Lower Utility Bills with Updated Doors & Windows
As we welcome spring in western and upstate New York, it’s time to start waving good-bye to winter’s high heating costs. Whether you use electric, gas, wood, biomass, or even solar heating in your home, it’s easy to understand that the less heat escapes your home, the less you have to heat it.
However, the same issue arises in the summer with air conditioning, though not as dramatically as the worst January weather. To keep your home cool in the summer, you also need to ensure that less heat enters your home. The best way to handle this issue year-round is to ensure that you have appropriate weatherization in place, including updated doors and windows for your Buffalo home when needed.
Lower Utility Bills with Updated Doors & Windows in Buffalo
In our region, extreme weather means that the importance of insulation can’t be underrated. Whether it’s around your foundation, up your walls, or across your attic floor, insulation keeps your home comfortable year-round, ensuring that you’ll have lower utility bills.
But what about the openings in those wall and roof systems? Your doors and windows can be serious culprits when it comes to allowing drafts into your home, preventing you from realizing true energy efficiency. They’re also easy to overlook when you’re updating your home’s exterior.
If you hear that adding a specific type of foam-backed siding to your home will add to your wall system’s R-value, it’s pretty easy to figure out that it will pay for itself fairly quickly. Taking a similar approach by having your exterior doors, windows, and skylights replaced with more efficient options will help you lower your utility bills as well.
Factors that Improve Energy Efficiency in Windows
The first step that many homeowners take is to invest in double-paned or even triple-paned glass windows, preferably with gas inside that prevents the transmission of heat from one side to the other.
Another approach is changing out aluminum windows for wood or vinyl, preventing heat transfer through the window system. Because aluminum changes its temperature very quickly when there are extreme temperatures on each side, it allows heat from inside or outside to transfer away from where you want it.
Finally, low-E coatings on your glass can also improve energy efficiency. Short for low-emissivity, these coatings have gained popularity in recent years, as they help the glass reflect heat to where it should be. This allows your home’s interior to remain comfortable throughout the year.
Factors that Improve Energy Efficiency in Doors
As with windows,energy efficient door installation in your Buffalo home can also improve overall energy efficiency throughout your property. To start, you may want to consider switching from a steel door to a wood or fiberglass door, which prevents heat from transferring through the system as quickly.
Insulation is another option to consider. An insulated door can keep your home much more comfortable, whether it’s staying cool in August or staying warm in January. Consider the R-value of the insulation, as not all insulation products provide the same level of insulation. Compared inch-to-inch, cellulose is far less insulative than poly-iso foam, so shop carefully.
Lastly, take the amount of glass you’re using into account. A full-glass window, even with low-E coatings and double-pane options, may transfer more heat than a well-insulated half-lite or quarter-lite door. Similarly, a storm door can create another pocket of insulating air if you have to have a full-lite door.
In some cases, the installation of updated doors and windows in your Buffalo home can be partially handled through tax and even utility benefits, such as credits, rebates, and refunds. This includes the IRS Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, but why stop there? Taking a few minutes to explore your local utility, county government, municipal government, or New York state websites can reap serious benefits for your wallet.
At AVA Roofing, our focus is on making sure that you have the right options for your home, your family, and your budget. Whether that means improving energy efficiency through better cladding, doors, or windows, creating the perfect space for your kids to hang out, or finding the right finishes for your pocketbook, we’ve got you covered. Why not give us a call today to see how we can help you take your home to the next level?
