Replace old windows with Energy-efficient models

Replace Old Windows with Energy-Efficient Models
By: Karin Beuerlein
Published: August 28, 2009
Adding new energy-efficient windows can pay off at resale, as well as boost your energy savings—$126-$465 annually—if you choose the right ones.
Progress
Home + $ = savings

Save Money: Med $126-$465/yr (in energy)

Value Added: High $8,200-$10,600

Effort: Med 3-5 days (planning/install)

Investment: High $270-$1,000/window (w/ labor)

Adding new energy-efficient windows can pay off at resale, as well as boost your energy savings.

If your windows are more than 15 years old, you may be putting up with draftiness, windows that stick in their frames, and skyrocketing energy bills. Energy-efficient windows would be a great improvement, but replacement can be very expensive. In a 2007 survey conducted by Consumer Reports, half of respondents spent $8,000 or more to replace all the windows in their homes, and 16% shelled out $15,000+.

Windows recoup much of their cost .
The range for energy-efficient window pricing is wide, but Energy Star-qualified windows start around $120 for a 36” x 72” single-hung window and can go up 10 times that. With labor, you’re looking at about $270 to $800+ per window. Typically, windows at the low end of the price spectrum are less energy efficient.

But that doesn’t mean the numbers can’t make sense for you. For starters, window replacement is one of the best home remodeling projects in terms of investment return: For vinyl windows, you can recoup about 75% of the project cost in added home value, according to Remodeling Magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value Report.

Based on the projects outlined in Cost vs. Value, that’s a value add of about $8,200 to $10,600. Plus, if you choose windows that qualify for the new federal tax credit (U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient ratings must be 0.3 or less), you can effectively lop $1,500 off the purchase price.
You’re also likely to see modest savings on your energy bill. In general, you’ll save $126 to $465 a year if single-pane windows in a 2,000-square-foot house are replaced with tax-credit-eligible windows, according to the Efficient Windows Collaborative, a coalition of government agencies, research organizations, and manufacturers that promotes efficient window technology.

Keep in mind, though, that the savings can vary widely by climate, local energy costs, and the energy efficiency of both the windows purchased and the windows being replaced. Finally, you may qualify for low-interest loans or other incentives offered by your local utility that can sweeten the deal.

Sample costs, incentives
Here’s a hypothetical situation to help frame your purchase decision:

Location: Des Moines, Iowa

Old windows: Double-pane, non-Energy Star windows

New windows: Energy Star-qualified, tax credit-qualified vinyl windows

Purchase price plus installation: $10,500

Subtract tax credit: -$1,500

Subtract local utility rebate for installing Energy Star replacement windows (12 windows, $25 each): -$300

Net price: $8,700

The Des Moines homeowner could recoup about 70% of the project cost at resale, according to estimates in Cost vs. Value. From a net price of $8,700, the owner has “lost” only $1,350.
And his annual energy savings will be $91. Had the original windows been single-paned non-Energy Star, his annual savings would be $385. Double-paned windows are more common.

Evaluate price vs. energy efficiency
The range for energy-efficient window pricing is wide, but you can expect to pay about $500-$1,000, including installation per window. The most efficient windows on the market are usually the most expensive, but it’s not necessary to buy the highest-end products to realize utility bill savings or improve comfort and aesthetics. So how do you choose the most energy-efficient models for the price?

Thanks to Energy Star, you really don’t have to, according to Nils Petermann, project manager for the Efficient Windows Collaborative. Energy Star labels will tell you whether a window performs well in your climate based on ratings from the National Fenestration Rating Council.
However, if you’re looking for windows that qualify for the $1,500 federal tax credit, make sure the U-factor and SHGC are both less than or equal to 0.3 regardless of climate zone. Not all Energy Star windows qualify.

Know the language of windows
It’s also helpful to familiarize yourself with terms that appear on many window labels:
Glazing is simply the glass used in the window. The number of layers of glazing (single, double, or triple) don’t necessarily equal greater efficiency; the presence or absence of the other items in this list affects a window’s total energy performance, says Petermann. Glazing coatings can substantially affect a window’s U-factor, or degree of insulation against the outdoors.

Low-E stands for low emissivity, the window’s ability to reflect rather than absorb heat when coated with a thin metallic substance. Low-E coatings add up to 10% to the price of a window. If your windows are in relatively good shape but you’d like better insulation, you can buy and apply Low-E films to your windows. They’re effective, but not as much as those put between glazing layers during manufacture. Look for the NFRC rating on these films, Petermann says. Low-E films start at about 50 cents per square foot, but you may want to check into the cost of having them professionally installed for large or complicated applications.

Gas fills typically consist of argon or krypton gas sandwiched between glazing layers to improve insulation and slow heat transfer. They often won’t work at high altitudes because differences in air pressure cause them to leak out.

Spacers separate sheets of glass in a window to improve insulating quality; the design and material are important to prevent condensation and heat loss.

Frame materials include vinyl, wood, aluminum, fiberglass, and combinations of. They each have different strengths: Vinyl windows are good insulators and are easy to maintain, but contract and expand with temperature changes, affecting the window’s air leakage; wood offers a classic look but is similarly affected by moisture changes and needs regular maintenance; fiberglass is very stable and low-maintenance but can be expensive; and aluminum is lightweight, stable, and a good sound proofer but is a rapid conductor of heat, making it a drain on energy efficiency.

