Summer weather can be extremely hot in the Dallas and Fort Worth areas, and if your current windows are not doing their job to keep some of that heat out of your home, replacement windows might be the best option for you. New exterior windows in Dallas can be designed with features to prevent sunlight and heat transfer, so you get a comfortable home and lower energy bills.
U-Factors
The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) is an organization that helps homeowners compare energy efficiency standards for windows from one manufacturer to another. One of the primary numbers to review is the U-factor, a measure of how well the windows will prevent heat transfer, meaning they will keep hot air outside your home and cool air inside. The lower the U-factor, the better—it means that the money you spend to cool your home in the summer won’t be wasted when that cool air seeps outside slowly throughout the day.
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)
The solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) for a window is a measure of how much solar radiation will get through a window, both through direct transmission and through absorption. This is expressed in a measure from 0 to 1, and the lower that number, the less solar heat the window transmits. In a warm climate, it’s important to make sure you get a lower SHGC for added comfort.
Visible Transmittance
Another measure you might find on the NFRC labels is the visible transmittance (VT) for the window, or the measure of how much sunlight and daylight will get inside. Too low a VT means you won’t be able to see what is outside very clearly. The ideal balance is a window that is “spectrally selective”, meaning it reflects the infrared portion of solar light while only minimally blocking the visible part of the light from outside.
Low-e Coatings
Low-e, which stands for low-emissivity, was originally developed for colder climates to keep heat indoors and prevent cold air from coming inside. There are now low-e coatings that can be applied to keep more cool air inside and preventing the hot air from getting into the house from the outdoors. You may also want to talk to a window replacement contractor in Dallas about getting two-pane glass with specialized gas in between to boost energy efficiency.
New windows in Dallas can help boost your home’s efficiency and allow you to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors without having all that hot air invading your living space.
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