Energy Efficiency

ENERGY STAR-qualified windows save you energy and money, increase the comfort of your home, and protect your valuable possessions from sun damage. They are also better for the environment because lowering your energy use means less air pollution from power plants.

	More Than Just Dollar Savings
	What Makes a Window, Door, or Skylight Energy-efficient?
	The NFRC Performance Ratings
	Climate Zones for ENERGY STAR

Installing ENERGY STAR qualified windows lowers energy bills and saves you money over single-pane and even new double-paned, clear-glass windows. For a typical home, choose ENERGY STAR and save:

Up to 40% in Energy Savings - GUARANTEED

Our Restorations line of windows features energy efficient window products that can save you up to 40% on your energy bills, in writing – GUARANTEED! Click here to learn more about this extraordinary guarantee.

More Than Just Dollar Savings

New ENERGY STAR qualified windows can help reduce your energy bill up to 15 percent. Estimated savings vary from region to region depending on current heating and cooling costs and are generally greatest where there are hot summers, cold winters or both.

In addition, ENERGY STAR qualified windows, doors, and skylights do more than just lower energy bills-they deliver more comfort, create less condensation, and protect your valuables from sun damage better than conventional clear-glass double-paned alternatives.

BENEFITS WHEN IT’S COLD PROTECTION FROM WINTER CHILLS

On cold winter nights, do you avoid seats near the window? The cold, inside surface of an inefficient window pulls heat away from your body, so you can feel chilly in a sweater with the thermostat at 70 degrees. With ENERGY STAR qualified windows, the interior glass stays warmer, so you can enjoy your window seat even when the temperature outside dips well below freezing.

REDUCED CONDENSATION

On winter mornings, is there fog on the inside or the outside of your windows? If an inefficient window or window frame gets too cold, indoor moisture can condense or even freeze on the interior surface and then pool on the sill. Over time, chronic condensation can damage sills, cause paint to crack, and encourage the growth of mold. Advanced technologies enable ENERGY STAR qualified windows to keep the interior of the glass and frame warmer, reducing the potential for condensation and ensuring a clearer view on winter mornings.

BENEFITS WHEN IT’S WARM SHIELDING FROM SUMMER HEAT

In summer, do some of your rooms feel like a sauna? A typical double-paned, clear-glass window allows approximately 75 percent of the sun’s heat into your home. Most ENERGY STAR qualified windows transfer much less heat, typically without reducing visible light. You get the light you need without the uncomfortable heat.

SAFEGUARDING VALUABLE INTERIORS

Your favorite photograph, your child’s artwork and even your couch can fade or discolor after repeated exposure to direct sunlight. Most Low-E coatings, the same coatings that keep out the summer heat, can reduce fading by up to 75 percent. These coatings act like sunscreen for your house, blocking damaging ultraviolet rays without noticeably reducing visible light.

What Makes a Window, Door, or Skylight Energy-efficient?

Thanks to a host of new technologies, ENERGY STAR-qualified windows, doors, and skylights keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, making you more comfortable.

Independently Tested and Certified Energy Performance

The energy performance of all ENERGY STAR qualified windows, doors, and skylights must be independently tested and certified according to test procedures established by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) .

NFRC is a third party, non-profit organization that sponsors certified rating and labeling programs to help consumers compare the energy and performance features of windows, doors, and skylights.

NFRC's programs do not distinguish between “good” and “bad” windows, set minimum performance standards, or mandate performance levels. This is where ENERGY STAR comes in. ENERGY STAR enables consumers to easily identify NFRC-certified products with superior energy performance.

Performance Ratings

The NFRC label, which can be found on all ENERGY STAR qualified windows, provides performance ratings in a number of categories:

U-Factor measures the rate of heat transfer and tells you how well the window insulates. The lower the U-Factor, the better the window insulates. U-Factor values generally range from 0.25 to 1.25.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) measures the fraction of solar energy admitted and tells you how well the product blocks heat caused by sunlight. The lower the SHGC, the less solar heat the window transmits. SHGC is measured on a scale of 0 to 1; values typically range from 0.25 to 0.80.

Visible Transmittance (VT) measures the amount of light the window lets through. The higher the VT, the more light you see. VT is measured on a scale of 0 to 1; values generally range from 0.20 to 0.80.

Air Leakage (AL) measures the rate at which air passes through cracks in the window. AL is measured in cubic feet of air passing through one square foot of window area per minute. The lower the AL value, the less air leakage. Most industry standards and building codes require an AL of 0.3 cfm/ft2.

Condensation Resistance measures how well the window resists water build-up. The higher the condensation resistance factor, the less build-up the window allows. Condensation Resistance is scored on a scale from 0 to 100. The Condensation Resistance rating is useful when comparing different products. ENERGY STAR qualification is based on U-Factor and SHGC ratings only.

Residential Windows, Doors, and Skylights Key Product Criteria

The ENERGY STAR criteria for residential windows, doors, and skylights are tailored to four Climate Zones. A product's energy efficiency for a given climate is based on its impact on heat gain and loss in cold weather and heat gain in warm weather. Windows that are energy efficient in Florida will not necessarily be energy efficient in Michigan and vice-versa.

Climate Zones for ENERGY STAR Qualification Criteria

The four Climate Zones for ENERGY STAR qualified windows, doors, and skylights are:

For additional information about energy efficiency please call Shiner Roofing, Siding and Windows at 1-888-312-2001 or use the button below to request your no-obligation windows appointment.