ENERGY STAR® Recommendations for Window Performance
March 04, 2019Other than looking at the quality and price of a specific product, taking a look at the National Fenestration Council’s label on windows also a good idea. This is because an NFRC label will give you an overview on how energy-efficient that window or door you’re planning to buy actually is.
ENERGY STAR®, an Environmental Protection Agency outfit primarily focused on aiding individuals and businesses in energy efficiency, has a few tips and recommendations on the superior energy performance of NFRC-certified products.
The U-Factor label will help you gauge how your windows and patio doors will be able to keep heat from escaping a room. A lower number signifies that the product is good at keeping the heat in.
The Solar Heat Gain Coefficient or SHGC focuses on a product’s ability to block heat from sunlight. This can be immensely helpful when you’d like to be cool during the summer season. With the U-Factor label, the lower the number, the better.
You and your windows contractor should also consider the Visible Transmittance as this focuses on the amount of light that will be allowed through. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 1 with the higher the number the more sunlight will be allowed in.
Lastly, the Air Leakage measures how much air the product will be allowed to enter the room. Lower AL value means that there will be less air leakage. Watch out for the numbers 0.1 to 0.3 as this is the range AL values will be based on.
All ENERGY STAR-certified windows and doors bears these NFRC labels. The next time you buy a product and call in a window replacement contractor to help you with the installation, keep these labels in mind as it may have a huge effect on your home.
Call Renewal by Andersen® of Milwaukee today at (262) 522-3034. We offer our services to residents and homeowners in Wisconsin, particularly Milwaukee, WI.