Karin Beuerlein has covered home improvement and green living topics extensively for HGTV.com, FineLiving.com, and FrontDoor.com. She has also written for dozens of national and regional publications in more than a decade of freelancing, including Better Homes & Gardens, The History Channel Magazine, Eating Well, and Chicago Tribune. She and her husband started married life by remodeling the house they were living in. They still have both the marriage and the house, no small featRead more: http://www.houselogic.com/articles/replace-old-windows-with-energy-efficient-models/#ixzz14E7AkASZ

Hiring a Contractor

It is extremely important to compare contractors before making a financial commitement toward any roofing project. You should solicit at least two or three bids from prospective contractors-bids based upon the same building specifications, materials, labor and time needed to complete the project.
Discuss bids in detail with each contractor,making certain you understand the reasons for any variations in the prices. DO NOT automatically choose the lowest price. One contractor's bid might be higher because the materials used are of better quality or because the work will be especially thorough and, therefore require more time and labor.
Ask the roofing contractor for local references and find out if these customers were satisfied with the contractors work. If possible, vist and inspect thier completed projects.
Find out if the contractor is a member of a professional association like the NRCA(http://www.nrca.com/) which has standards or a code of ethics for roofers.
Contact your better business bureau (BBB) to learn how long a contractor has been in business and if the firm has been reponsive to any complaints filed with the BBB.
Another important matter to consider before before hiring a contractor deals with insurance. Ask the contractor if the company is insured against claims covering workers compensation, property damage and personal liability in case of accidents. Then call to verify contractor's insurance coverage after obtaining the name of the carrier and agency.
Finally, check with your state, county or city housing authority to see if the contractor must meet certain licensing and/or bonding requirements in your area. If so make sure your contractor is properly licensed and bonded. NEVER PAY a contractor for the entire job in advance and avoid paying in cash whenever possible.
Roofing is not an exact science. Expensive hidden problems can be uncovered once work has begun. Do your homework and you will be happy with the results.



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Credit to the: Better Business Bureau

Understanding Our Energy Star Tax Credit

By: Dan Mackin

I still find it hard to believe so many people do not know much about our tax credit we can still receive until December 31, 2010. Theses tax credits not only apply to windows and doors, but some roofing materials as well. In these hard economic times stretching your dollars is very difficult. If you were told the money you spend today can help you save on your energy bills immediately, you may give this another thought. Since some of the money spent will be a tax savings at the end of this year this, should be music to your ears. Here are some of the facts to help you better understand. If some of this is still confusing please do not hesitate to give us a call 636-887-2097 or go to http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index

How much: 30% of the cost (not including installation/labor costs), up to $1,500


Timing: Tax credit in effect in 2009 and 2010. Must be installed in your "principal residence" between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010.Tax credit in effect in 2009 and 2010. Must be installed in your "principal residence" between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010.

Details:
From June 1, 2009 - December 31, 2010 windows (and doors and skylights) must have a U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) less than or equal to 0.30.
From January 1 - May 31, 2009 all ENERGY STAR qualified windows, doors, and skylights qualify, except for doors in several counties in California**.
You do not have to replace all the windows/doors/skylights in your home to qualify. And it doesn't need to be a replacement either - installing a new window where there wasn't one previously (like in an addition) would qualify.
More information on the windows/doors tax credits.

Find qualified models:
We do not have a list of qualified windows, doors, or skylights.
You can find the U-factor and SHGC on the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) label. See an example of the NFRC label. NFRC is the only federally recognized organization for determining the energy performance of windows, doors and skylights. Please see the NFRC website for information concerning product performance.

How to apply:
File Tax Form 5695 with your tax return.
You must have a Manufacturer's Certification Statement to qualify.

Understanding Energy-Efficient Windows

How today's high-tech windows work and what to look for when making your next purchase

by Paul Fisette

A respected builder I know told me how he learned the true value of energy-efficient windows. In the course of his business, he installed a builder's line of windows from a well-known manufacturer in every house he built. He felt good about his choice; he purchased the windows from a manufacturer with a reputation for quality, but they cost 10% less than the same manufacturer's standard line of low-E, argon-filled windows, saving him about $600 per house. He even put them in his own new home. The first winter he lived there, though, he noticed that the windows seemed cold. Only then did he compare the U-values with the same manufacturer's standard windows. He did some math and concluded that his windows were costing him about $150 a year. By his estimation, the low-E windows would have paid for themselves in four years and made his home more comfortable for their entire life span.

My friend based his conclusions on widely accepted averages, and although certainly not exact, they were probably not far off the mark. Experiences such as his are common, yet they are easily avoidable with a basic understanding of how energy-efficient windows work. When you choose new windows, appearance is often the first consideration. Initial cost is the next issue: Which window within the favored style costs the least? But liking a window's appearance is a fuzzy proposition, and cost really depends on durability and on the energy dollars pumped through the windows each year (see Annual heating costs). I am convinced that if we could see energy loss as we see color and shape, energy performance would top the list of window considerations.

Windows are thermal holes. An average home may lose 30% of its heat or air-conditioning energy through its windows. Energy-efficient windows save money each and every month. There are even some cases where new windows can be net energy gainers. The payback period for selecting energy-efficient units ranges from two years to ten years. In new construction, their higher initial cost can be offset because you'll probably need a smaller, less expensive heating and cooling system. And more-durable windows may cost less in the long haul because of lowered maintenance and replacement costs. Plus, you'll be more comfortable the whole while you live with them.