In a typical house, over 40 percent of the annual energy budget is consumed by heating and cooling. Proper selection of windows can significantly affect how much money we spend or save every year on keeping your homes bright and comfortable.

When you are investing hundreds or thousands of dollars on new windows, you need to get the most for your money. Energy efficient windows are twice as efficient as the average window manufactured just ten years ago. These high performing products can help cut your heating and cooling costs, make your home more comfortable and help the environment too. Here are some thoughts to consider when looking for an Energy Efficient window.

The cover of the March 2009 issue of National Geographic, show a house with energy efficient windows, and the loss on this home is through the attic. (which we can help you with as well, with our Radiaflect reflective insulation. See "products and services for information on these products.)

Energy exits the windows in three different scenarios; infiltration, conduction, and radiation.

Infiltration occurs when cold air leaks into your house through your windows, making your home feel drafty and uncomfortable. As cold air is coming in through the leaks, and warm air is escaping through other leaks, the biggest leaks for escaping air are often found in the windows, entry doors, the attic, or in the crawlspace.

Conduction occurs when Mother Nature is heating and cooling the glass from the outside, while your home is trying to cool it from the inside. It’s no accident that heating and cooling vents are placed in front of windows.

Radiation is just what it means. Like a car’s radiator, your windows, will radiate your heating or cooling dollars right out the window.

You can expect to save from 20% to 40% on your home heating and cooling bills when replacing your windows. New advanced technologies and designs have dramatically improved the performance of most Energy Efficient windows. Be sure to purchase Energy Efficient windows that will pay for themselves over time.

New materials, coatings, design and construction features, as well as other innovations, make Energy Efficient windows a cost-effective investment. Energy Efficient windows are 150+ percent more efficient than products required under the most common national building codes. This means you'll be using less energy to heat and cool your home all year, resulting in lower utility bills. There are also environmental benefits associated with choosing Energy Efficient windows and other products. Most energy is produced by burning fossil fuels in large power plants. When we use energy more efficiently in our homes and businesses, we also help reduce air pollution.

When choosing an Energy Efficient window, you don't sacrifice comfort, versatility or style. All our windows feature specially efficiency-tested and approved glass.

Some home furnishings and décor can actually suffer a kind of sunburn when continuously exposed to too much daylight. The ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can cause fading and degradation of many materials and dyes found in upholstery, carpet, artwork, wood or paint. Our exclusive Ultra-U glass, available for all our windows, can reduce harmful sun damage by up to 75 percent, giving greater protection to your interiors.

ENERGY EFFICIENT windows, by virtue of their design, eliminate draftiness and resist condensation for greater comfort. A well-insulated window also diminishes sound transmission.