Although there are several methods and tools available to improve home energy efficiency, new replacement windows are often a great solution to solve this chilly problem. They are certainly more efficient than older, wood windows, with ample insulation and better seals. More important however, new replacement windows will allow you to drastically reduce bills while keeping your home comfortable.
Over time, the cumulative utility savings can go a long way toward covering the cost, making replacement windows a home improvement project that can actually pay for itself!
Did you know new windows offer significantly greater return on investment than most other home improvement projects? They do … in fact, depending on the specific type of replacement window, you can expect a return of between 70 and 90%.
Suppose you have an older home with 15 single pane, wood windows. This type of window typically has a U-value (the amount of heat the window conducts) of approximately .99 — they will lose heat 13x faster than surrounding walls with standard R-13 insulation! In fact, old drafty windows represent an estimated 20% of a home’s air leakage.
If those 15 windows each cover about 8 square feet of space, you have 120 square feet of air leakage in your home. Depending on outside temperatures, the number of days per year you run the furnace, and where you keep your thermostat set through the winter months, those 100 square feet could be costing you hundreds of dollars each season. The Energy Eyes blog offers a great ROI analysis for replacement windows:
“So what is the return on investment for replacement windows? That question is packed with lots of variables. Based on the scenario we started with, if we figure that each window costs $425, and there are 15 of them, we have a total window replacement cost of $6,375. If we look at the return on investment strictly from an energy standpoint, we divide the $6,375 by the $302 annual savings to get a ROI (return on investment) of 21 years. This number on its own is not very impressive, but when we figure that at least 70% of the cost of the windows will be recouped in the increased value of your home we can drop that ROI (return on investment) to 6.3 years. Add the additional annual savings you might see by firing your window cleaner (because you can easily clean them yourself), and you could save another $120 a year dropping your ROI (return on investment) to 4.5 years.”
Swapping out those old drafty windows with better quality replacements offers more than just improved energy savings and indoor temperature control, however. In our recent post outlining the Benefits of Window Replacement, we identified several additional factors to consider when shopping for new replacement windows including improved aesthetics, increased security, and better sound control.
Call our office before it gets even colder outside and learn more about why replacement windows are a great choice to improve home energy efficiency. With options to suit every style of home, and the installation experience to do the job right, we have the solution you’re looking for!
