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The air is growing warmer, and June 21st was officially the first day of summer. Before long, your air conditioner will be working its hardest to keep your Cincinnati home cool as outdoor temperatures reach their peak. Fortunately, there are many ways to keep your AC bills under control this summer. One wise step is to replace your older windows with new, energy-efficient windows. New windows help fight rising AC bills in more ways than one. Here’s a closer look.
Most old window frames are made from wood. While wood certainly looks attractive and is a decent insulator when it is new, it does degrade over time. Chances are, your wooden window frames have begun to deteriorate, leading to gaps between the glass and the frame. Warm air seeps in through this glass, forcing your air conditioner to work harder.
The most energy-efficient windows feature frames made from wood composite material, like Fibrex® from Renewal by Andersen. This material looks like wood and is made with recycled wood pulp, but it does not warp like vinyl or deteriorate like wood, making it a more energy-efficient choice for your Cincinnati home.
Gone are the days when windows consisted of a single pane of glass. Replace your old windows with double-pane windows, and your home will stay so much cooler without your AC bills becoming unmanageable. It’s not actually the glass itself that results in lower AC bills, but rather the layer of gas trapped between the two panes of glass. This gas acts as an insulator, helping to reduce the amount of heat that passes through the window and into your Cincinnati home.
If you want to make your home even more energy-efficient, you can opt for triple-pane glass windows, which will also benefit you in the winter when you’re worried about heating bills.
Plain, clear glass, like that used to make most older windows, allows almost 100% of the heat waves that hit it to pass right through. Thankfully, modern window replacement companies have invented a more efficient type of glass known as low-e glass. Low-e glass, like Renewal by Andersen’s SunSmart™ glass, reflects most of the heat waves that hit it. This results in even lower cooling bills and also keeps the areas directly in front of your windows cooler in the summer.
Keep in mind that low-e glass is not tinted glass. It still lets in plenty of natural sunlight, so you can bask in that summer glow. SmartSun™ glass also blocks 95% of harmful UV rays, which helps reduce your risk of skin cancer and also protect your furniture, carpet, and other home goods from bleaching.
To lower your AC bills even further, you may wish to consider a different style of windows than those currently found in your home. Although modern double-hung and sliding windows are very efficient, casement windows are the most efficient window style. That is because casement windows lock more tightly into the frame, preventing warm air from leaking in around them.
If you’re ready for new windows in Cincinnati and lowering your air conditioning bills, get in touch with Renewal by Andersen to schedule your free, in-home consultation. We’ll discuss these and other features that make our windows a budget-friendly, energy-efficient choice.