One of the first industries to jump onto the energy efficiency bandwagon was the window industry. \u00a0Claims of huge energy savings and increased comfort are touted by the industry as advantages to replacing old windows. \u00a0While these claims definitely have merit, according to a study done by Michael Blasnik & Associates window replacements fall low on the list of home improvements that will get you the most bang for your buck when it comes to energy savings.<\/p>\n
I often hear customers protest, “But I know my windows are leaky. \u00a0I can literally feel the cold draft when I am near them!” \u00a0I usually reply, “I absolutely agree. But take a deep breath because that’s fresh, clean air!”<\/p>\n
Homes need to breathe. \u00a0In the average home we like to see the all the air in the home change about 8 times per day (depending on occupancy and cubic footage of the conditioned space). \u00a0This air ideally comes from clean, outdoor air as opposed to polluted air that comes into the home after passing through musty crawl spaces, dusty attics and dirty garages.<\/p>\n
So, what’s the verdict on replacing windows? \u00a0In some cases, such as extremely old, single pane or damaged windows, the expensive replacement may pay off in energy savings over their life time HOWEVER generally our customers find more bang for their buck in terms of CHEE (comfort, health, and energy efficiency) in sealing up leaky ductwork and sealing off air access to crawl spaces and attics.<\/p>\n