Windows are rated in several categories that establish their energy efficiency. If you are shopping for windows for your house, extra emphasis should be placed on different ratings based on the climate the home is located in. For instance, if you are buying for replacement windows in Phoenix, Arizona, a sunny and warm environment, the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient is quite likely the most essential rating to look at. Other criteria, such as the orientation of a window to the sun and the amount of shade that may be present should be considered.

The US Government's Energy Star program is specially designed to make it easier for individuals to identify energy efficient products and practices which will save them money and preserve the environment. The Energy Star program scores over 60 products, including windows. Energy Star certification makes it easy for shoppers to be certain they are getting energy efficient replacement windows.

All Energy Star replacement windows are ranked in five areas but Energy Star qualification is solely determined on the U-Factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient. The U-Factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient are also the categories used to determine if a window qualifies for the IRS Energy Tax Credit.

U-Factor
Calculates the pace of heat transfer and illustrates how efficiently a window insulates. The smaller the U-Factor rating, the more effectively a window insulates. The window U-Factor includes the thermal properties of the frame as well as the glazing.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)
Measures the solar energy transferred by the window and illustrates how effectively a window blocks heat caused by the sun. The smaller the SHGC, the less solar heat a window transmits.

Visable Transmittance (VT)
Determines the amount of light a window lets through. The higher the Visable Transmittance, the brighter a room will be.

Air Leakage (AL)
Determines the pace at which air passes through joints in a window. Air Leakage is determined in cubic feet of air that passes through 1 square foot of window area in a minute. The lower the Air Leakage value, the less air leakage.

Condensation Resistance
Calculates how efficiently a window prevents water build-up. The higher the Condensation Resistance factor, the less condensation build-up a window permits.

Other Replacement Window Ratings
There are a few alternative ratings that are not included on the NFRC Energy Star label but they are useful and show up on some windows.

Light to Solar Gain
The ratio of Visable Transmittance to Solar Heat Gain Coefficient calculates the amount of light transmitted without adding heat. A higher number means that more light is transmitted without adding heat.

R-Value
R-Value was developed as a way to measure the insulation value of a product. It determines conductivity and tells us the resistance to heat flow. A high R-Value implies a better insulated window. The majority windows today are measured using U-Factor (see above).

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Everything You Need To Discover About HVAC And The Environment
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