Health & Fitness
Are new windows the answer to Energy savings?
This is a discussion on the economics of installing new windows from an energy efficiency and financial payback point of view.
I start my first Patch blog with a topic that, as an energy auditor is of special interest to me. Every time I see a window truck at a home while I'm driving around I think to myself, I hope they are not getting new windows to stop drafts and save energy because I am afraid they will be disappointed.
If you are replacing your windows for aesthetic reasons, to raise the value of your home or to just be good to the environment, I say go for it if you can afford too, but don't expect them to pay you back in reduced energy bills or even draft reduction.
You may think I am crazy because we all have seen the ads from the window companies showing that we will reduce our enrgy bills by 30% or even 95%. Reality is a little different. I'll put out my house as an example. We have a small ranch in Wheaton (1000 Sq. Ft.) with 16 windows. If we have each of those windows replaced with new windows at a bargain basement price of $300 we will spend $4,800. Our average energy bill each month for water and electric is $100. If we make the assumption that all of this goes to heating and cooling and we will never have another energy bill it will take 4 years to pay for the windows. if we say that the windows will reduce our heating and cooling needs by 50% we are now talking 8 years. When you consider that some of your energy goes towards cooking, water heating, lights and all of our other electric uses, we get into the 30-60 year payback period.
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A few other things to consider with windows is that windows typically account for only about 20% of the exterior wall surface area of the home so you still have 80% of that wall area that has not changed its energy efficiency and also even the best windows don't surpass the insulation level of a typical wall so your heating and cooling cost reduction won't even be the 50% we discussed above. We also have not considered that a great deal more heating and cooling energy is lost through your basement and attic than through the walls.
I will get into the science of drafts and what you can do to save energy in future blogs.
