Are Vinyl Replacement Windows Green

Finally smart homeowners are starting to look at green products when they do home improvements. Since replacement windows are considered as an expensive home improvement, educated consumers are turning to the internet for their research. Most replacement window shoppers want a good window that will save them money on their heating bills, but replacement windows offer a bunch of other rewards;

1. Lower heating bills.

2. Lower air conditioning bills

3. Less fading of carpet, furniture and rugs from the harmful UV rays.

4. Your replacement windows feel cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

5. Vinyl replacement windows can save you a couple hundred gallons of heating oil a year.

6. The best rated vinyl replacement windows can last you a lifetime.

With this short list (not a complete list) in mind, let's explore how vinyl windows are green.

1. If your heating and air conditioning units are not running as much then they will last longer.

2. If the Low E film on your vinyl replacement windows gives your carpet, furniture and drapes a longer life then they help to save landfill space.

3. If you are not getting the chills sitting next to your windows in the winter you can turn down your heat a couple of degrees and save some oil.

4. Triple pane vinyl replacement windows are projected to save you up to 20-40% on your heating and cooling fuel consumption. If you use 1000 gallons of oil a year that is a savings of 200-400 gallons of heating oil! Imagine if every home switched over to energy efficient windows?

Hopefully by now you are excited about how vinyl replacement windows might be a green replacement window option for your home. A good question at this point is "why are vinyl windows greener than wood or metal windows"? What an excellent question, here's the answer;

1. Vinyl windows that are made of pure PVC will last a lifetime. Generally wood and metal windows will fail in 5-20 years. A lifetime product will save room in our landfills.

2. Most brands of vinyl replacement windows offer triple pane glass. With triple pane glass you achieve the highest possible energy savings.

Good luck on your window project. If you are looking for a free replacement window estimate feel free to click here.

Cost of New Windows

Click on this link to view our 2009 Replacement Window Price List

Question: What is the cost of new windows?

Answer: $300-$2000 each.

The question is sort of like asking how much a new home cost. Cheap replacement windows that are installed by low grade contractors can cost you $300. Good replacement windows that are installed by skilled contractors can cost $400-$1200. A top end wood replacement unit can cost $1200-$2000.

If you are looking for the cost of a new window that is made of virgin vinyl then your price range is between $400-$700 if the glass is double pane. If the glass is triple pane then the replacement windows will cost between $600-$1200.

Triple Pane Windows

Since everyone is looking for information about the benefits of triple pane windows I decided to answer some common questions.

Question: Are triple pane windows worth the extra money?

Answer: In my opinion, triple pane windows will make your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. With less of a strain on your heating and cooling units, they will without a question save you money on your heating and cooling bills.

Question: Are triple pane windows really heavy, are they too heavy?

Answer: No, not at all, the balance system that makes the window go up and down is designed to make the window go up and down with ease. In fact you would not notice a difference if you were blind folded and tried some double pane and triple pane windows.

Question: What's the deal with triple pane windows and the Low E window film?

Answer: Most good quality triple pane windows have two layers of the Low E film. The two layers will block out around 95% of the harmful UV rays compared to around 50% with double pane windows with only one layer.

Question: I hear that triple pane windows can use Krypton gas, is it better than Argon gas?

Answer: Krypton gas is more dense than Argon gas so it insulates better.

Question: Are all triple pane windows about the same when it comes to energy efficiency?

Answer: No! The ratings on triple pane windows are all over the place, you should really pay attention to the "U-factor" when shopping for windows, the lower the number the better. Also a window is only as good as it's frame, stay away from cheap frames.

Question: Should I pay attention to the spacer systems in the triple pane windows?

Answer: First off, a window spacer is what separates the panes of glass (some people are not aware of the term). Window spacers are a very important part of the "glass pack", I would stay away from any metal spacer system since they can transfer the heat from the inside of your home to the outside. I personally like the foam window spacers.

Question: How much should I plan on spending for triple pane windows?

Answer: I would plan on spending between $700-$1000 for a top grade triple pane window. Replacement window cost is different in different areas of the country and there is a difference in cost between the brands.

Question: How do I find good replacement window companies for my project?

Answer: If you live in MA or RI you can contact my replacement window company and if you live in any other state you can request a couple free window estimates by clicking here.