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What to know when Window Shopping...Not every window is created equal. There are various numbers and acronyms that define the quality of windows on the market today and there are various testing associations who provide these numbers. Look for NFRC, AAMA & especially Energy Star labels. National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) provides fair and accurate information about windows, doors and skylights available on the market today. NFRC performs their own testing then certify's various standards based on their results. The American Architectural Manufacturer's Association (AAMA) is the source of performance standards, product certification and educational programs for the window, door and skylight industry. The AAMA measures for Design Pressure, Air Infiltration, Water Leakage, and Forced Entry. There are two labels, silver and Gold, with the Gold label being the best. Not all windows are AAMA certified! Energy Star was created to help consumers identify products, such as windows and doors, that save energy. Qualified windows can save you up to 15% of your energy bill and are usually eligible for tax credits! Some numbers you need to know when comparing windows are: the window's "U-Factor", "R-Value", "SHGC", "Design Pressure", "Air Infiltration", "Water Leakage", "Forced Entry Resistance". When comparing U factors, the lower the better. This U factor basically means your interior space will stay cooler in the summer. For climates, such as found in the IL area, there are often balances and trade-offs made between U-Factor and SHGC so the windows perform optimally during the summer AND winter. R-Value is simply the insulating value of the window, or the amount of heat and cold that gets blocked. The higher the R value the more thermal energy gets blocked, meaning your living space stays cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The higher the R value, the better; and may be the best indicator of a window's performance due to the U-factor and SHGC trade offs in our area. Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window's solar heat gain coefficient, the less solar heat it transmits. This keeps your house cooler in the summer. The lower the SHGC, the better for blocking heat transfer from the outside to the inside. Design Pressure (DP) measures the resistance of the window to wind and other weather related pressures. The higher the number the stronger the window can resist pressure. Air infiltration of the window is the measurement of the volume of air that can be transferred through the window, usually through forced methods such as wind. The lower the air infiltration the better, and more air tight, the window's construction. Water Leakage, is similar to air infiltration, but is the measurement of water infiltration through the window. Water leakage is not allowed to achieve an AAMA certification, and means no water will leak from the outside through your new window. Forced Entry resistance is also a requirement to achieve AAMA certification. Windows with the Silver AAMA label have not achieved the forced entry resistance requirement. Typically windows that have achieved the forced Entry Resistance requirement (Gold Label), have a stronger frame and safer locking mechanism. What else do you need to know when comparing windows? The parts that make the window also determine the quality, and the parts are what achieve it's ratings. Glass type, thickness and warranty. Some windows have a glass breakage warranty. Typically the thicker the glass the stronger and more durable. However there is also tempered glass which is required by some codes and is much much stronger than un-tempered glass. There is also laminated glass which is like a car's wind shield having a clear vinyl lamination which makes them safer should the glass ever break. Glass Coatings - clear glass, Hard Coat & Soft Coat Low-E. Clear glass is glass with no coating. Hard coat Low E is the original Low-E and is common in the Southern regions because it works better blocking the heat than cold. Soft Coat Low-E is sometimes called Low E 2, or Low E squared. Soft Coat Low-E is optimal for the northern IL area, including Chicago, because of it's dual summer & winter performance. Glass unit insulation - the type of gas used to insulate the cavity between panes. Dual (or triple) paned windows often have a safe and inert gas vacuum trapped between the panes. Sometimes air is used, usually Argon gas is used, and a new product on the market is Krypton gas. Argon gas is typically the standard insulating gas for good quality good paned windows. Glass unit thickness - the distance of space between glass panes. Typically the more space between panes, the more insulating gas may be used causing the window to have a higher insulating R value. When defining how a window operates, there are different types of windows. A double hung window is probably the most common kind of window, it is a window with two sashes (moving panels). Each sash move up and down on a double hung window. Single hung windows are similar to double hung windows, however only one sash will move and the other will be fixed. Usually the top sash is fixed and the bottom sash is operational. Single hung windows are not very common, and not all manufacturers make single hung windows. Double hung windows are usually more tall than wide. A slider is similar to a double hung window, if you turn it on it's side. Sliders lack some of the operational parts of a double hung window because a double hung window needs these balance systems to defy gravity. Sliders can often be purchased with both sashes operational, or one fixed. Depending on the size of the window, a 3-lite slider may also be available, meaning there are two operational sashes sliding left to right, with a fixed picture window in the center. Slider windows are usually more wide than tall. Picture windows are windows that do not operate. They do not have any moving parts, and can not be opened. They are often used to fill large openings, and usually used in combination with some other kind of operational window. Casement windows are windows that have a hinge on the left or right side and swing out on that hinge. Typically casement windows have a crank handle that you turn to open or close the window. Casement windows are usually more tall than wide. Awning style windows are similar to casement windows, but the hinge is on the top and the window opens out. The usually have a crank handle, and are usually more wide than tall. Hopper windows are similar to awning windows, but open to the inside, rather than the outside. Hopper windows usually have a handle that you unlatch and pull in towards you. Not all manufacturers make hopper style windows. Hopper windows are usually more wide than tall. Geometric or shaped windows are also available, these windows can be anything from circles, half circles, or octagons. They usually do not operate, meaning they do not open, similar to picture windows. Window warranty's also vary. There is frame & part warranty's, glass breakage warranty's, seal failure warranty's and the list goes on. A lifetime warranted window often has exclusions, and it might only be the frame that is warranted for life. Finally remember that no matter how great a window may be, if it is not professionally and properly installed it is completely worthless. Make sure to Hire the Right Contractor! Further resources can be found at:
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