Storm windows are primarily used to protect the windows from wind and impact damage. What you might not know is that storm windows can also help improve your home’s energy efficiency. Your storm window installation expert Woodbridge Home Solutions shares details on achieving this.
Home Insulation
The important thing to remember about energy efficiency is that your home’s energy envelope – consisting of the attic, exterior walls, windows, and entry doors – has to have sufficient insulation to prevent heat from leaking from one side to another.
Windows are particularly difficult to insulate because their main component, glass, is naturally conductive. Even with dual- and triple-panel glass solutions, no glass panel is 100% insulative because a small amount of heat can still escape.
Storm Windows and Energy Efficiency
Storm windows help reduce heat conduction since they are an additional layer of insulation over your existing windows. This is ideal if you don’t have the resources to buy replacement windows after costly storm damage. If properly installed, storm windows act as the second panel to existing single-panel windows. While not as tight as the airlock in dual-panel assemblies, it is enough to reduce the rate of heat conduction.
Certain types of storm windows feature low-emissivity (Low E) coatings that block a secondary source of heat: sunlight, specifically, invisible UV and infrared rays. Low E coatings are different from tints, in that they block unwanted light but allow visible light to come through as if they were clear glass. Compared to tints, they don’t make your home look dark all the time.
Benefits of Improved Energy Efficiency
Inefficient indoor environments allow heat to pass through, which results in heat loss during cold days and heat gain during hot days. This causes indoor temperatures to change much faster, requiring more output from the heating and air conditioning systems. This results in increased energy consumption and costlier energy consumption.
The added output requirement could also reduce the heating and cooling system’s expected life span, which could result in costly repairs, or even a premature breakdown. Storm windows can positively affect your home’s energy efficiency and are worth considering if buying new windows is not feasible at the moment.
