw o o r m o re p anes

o f g la ss fille d w ith in s u la tin g gas; g lass w ith

co a tin g s (k n o w n as lo w -E g lass) that reflect

lig h t; w a rm -e d g e sp a c e rs (the p ie ce in the

w in d o w fram e th at sep arates the p an es) that

w o n ’t c o n d u c t heat o r p ro m o te co n d e n sa tio n ;

an d fram e s th at h e lp re d u ce heat transfer.

co n tin u e d on p a g e 110

PHOTO: G ETTY IMAGES