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Energy saving windows, doors, and skylights Want more from your windows? ENERGY STAR qualified windows, doors, and skylights save you energy and money, increase the comfort of your home, and protect your valuable possessions from sun damage. They are also better for the environment because lowering your energy use means less air pollution from power plants. Purchasing Tips if you want ENERGY STAR, ask for it. When purchasing an ENERGY STAR qualified window, door, or skylight, ask for products that match your Climate Zone. To find your Climate Zone, check the ENERGY STAR Climate Zone Map. All ENERGY STAR window, door, and skylight manufacturer partners offer products that meet the ENERGY STAR qualification criteria. The key is to ask for them. Find a window manufacturer. Glass Coatings A low-emittance: Gass coating is a microscopically thin film applied to the glass. This coating keeps heat inside in winter and outside in summer. Choose a Low-E coating based on your climate. High Solar Gain: These coatings allow as much heat from the sun to enter the house as clear glass. High solar gain coatings offer the greatest energy savings in regions with cool summers and very cold winters (the ENERGY STAR Northern Climate Zone). Windows with high solar gain Low-E coatings generally have Solar Heat Gain Coefficients between 0.56 and 0.75. Moderate Solar Gain:These coatings screen a portion of the sun's heat, keeping the home cooler in summer but admitting a good amount of solar heat in winter. Moderate solar gain Low-E coatings offer the greatest energy savings in regions with moderately hot summers and cold winters (the ENERGY STAR North/Central Climate Zone). Windows with moderate solar gain Low-E generally have Solar Heat Gain Coefficients between 0.41 and 0.55. Low Solar Gain: These coatings screen the most heat from the sun. Low solar gain Low-E coatings offer the greatest energy savings in regions with very hot summers and either cold or mild winters (the ENERGY STAR South/Central and Southern Climate Zones). By blocking ultraviolet radiation, these coatings also reduce fading of furniture, floor coverings, artwork, and window treatments. Windows with low solar gain Low-E generally have Solar Heat Gain Coefficients between 0.20 and 0.40. Gas Fill Some energy efficient windows have Argon, Krypton, or other gases between the panes. These odorless, colorless, non-toxic gases provide better insulation and a lower U-Factor. Many windows qualify for ENERGY STAR using only air. Windows with spacings of at least 1/2 inch for air or Argon fill and at least 3/4 inch for Krypton perform best. Warm Edge Spacers A spacer keeps a window's glazing layers the right distance apart. In the past, spacers were made of aluminum. In cold climates, aluminum can cause significant heat loss, leading to condensation on the window. Today's warm edge spacers--made of steel, foam, fiberglass, or vinyl--lower the U-Factor and prevent condensation. Improved Weather Stripping Weather stripping has also improved over the last 20 years. More durable, better performing plastic weather stripping is used in most ENERGY STAR qualified windows.
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