Effective shading isn’t the only thing affecting how much heat your home absorbs through the windows – the windows themselves make a significant difference, too.
Here are a few useful tips for finding the proper windows for your cooling needs:
- Get windows with insulation properties that fit your climate
Different window types will have different properties. Some will let heat pass through more easily than others, and heat might pass more easily in one direction than the other.If you live in a hot climate, you want windows that reduce heat moving into your house, but readily lets it out again. If you have hot summers and cold winters, it’s probably wiser to go for windows that will retain some heat in the winter.
Ask your supplier for both the cooling and heating rating of any windows you’re considering.
- Double and triple glazing improves thermal insulation
Windows with more than one layer of glass are far better insulators than the ones with only a single layer of glass. An old, single glazing window might allow more than twice as much heat through compared to a modern window with triple glazing.Look for windows where the glass layers are kept slightly apart by materials like steel, composites or high-insulative silicone – these conduct less heat than the more common aluminum spacing material.
Also, argon gas between the layers of glass will make the window an even better insulator.
- Tinted glass or reflective films might help…
…but are probably only worth it if you live in a hot climate, since they will keep heat out in the wintertime, too.
With this third post, we’re halfway through my series on green home cooling. The next subject will be improvements and modifications that will help the rest of your home keep its cool.
This post was tagged with: air conditioning, cooling, energy efficiency, energy saving, heat buildup, home cooling, home improvement, house cooling, indoor temperature, reflective films, saving energy, thermal insulation, tinted glass, window types, windowsRelated posts: