Window replacement is one of the best remodeling projects any homeowner can invest in. If your home is older than 15 years, it’s probably a good time to check and make sure your windows are still operating correctly. For instance, do you have trouble opening or closing your windows? Do you consistently find moisture on your windows’ interior? Do you feel a draft when your windows are closed? That could be a sign that the seals are ready to give in.
Much like your washing machine or refrigerator over time, your windows and doors also need to be replaced. Windows are also fragile openings in our homes and should be inspected for quality. We’ve identified some key benefits of the best insulated windows for your home—and why going with the most energy efficient sliding glass aluminum models is your best option.
Reduced Energy Costs
Energy efficiency is a crucial component of sustainable window and door design. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, inefficient windows, skylights, and doors account for up to 25% of the average household’s energy bills. Some sources estimate up to 40%. Upgrading to high performance windows reduces your heating and cooling costs, saving you money on your electric bills in the long run. Additionally, there is less stress on your mechanical equipment to heat or cool your living spaces, saving you even more money on repairs and maintenance.
What makes our high-performance windows so efficient? So glad you asked! First, our aluminum designs offer unparalleled durability and reliability that stand up to a number of environments and weather conditions. Our intelligently designed windows resist environmental forces that would compromise lesser-quality products. Second, our windows are engineered using a dual glazing method that creates a thermal break — or pocket — that insulates your windows and creates an efficient, controlled environment within your home. This design essentially offers your home a multi-chamber barrier system, minimizing the effects of the climate and weather. Enjoy an energy-efficient home that’s essentially an oasis — completely under your control — in any environment.
High-performance windows such as ours are capable of exceeding average energy-efficiency standards by way of quality and sustainable design. To complement thermal breaks created by our dual-glazed glass, our windows also benefit from an aluminum construction. Aluminum is long-lasting and durable, resistant to warping and shrinking common in other building materials. What does that mean? It means you don’t have to worry about openings forming that may leak air or bring in any unwanted air from outside. You can have complete confidence in the integrity of your windows and avoid compensating for drafts and leaks by overburdening your air conditioning system.
Improved Comfort
High performance windows, sliding glass doors, and environmentally friendly windows are all designed to keep homes warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. This advanced technology blocks up to 70% or more of the solar heat gain in the summer and reflects radiant heat indoors during the winter. The high performance glazing techniques that are used on these windows are designed to do all of that without compromising your view or natural light. Conventional windows allow higher noise transmission. With high-performance windows, you can enjoy more peace and quiet in your home without the interruption of bothersome street noise.
Did you know that by law, front windshields of cars have to be treated to filter out UV radiation? You face the same radiation in your home, but there aren’t robust laws governing the amount of UV protection offered by your home’s windows. Ensuring that your windows are certified to filter out harmful UV rays is the best — and smartest — way to protect you and your family from skin damage while they remain inside your home.
Lastly, protect your furniture, flooring, and window treatments from sun damage. Clear, single-pane glass reflects about 25 percent of the sun’s UV radiation, while insulating glass reflects up to 40 percent. Low-E coatings provide additional protection, reducing fading of your indoor furnishings up to 75 percent. Not only does this offer essential protection to you and your family, it saves you the pain of replacing or repairing costly furniture by protecting your home with high-performance windows.
Long-Lasting High-Performance Windows
While the glass used in high-performance windows is obviously critically important and subject in itself to a number of different construction methods, the materials that make up your frames are just as crucial. You have multiple options when it comes to materials: wood, UPVC, aluminum, and a few others. There are pros and cons when it comes to any one material, so it’s important to take your unique needs and circumstances into consideration.
Regardless of your local climate conditions, aluminum has been proven to stand up to a wide range of conditions. It’s a long-lasting, durable material that will not swell, deteriorate, or crack over time like the other options. Wood and PVC, for example, are highly susceptible to weather conditions across the spectrum, including rain, heat, and extreme cold.
Years of experience and industry research have shown us a clear-cut, all-around winner — aluminum. Aluminum offers a non-toxic and non-flammable housing solution for high-performance windows, which makes it the safest choice for your children and pets. Not only does an aluminum construction afford you peace of mind with its long-lasting durability, but its superior quality helps you run a more efficient home by saving you energy and money. Our commitment to quality is what makes us one of the premier window manufacturers in southern California.
