Energy efficiency as we know it today is a relatively new concept, only becoming “a thing” in the late 1970s in the aftermath of the Energy Crisis. Today, just about everything in our lives in one way or another uses energy, or is designed to help conserve it. This applies to everything from the device on which you’re reading this, to the washer and dryer which clean your clothes, to the materials of which your home is made. Even most windows today are energy efficient!
As America scrambled to develop new energy sources in the wake of skyrocketing oil prices and curb energy use as much as possible, one interesting discovery made by the US Department of Energy noted as much as 25% of residential energy bills could be directly related to losses from inefficient window designs. Single-paned windows framed with wood were identified as the primary culprits. Today, double- and triple-paned windows framed with aluminum, vinyl, fiberglass, or other synthetic materials are the gold standard in new construction. Not only are they more energy efficient, they’re also more versatile and offer superior noise reduction.
Windows’ energy efficiency is measured in two ways: the R-value, which is the window’s resistance to transferring energy through the window, and the U-factor, which indicates how much energy the window will transfer. The higher the R-value, the lower the U-factor, and vice versa. A higher R-value also indicates that the windows transmit less heat through them and help conserve the energy required to cool or heat a residence or building, helping to save money for years to come!
At www.lighthouse-windows.com Windows, we know and understand the value of better windows from both a safety and environmental perspective. That’s why we’re proud to be an authorized dealer for Milgard, one of the top names in window solutions in the world! We want to give our clients, customers, friends, and neighbors the very best we have to offer, and we truly believe Milgard is it. Here are some examples of special features Milgard has available for various climates and areas of the country, so their double- and triple-paned windows can help save you and your family even more money and energy while granting you peace of mind!
Fiberglass or vinyl framing material: These materials help to keep cold things cold and warm things warm, like the inside of your home or business. They also help reduce energy loss caused by heat transfer, which makes your cooling or heating system work harder to achieve the same results. This improves energy efficiency and decreases associated costs, especially in extremely warm or cold climates where there’s a sharp variance between summer and winter temperatures.
Argon or xenon gas: These Nobel gases serve as additional insulation, in a gaseous state, between two or more panes of glass. Because they are both colorless unless an electrical current is passed through them, they allow clear visibility while helping to impede transfer of sound, UV radiation and energy between the panes. While these gases are not used in all multi-pane window applications, they are becoming increasingly popular every year and it seems more likely that a time may come where single-pane and gasless multi-pane installations will be obsolete due to the superior performance profiles of these windows.
Metallic coating: In areas which receive a lot of sunlight, such as the desert, Milgard offers a super-thin metallic coating which helps reflect solar rays. This helps reduce what is known as passive heating of an area, which keeps the interior cooler during the summer with minimal impact on light transfer and also increases heat in the space between the panes during the winter, preventing heat loss and helping to provide another layer of insulation and stabilization for the temperature of the room. Milgard metallic Low-E3 glass coatings can actually reduce UVA and UVB rays by up to 84%, preserving the beautiful look of your floor coverings and décor as well!
At Lighthouse Windows, we’re proud to be one of the Bay Area’s premier dealers and installers of genuine Milgard windows and doors for residential and commercial applications, old and new. We’re excited to put our experience and work ethic to work on your home, office or multioccupant building. Simply click here to contact us; call us at (831) 426-2601; or visit us at our office, located at 317 Potrero Street in Santa Cruz, CA. When you want the best results, the best price, and the best materials, let Lighthouse Windows show you the way!