You may not consider installing a window a job that requires professionals. Certainly, professional service sounds nice… but it isn’t 100% necessary. After all, it’s just a window: set it in place, make sure it’s attached, and that’s it.

But let us assure you, based on our many decades of professional work with numerous types of windows and doors, correctly installing a window—and installing the right type of window—requires far more professional skill than you think. The consequences of poor window installation are also high, and any money you might save upfront by choosing to have a non-professional handle the job will soon vanish and you’ll find yourself suffering from discomfort, higher bills, and a generally unpleasant looking new installation.

For quality window service in Lakewood, WA from an experienced team, look to Sunset Air. We will help you dodge these pitfalls of amateur window installation:

Energy Inefficiency

Windows have many energy efficiency ratings on them that explain how well the window stops the movement of heat, blocks UV radiation, and reflects back light. But none of these ratings will mean much if the window goes into place poorly, with ineffective caulking and numerous air gaps, or bad placement where the window allows in too much direct sun. This will mean a house that permits too much heat to enter in warm months, and too heat to escape in the cold months. The house will lose a great deal of energy, and your utility bills will start to mount from overuse of the heater and air conditioner. And it isn’t only poor fitting of the window into place that can cause this. If the installers select the wrong type and material for the window, it will also create energy efficiency problems.

Discomfort

Going hand-in-hand with energy inefficiency is the way a badly installed window will make your house less comfortable. A drafty window can be miserable during winter, and a window that allows in too much direct sunlight along with humid air in the summer can make your house unpleasant and stuffy. (Direct sunlight will also affect your furnishings, leading to fading.)

Windows That “Don’t Work”

A sloppy installation job can result in windows that don’t open and close well, whether shuttered windows, sliding windows, or crank window. The windows will stick and close unevenly, as if they were already warped and excessively worn. With the extra strain placed on the moving parts, the new window will not last long before it need to either be fixed or replaced.

When you have skilled window installers on the job, you can expect to have an attractive window effectively placed so that that will contribute to a comfortable and energy-efficient home—as well a beautiful home. Call on the more than 35 years of experience at Sunset Air when it comes to window service in Lakewood, WA.

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A window is more than glass or other transparent material in a frame. A window forms a part of the energy system in your home, and the right selection and placement of new windows can make a difference in how well your home is heated and cooled.

A key part of understanding the role of windows in energy efficiency is knowing how to read the energy-performance labels from the National Fenestration Rating Council, a nonprofit industry-recognized certifying body for windows and doors. NFRC labels appear on all windows that have met the council’s standards, and contain a list of efficiency numbers. There is also an ENERGY STAR label from the U.S. Department of Energy that identifies the climate for which the window is certified.

If this already sounds like it’s too complicated, you don’t need to worry: if you hire experience professionals for your new window installation, they will guide you toward the energy-efficient window for your construction project that will reduce your costs for heating and cooling. Sunset Air offers quality window services in Lakewood, WA that combine experience and professionalism to make sure that you receive precision window installation.

The Efficiency Numbers to Look For

• U-factor: This is the measure of the heat loss through a window. The lower the number, the more the window inhibits heat flow and the higher its insulating ability. Generally, the U-factor for a window will be between 0.2 and 1.2.
• Solar heat gain coefficient: The SHGC indicates how well the window blocks radiant heat; i.e. the heat produced from direct sunlight on the window. The SHGC number is the fraction of the radiant solar energy that passes through the window. It is expressed as a number between 0 and 1, and the lower the fraction, the better the window restricts heat.
• Visible transmittance: The amount of visible light that enters the window. Like SHGC, it is measures from 0 to 1. The higher the number, the more visible light enters your home.
• Air leakage: A measure of the cubic feet of air that passes through a window per square foot of window area. The lower this number, the less air will escape through the window. Keep in mind that poor installation will increase air escape, so the air leakage number is only meaningful with skilled installation.
• Condensation resistance: This rating expresses how well the window stops the development of condensation formation on its interior surface. The higher the number (expressed between 0 and 100), the better the window is at preventing condensation.

Your professional window installers will help you with each of this efficiency numbers, and they will know the ratings that a window must score for NFRC certification. They also will identify the proper ENERGY STAR windows for your climate. Best of all, the professionals will make sure that the window is set and sealed into place so that it can live up to its efficiency numbers and do the job it is supposed to.

Since 1976, Sunset Air has helped homeowners with in Lakewood, WA with window services, door and skylight installation, and other home improvements. For all your window needs, contact our team.

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Tags: Lakewood, Window Installation
Posted in Window and Door | Comments Off on Understanding the Heat Efficiency Numbers for Windows