subject: The Replacements: Getting To Know Your Windows [print this page] As with anything else, arming yourself with knowledge can save you from having to make unnecessary purchases or from being duped into buying something which you definitely not need. Oftentimes, people with no background in house repairs fall prey to the latter because they do not have an idea about the different tools and materials involved in house repair.
Although windows oftentimes make up only 10% of the house, they have the ability to bring your heat loss or gain to about 40%. This is the reason why most people are after the most energy-efficient ones, and when it comes to energy efficiency, nothing beats windows with an energy star rating. You should, however, consider also the U-Value of the window. A U-value of 0.25 is already considered as a good rating.
One of the things that you need to know about high-grade windows is that they are usually made using two kinds of gas Argon and Krypton. These gasses are used because they are able to improve the insulating properties between the glass panes. This is something that you should check when you are buying a window for your home.
You also need to be aware that, if you would like to have heat-efficient windows Bay Area homes usually have, you should go for windows with reflective coating. This coating is effective against radiant heat produced by direct sunlight. If possible, keep away from aluminum windows as they can conduct heat. Aluminum windows are most commonly used for commercial buildings only.
A number of windows Bay Area homes have usually feature a low-E coatings. E coatings are usually applied to the glass near the end of the float process, and are responsible for transmitting lower than average levels of radiant energy. When buying windows, make sure you go for the soft coat over hard coat as the former is more effective.
Now that you know about the different basic things about windows, you need not worry about not being able to understand what the replacement windows San Francisco contractor is talking about. You just need to make sure that the contractor you would be getting is a dependable one.
