You may have noticed that Arizona gets pretty toasty in the summer.
Whether you are a lifelong resident or you recently moved to the Grand Canyon State, you know that staying cool indoors is essential during the long summer months.
While we all have our favorite tips and tricks for beating the brutal desert heat, one of the best ways to stay comfortable inside your home during hotter weather is to install energy-efficient windows.
What are energy-efficient windows?
Energy-efficient windows are designed to help regulate indoor air temperature with the use of certain design features and technologies, including frame materials that improve thermal resistance and the addition of low-emissivity (Low-E) glass.
Along with helping you stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter, energy-efficient windows can help you save a significant amount of money on heating and cooling bills by reducing the burden on your home HVAC system.
How do energy-efficient windows keep you cooler indoors?
As mentioned above, energy-efficient windows use several key features to keep your home and its inhabitants cool and comfortable when the temperature rises outside. These include:
- Low-E glass: Low-emissivity glass is coated with metal oxides so that it reflects solar heat and only allows a small fraction of that heat into your home—while still letting in plenty of natural light. (Emissivity refers to how well an object radiates heat.) You can learn more about Low-E glass and how it works here.
- Multiple panes of glass: Traditionally, windows were constructed with a single layer (or pane) of glass. As you might imagine, single-pane windows are not very effective when it comes to insulating the home against seasonal temperature changes. In contrast, dual- and triple-pane windows create several barriers through which heat must pass before it can enter the home.
- Insulating gasses: Certain gasses, including argon, have insulating properties that prevent heat from passing through. For that reason, they are often added between the panes of glass to increase energy efficiency and help you stay cool.
- Spacers: As the name implies, spacers separate the multiple panes of glass in your energy-efficient windows to provide a tight seal that prevents the insulated gas from leaking out. The addition of a spacer system typically helps to lower the U-value (also called the U-factor), which measures heat transfer. The lower the U-value, the more energy efficient the window.
- Insulated frames: Energy-efficient window frames often include special chambers or air cavities that can be filled with insulating material for added heat resistance.
Other benefits of energy-efficient windows
Still on the fence about installing new energy-efficient windows in your home? It may help to learn that this type of window has benefits that go beyond keeping you cooler during the hot Arizona summers (and warmer in winter).
Energy-efficient features also help to reduce condensation, which in turn helps to prevent the growth of mold and mildew around your windows. They also contribute to enhanced safety and security, since they are much harder to break than traditional single-pane windows, and their insulated design can help reduce noise pollution.
Finally, energy-efficient windows have been shown to increase the value of residential homes.
Stay cool and call XO Windows.
If things are heating up inside your home this summer, we can help you stay cool with the latest in energy-efficient window technology. Contact XO Windows today for a FREE estimate, or give us a call at (602) 455-6616.