Windows Bring Beauty, Value and Efficiency to Your Home

By Christine Cooney, The House Designers Staff Writer

Your windows can have a significant impact on your home’s level of comfort and energy usage — two very good reasons to choose windows that are designed for your climate. Some windows are better at keeping your home warm and toasty while others excel at keeping it comfortably cool.

Lower energy bills all year long

With today’s heating and cooling costs, saving energy is more important than ever. Current technology makes it easy to choose windows designed to keep your home energy efficient and comfortable.  For example, vinyl and fiberglass are great insulators. When combined with double or triple paned energy efficient glass and the right spacer system you can easily control and regulate the temperature in your home. Be sure your glass package meets or exceeds ENERGY STAR® requirements and has been selected for your region. The correct ENERGY STAR® qualified windows can help reduce your energy bills as much as 15%.

Think outside the box

Find a unique window design to complement your home and lifestyle. Perhaps you enjoy the simple elegance of double-hung windows. Or maybe an interesting geometric shape will add just the right amount of style and pizzazz to your home. Oversized picture windows are perfect for making a room brighter and opening up outdoor views. Looking to save money on large openings? Try an economical configuration with a picture window joined to two double hung windows or sliders — the industry term for this is 'mulling.' Mulling multiple windows and geometrics can create a stunning wall of windows.

Let your home express itself with glass

Enhance your home’s curb appeal by selecting unique glass and grid options. Manufacturers like Simonton Windows® offer a variety of tempered, obscuring and tinted glass options for superior energy efficiency, sound dampening and added privacy. Window grids can enhance the look of your home, from both the inside and out. 

Don’t forget the hardware

If you live along the coast or experience cold winters, you’ll want to make sure you purchase the most durable windows you can afford. And don’t overlook the hardware. Simonton Windows®, a leading manufacturer of vinyl windows and patio doors, now offers stainless steel casement and awning window hardware as an upgrade option on these popular styles.

“Casement and awning windows are popular styles in and around coastal areas because they maximize the amount of natural ventilation and light that flows into the home,” says Gary Pember, Vice President of Marketing for Simonton Windows®. “Stainless steel is the perfect complement to these windows because of its durability and resistance to long-term, corrosive effects of sea spray and excessive exposure to moisture in wet climates. It’s a perfect upgrade to the durable and weather-resistant properties inherent in our vinyl windows.”

Energy Action Month is a great time to assess the energy efficiency of your home's windows. Simonton Windows® offers some helpful do-it-yourself tips to gauge the energy efficiency and functionality of your windows.

	October is Energy Action Month and the perfect time to assess your home's energy efficiency. One of the easiest ways to protect your home from unwanted heat and cooling loss is to choose ENERGY STAR® rated windows. Look for windows that offer the highest insulation value for your region.