Windows are a key component for comfort and beauty in any home. They also add to its value should you decide to sell. With so many options for replacing old windows, you’ll want to research your options carefully before you buy.
“Given the high cost of replacing windows, the more you know, the better,” says Mark Wolle a broker-owner with Royal LePage Wolle Realty in Kitchener, Ontario. “With any window replacement, you want to think most about heat transfer.”
All windows leak heat to some degree. In winter, warm air inside escapes through the glass; in summer, the heat outside penetrates the glass. With that said, windows today have come a long way with insulating values. They also offer features for safety and ease of cleaning.
Better quality windows are double- or triple-glazed, which means they have two or three panes of glass. Double glazed windows are adequate in moderate climates, or for southern exposures. If you live in a cooler climate, triple-glazed windows are a better option.
Better windows have an inert argon or krypton gas injected between the layers of glass. This greatly reduces the transmission of heat, also known as U-value. In addition, look for windows with Low-E glass, which means the glass is treated with a metallic oxide spray to cut down on UV light passing through the glass. The coating reflects heat in the summer and helps retain heat in the winter.
More information is available at www.royallepage.ca.
www.newscanada.com
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