Understanding the Energy-Efficient Performance of New Windows for Your Nashville, TN, Home

If you’re like many homeowners in the Nashville, Tennessee, area, you hear all the time about how having new windows installed is such a great investment to make because it will increase your home’s energy efficiency. But what does this really mean? How exactly will new windows help you conserve energy? Let’s examine some of the most important features and benefits of energy-efficient windows to help you understand just how these aspects can affect your home’s energy performance.

Low-E Glass Coatings

Energy-efficient windows feature a special kind of glass known as “low-emissivity” or Low-E glass. Low-E glass is coated with microscopic layers of metal that help keep warm air inside your home when it’s cold outside. This way, your HVAC system won’t have to work so hard to maintain a comfortable interior temperature.

Spacer Systems

Spacer systems help regulate the temperature differential between the interior and the exterior of the glass. Most modern replacement windows feature spacer systems that are made of structural foam as opposed to the stainless steel spacer systems of yesteryear. These foam spacers help keep your windows thermally-efficient and condensation free. Some spacer systems can even lower a window’s U-value by as much as .01, which might look incremental but is actually pretty significant considering a lower U-value means more energy efficiency.

Inert Gas Fills

Almost all energy-efficient windows these days use some type of gas fill—be it argon, krypton, or a combination of gases. These gases are pumped in between the panes of glass and act as invisible insulation to prevent heat transfer through the glass panes. Just like the spacer systems, gas fills can help lower a window’s U-value, which can contribute to long-term energy savings and lower heating and cooling bills.

To learn more about the energy-efficient performance of new windows, click here to locate a Sunrise Windows dealer in the Nashville area.