01 Aug 5 Answers to the Energy and Environmental Challenges We Face Today
Savvy homeowners are always looking for ways to save, but home upgrades are often put off. Replacing windows falls in this category as many people aren’t fully aware of the advantages of replacing their home’s old windows. Industry experts have found that replacing drafty, improperly installed or old-fashioned single-glazed windows could save the average homeowner 10-25% on total annual energy bills. According to Energy Star, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) voluntary program, heat gain and heat loss through windows are responsible for 25%–30% of residential heating and cooling energy use. As a homeowner, you are probably looking for home upgrades that feature energy efficiency rather than not. We will discuss how upgrading/replacing your home’s windows can deliver many benefits in energy efficiency.
1. Renewing Existing Housing
According to the U.S. EPA, the average home uses significantly more energy and is responsible for more carbon emissions than the average automobile*. Making homes more energy efficient benefits property values, neighborhood livability, and keeps older homes relevant longer. Replacing inefficient windows and doors is beneficial in lowering your energy cost and consumption, and gives you more control of your comfort and pocketbook.
Renewal by Andersen has replaced over two million windows in over 300,000 homes nationally. From an energy and environmental perspective, this is a significant accomplishment. When Andersen Corporation founded Renewal by Andersen, it wasn’t creating the first window replacement company. To succeed, we had to become the first to redefine the industry by bringing the latest energy and material technology to homeowners looking for a start-to-finish window replacement service. Today, we bring contemporary, high quality windows and doors to our nation’s existing housing stock from coast to coast.
2. Indoor air quality
Poor indoor air quality is one of the top 5 health hazards in America.* Most of us spend 90% of our lives indoors where toxins can enter the air through off-gassing: a process where toxins are released through evaporation from building materials. Some products continue this evaporation for years after their installation which means you continue to breathe these chemicals night and day. Choosing responsibly manufactured products is good for everyone. Fresh air should be all you breathe after replacing your windows. Renewal by Andersen and its parent company, Andersen Corporation, are the only window companies to receive the Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) Indoor Advantage GoldTM certification. This certification is the strictest indoor air emission standard in the United States.
Side note:
Green Seal estimates that if all windows in the U.S. were as energy efficient as those made by Andersen Windows, Americans would save up to 2.5 percent of the annual U.S. energy consumption—an estimated 200 gallons of oil for every household in the U.S.
3. Smart use of materials
Smart use of materials is important when choosing home improvement products.
Renewal by Andersen® windows have achieved the highest SCS certified recycled content of any window replacement company. Our Fibrex® material frames and sash contain 40% reclaimed wood fiber by weight. Fibrex® material offers the strength and insulating value of wood with the low maintenance features of vinyl that never requires painting and will not crack, pit, corrode or rot.** We reclaim much of our wood fiber from Andersen Corporation’s wood window manufacturing facilities.
Standard on all Renewal by Andersen windows, High-Performance Low-E4 glass features an innovative coating that, when activated by sunlight, helps reduce water spots up to 99%,*** making your view better and cleaning easier. High-PerformanceTM Low-E4® glass is made from a minimum of 12% reclaimed glass by weight. What’s more, our glass helps block harmful UV rays entering your home and cuts down on noise pollution by reducing sound penetration.
4. Smart use of energy
Windows can play a large role in a home’s annual heating budget. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that windows can account for as much as 40% of your annual heating and cooling costs. Renewal by Andersen® window replacement can save you up to 25% on your energy bills.**** Our newest glass option, SmartSun™ glass, is our most energy efficient glass ever. SmartSun glass is 70% more efficient in summer and 45% more energy efficient in winter than ordinary dual pane glass.*****
For hot, dry climates with little to no shade, our High Performance™ Low-E4® Sun glass helps reduce cooling costs by filtering out heat from the sun. By utilizing a subtle tint coating to reduce visible light, Low-E4® Sun glass has our highest rating against solar heat gain, helping to keep your home cooler.
5. Long product lifestyles
Construction waste is a major source of landfill waste in the United States. Every day, Renewal by Andersen replaces windows in homes that are less than 10 years old. Choosing products that are built to last is one of the most important ways to limit landfill waste. Renewal by Andersen products have a long life-cycle, backed-up by one of the strongest warranties you will ever find. Saving a few dollars now could mean another replacement project just a few years down the road, but with Renewal by Andersen, you’ll have confidence your new windows will provide many years of comfort and peace of mind.
Renewal by Andersen is the start-to-finish window replacement subsidiary of Andersen—the most recognized name in windows. Andersen’s heritage includes a long-standing commitment to leadership in environmental stewardship and manufacturing energy efficient products. This commitment has grown from many generations of employees striving to be smarter, different and better in the way we use natural resources, and is exemplified in the design, craftsmanship, durability and quality of our windows. Renewal by Andersen carries this tradition through products that have minimal impact on the environment, reduce energy consumption, and last for years to come.**
We are the number one provider of window and patio door replacement services in Florida. Meet with a Renewal by Andersen of Florida design consultant to talk about your ideas, and begin your window replacement project. Give us a call at (407) 362-9993, or fill out our contact form to request a free consultation with one of our skilled design consultants.
* Source: www.epa.gov. – United States Environmental Protection Agency.
** See the Renewal by Andersen 20/2/10 limited warranty for details.
*** Exterior only, when activated by sunlight.
**** A study of identical homes comparing Low-E glass to ordinary dual-pane glass showed a 25% savings on cooling bills, 10% on heating. Savings may vary geographically
***** Values are based on comparison of Renewal by Andersen® double-hung insert window SHGC to the SHGC for clear glass non-metal frame default values from the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code.