Eco-Friendly Windows
The benefits of using aluminum to manufacture window frames don’t stop within your home. Aluminum has been proven to be one of the most eco-friendly materials available for window construction. In addition to being a reliable, durable, and energy-efficient solution for homes, the production lifecycle offers tremendous advantages for the environment over other building materials. Both wood and PVC — two popular materials used in windows and doors — are produced and manufactured methods that are not only harmful to people but also to the environment.
As a renewable resource, wood is initially an appealing building material until you gather all of the facts. Some window manufacturers boast about their wood originating from certifiably sustainable sources, but the reality is that only about 8 percent of all wood window and door products come from responsibly sustained tree farms. Wood is a biodegradable material that eventually returns to the environment harmlessly, which may seem ideal at first; however, this means that energy, effort, and money must be spent to maintain your wood windows over the years. If they are left untreated as well, you’re vulnerable to termites and other insects.
Far from biodegradable, PVC fills landfills across the country. It’s also not easily recyclable, so the majority of it ends up getting tossed in the garbage when it’s no longer usable. There are an estimated 8,000 landfill fires each year in the United States, which undoubtedly release toxic PVC chemicals into the air — such as dioxin, a potent carcinogen. Harmful toxins and pollutants are also released into the air during the production of PVC, which pose safety and health risks to workers, nearby residents, and the environment. The risks include:
- Cancer
- Reproductive issues
- Birth defects
- Impaired childhood development
- Brain damage or impaired function
- Compromised immune system function
Not all news in window production is bad, however, because aluminum offers some excellent benefits without the devastating environmental impacts of wood and PVC. By comparison, aluminum is a non-toxic, non-flammable, and recyclable material that happens to be a widely abundant resource that makes up about 8 percent of the earth’s crust. In fact, nearly 75 percent of all aluminum produced in the U.S. is still in use today. It’s not only easy on the environment, it’s also a durable, energy-efficient material that helps you save energy and money. Here at Monumental Windows and Doors, we recognize the impact and the importance of using sustainable, eco-friendly materials.
Better Air Quality Inside the Home
The number one way to control air quality inside the home is to manage the air sources. Openings or windows in the home that aren’t properly sealed can cause unwanted outdoor air to seep through, causing pollutants and other debris to circulate. This is particularly an issue for older homes with subpar window construction. Installing high-performance windows and doors in the home can ensure that good air quality is sustained on a consistent basis throughout the home.
Photo credit: Jensen Door Systems and Munsch Homes.
We utilize rubberized gaskets to safeguard your home’s opening points from all elements: dirt, water, and air. These ensure that your air quality is protected against drafts and leaks that may bring unwanted debris and pollutants into your home. The gaskets are made of quality rubber materials that conform to the design, creating a tight seal that will hold up to the most extreme climate conditions.
Another benefit of our dual-glazing design method is that it insulates your windows and helps you to maintain the integrity of your air quality. Multiple panes of glass create a larger, more protective barrier between your home and outside elements. You’re not only protected from incoming debris and pollutants, but the insulated construction also reduces the amount of interference from the outside temperatures, helping you save on energy costs.
Material Protection from Ultraviolet Rays
Lastly, most forms of high-performance windows will protect your furniture, flooring, and window treatments from sun damage. Radiating heat from ultraviolet light is what causes interior materials like fabrics and wallcoverings to fade over time. Clear, single-pane glass reflects about 25 percent of the sun’s UV radiation, while insulating glass reflects up to 40 percent. Low emissivity or “Low-E” coatings were developed to minimize the amount of ultraviolet light that passes through glass without compromising some of the visible light available. Low-E coatings provide additional protection, reducing fading of your indoor furnishings by up to 75 percent.
Take into consideration your unique circumstances, such as location, climate, and interior design when deciding how much protection your home needs. In short, here are some features to look for in high-performance fenestration:
- spectrally-selective Low-E glass
- thermally broken framing
- precision hardware
- superior finishing
- resilient weatherstripping
Take some stock and learn more about how better, smarter windows can improve the quality of life inside your home. Looking for high-performance window replacements that are stylish and energy efficient? Contact us to find out more about your options for the most high-performing replacement windows in the Palm Springs area, Los Angeles, San Diego, and wherever else our products are sold.