If you’re sitting down at night to read a book or watch TV in the Winston-Salem area and you feel a draft, it might be time to think about replacing those old windows with something more energy efficient. About 20 percent of heating and cooling costs are caused by heat gain or loss through windows. So while it’s the time of year when cold drafts blow through the house and we think about the heat escaping through our windows, energy-efficient windows can be cost effective all year long, keeping the heat of the sun out in the summer and lowering energy costs even when you run the air conditioner.

We often plan on the limited lifespan of our roofs and exterior paint, but windows are something else that need to be replaced in a house, usually about every 15 to 20 years. So even if your house is relatively new, built in the 1990s, you might consider installing new windows. The technology and materials used in windows today have come a long way just in the past 20 years.

The good thing is you can recoup some of the money you invest. Energy Star qualified products can save you anywhere from $126 to $467 a year, depending on how many windows you replace, if you’re going from single-pane windows to double-pane. And while it’s still waiting approval, you might also be able to get up to $200 in tax credits for installing Energy Star windows in your home.

            In addition to energy savings, there are other benefits to upgrading to double-pane windows:

• They are easier to clean, since the decorative elements are between the glass.
• The gas pumped in to improve insulating factors also helps in noise reduction.
• They can protect items within your home from sun damage.

When doing your research to purchase new windows you will run across a U Factor. This is the measure of the amount of heat transfer allowed through the windows, and the lower the number the better. For North Carolina, a U Factor of 0.40 or less is recommended. The experts at Ron Williams Building Company can help find the right windows for your home in Winston-Salem, and install them before the really cold winter months set in.