| Next to the siding and the roof nothing shows off a home like attractive windows and doors fitted with glass.From the time the first glass fitters' windows appeared over a hundred years-and-fifty years ago glass has brought the outside light indoors in a variety of ways: windows, doors, skylights, bay window installation and sunrooms. |
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| Purveyors of Excess Heat and Cold |
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| The practice of getting the most out of natural light is called daylighting and also includes shading the room when the sun gets to intense. Too much sun forces your air conditioner to work harder. Conversely, windows can account for a major source of heat loss in winter. This can result in high heat bills for three reasons: |
- Single pane windows which have thermal break to keep out the cold. The frost build-up on the inside may look like a Christmas scene but your heat bill will be atrocious. Conversely, the Florida summer heat can be kept out of your cool pad with proper windows. Poorly installed windows which cause drafts or allow condensation to develop. One of the biggest causes of leakage are not the windows themselves but cracks an irregularities between the window casing and the wall. Weatherstripping and caulking should be checked. Another problem with a bad installation on windows that open is that the gaskets don't seat properly and air gets in through the imperfections.
- Large windows facing either directly or in the opposite direction of the greatest sunlight. The R-Value of windows is not great so special attention should be given to coverings like drapes which are good thermal barriers. This will keep your Orlando home cooler.
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| Window Stickers: What Do They Mean? |
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| Under the new standards from the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) stickers are placed on new windows to give homeowners pertinent information on the performance of the windows. Here are some of the key properties: |
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- U-factor: Unlike the R-value, which indicates the insulating value of the window, the U-Factor is the rate of heat loss. A low U-factor indicates a low rate of heat loss or, in the summer, cold air loss.
- Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) : This is a measurement of how well a window blocks heat from sunlight. SHGC is measured as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window's SHGC, the less solar heat it allows through. In the Orlando area select windows with a U-factor lower than 0.75 and preferably lower than 0.60.
- Air Leakage (AL): AL measures the cubic feet of air leaking in or out of a square foot of the window area. A low number means that there is a minimal amount of air infiltration. This means that the casement and glass are tight. Sliding and double-hung windows, because there is constant movement and wear on the gaskets, tend to be higher than fixed windows.
- Visible Transmittance (VT): This is amount of light passing through your window and the measurements are usually between 0 and 1. A high VT means the window is is taking in more daylight and view potential.
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In Orlando, windows, doors and skylights are included in the Energy Star. Energy Star-qualified windows, doors and skylights installed between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2007, can earn homeowners a tax credit up to $500. This program is based on both the U-factor and SHGC. Florida windows have must have a U-factor of 0.65 or less and an SHGC of 0.4 or less to qualify.
For further information go to www.energystar.gov |
| Check For These Energy Saving Options |
- The Panes, or Glazing: The number of glass or plastic panes are very important. Windows can be single, double, triple or even quadruple-glazed. Efficiency is gained with each layer but two panes is enough for Energy-Star. Tinting also helps to keep the home cooler.
- Low-E Coatings: All glass layers can be coated with an almost-invisible layer of metallic oxide to lower the U-Factor and cut down on heat loss.
- Gas: Argon and krypton gas between the glass lower the U-Factor.
- Spacers: These keep the panes of glass at an even distance from each other. In the past metals were used but there was no thermal break, meaning that the heat and cold were conducted easily through their surfaces. Vinyl, silicone foam and fiberglass are the popular materials.
- Frames: Not too many years ago window frames were made almost of wood. Now fiberglass and vinyl are the most efficient choices but wood, vinyl-clad wood and wood composite frames are still popular. In Orlando, aluminum frames, although the least efficient, can be used because of the warm climate.
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To ensure the optimum of efficiency windows, doors, sliding windows, skylights and bay windows should be installed by licensed contractors. For more information contact your local Orlando window and door installation contractors.
Also, to see if your window and door project requires permits contact:
City Of Orlando Office of Permitting Services
400 S. Orange Avenue 1st Floor
Orlando, FL 32802-4990
(407) 246-2271
www.cityoforlando.net/permits/ |
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