There are a lot of decisions to make when building a new home. Some are big, like, “where are you going to build the home?” or “how many rooms is it going to have?” Other decisions are much smaller and often get pushed aside. When you are making big choices, who has the time to think about the sorts of electrical fixtures or the type of windows you install? This is what a contractor is for.
Choosing the right windows can be the sort of decision you pay close attention to because installing the wrong windows can cost you a lot of money.
When choosing your windows and doors, your first step is to go to the EPA’s Energy Star website and determine your “climate zone.” This will guide your purchase. Here you will have a list of features and manufactures you can use to guide your purchasing decision. Energy Star Rates windows are doors on a per-state, per-climate zone basis. By installing your ES certified windows or doors, you can qualify for state and federal tax credits.
The other thing to keep in mind is, just because one window is good for one part of the house, it does not mean it will be good for another. For example, in some parts of the country, west-facing windows need to have a low Solar Heat Gain Coefficient in order to handle the direct sunlight of late afternoon sun.
The other important thing to think about is installation. If you improperly install energy efficient windows and doors you will lose all the money saving advantages. If you are not skilled in this the installation of windows or doors, it is best to seek out trained professionals. The EPA website has more information about locating certified installers.
