Energy prices in the UK have significantly risen over the last decade. The average bill for 2021 was £760 compared to £450 in 2020, resulting in an increase of 36%. Are your monthly utility bills putting a strain on your budget?
Home energy efficiency is one of the most important factors when it comes to cutting energy bills. The types of windows in your home could be having a negative impact. Double glazing windows are efficient and cost-effective. They can have a dramatic effect on cutting down your monthly utilities.
Reducing those high utility bills will help with the cost of living crisis. It helps free up cash for more important things like groceries and leisure activities!
Discover how to combat exorbitant bills from home utilities. Read on to find out how windows can improve your home’s energy efficiency.
Best Way to Improve Home Energy Efficiency
One of the most effective and cost-efficient ways to improve home energy efficiency is to invest in double glazing windows. These will help reduce monthly utility bills significantly.
Double glazing windows are designed with multiple panes of glass. They have a layer of air or gas between them. This helps keep warm air inside during winter and cool air in during summer.
This reduces the need for heating and cooling, ultimately slashing your energy bills.
These windows also provide additional insulation against noise pollution from outside sources. This gives you a more comfortable living environment.
The double glazing cost can be a deterrent, but the long-term savings will far outweigh the initial cost. Plus, you may qualify for grants and other incentives to help offset your costs.
Not only will double glazing windows improve home energy efficiency, but they may also add value to your property.
What Are Energy Efficient Windows?
They are similar to double glazing but with an added layer of glass. Energy efficient windows, which are also called energy saving windows, aim to prevent the escape of heated or cooled air from your home.
By providing better insulation, they decrease your home’s energy consumption. This leads to lower bills and a more comfortable living environment.
How Windows Cut Energy Bills
Double glazing windows can reduce your energy costs in several ways. This section breaks down the different ways windows can help save you money.
They Provide Enhanced Insulation
They provide insulation against extreme temperatures outside. They also help keep heat inside during winter and cool air in during summer. This reduces the need to overuse heating and cooling systems, which in turn lowers energy bills.
The insulation materials and techniques used in modern windows are quite advanced. Windows with two or three panes have layers of glass with insulating gases like argon or krypton in between them. These layers lessen heat transfer, making sure that the inside of your home stays warm in winter and cool in summer.
They Prevent Heat Loss
Modern windows help reduce heat loss through draughts around your home. This helps maintain a more consistent temperature indoors. They prevent warm air from escaping, meaning you don’t have to use your heating system as often.
If you have old or poorly installed windows, they may have gaps and cracks that let air pass through your home. Upgrading to new windows with improved sealing systems can reduce air leakage. They help maintain a consistent indoor temperature. This will help cut the workload on your heating and cooling systems.
They Come With a Low-E Coating
This helps to improve energy efficiency and regulate indoor temperatures. Window glass can be coated with microscopically thin layers called Low-E coatings.
These coatings reflect heat and ultraviolet rays, while still allowing visible light to pass through. This helps to reduce heat gain during the summer and heat loss during the winter.
They Block Solar Radiation
Choose windows with the appropriate solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC). This will control the amount of solar radiation entering your home.
The orientation of your windows and your local weather conditions dictate whether you should go for a low SHGC to prevent excessive heat gain in summer or a high SHGC to keep your house warm during winter. This leads to efficient natural cooling and heating, reducing the need for mechanical systems.
They Reduce Condensation
Installing new energy-efficient windows with good insulation and effective moisture barriers can help to reduce the amount of condensation that forms on them.
This is important because excessive condensation can lead to problems like mould growth and damage to the frames of the windows.
The newer designs of windows have improved features that make them better at controlling condensation. This saves you money on running a dehumidifier.
How to Choose the Best Windows
Investing in new windows can be costly upfront. When choosing high-performance windows to improve your home’s energy efficiency, consider these essential features.
- Double- or triple-pane windows provide superior insulation and energy efficiency
- Look for windows with Low-E coating to help regulate heat
- Choose windows that are gas-filled between the panes of glass to improve insulation
- Check that the windows come with weatherstripping to prevent air leaks and drafts from loose seals
- Choose ones with warm edge spacers which help form a seal around panes of glass
Other Ways to Improve the Energy Efficiency of Your Windows
The best option to improve energy efficiency is to replace your current windows with new windows with better energy efficiency.
While this may be a big investment, there are also other cost-effective ways to enhance the efficiency of your existing windows while you investigate upgrading.
Improve Caulking
To improve the condition of your windows and prevent drafts, simply fix any peeling, damaged, or missing caulk that you notice around the seams.
Damaged caulk can result in air leakage between your home and the outside. This can cause your central heating or aircon unit to put in extra effort to keep the temperature of your home regulated. To enhance the insulation and energy efficiency of your home, it’s important to fix and reseal any windows with failing caulk.
Add Weather Stripping
Another easy and do-it-yourself method to enhance your windows’ insulation is by using weather stripping.
You can use foam weather stripping, which is readily available at hardware stores, to protect your windows. Simply peel off the backing and fix the adhesive side to the seams of your window. This will prevent drafts, bugs, moisture, and other outside elements from entering your home through any small openings or holes in the caulking around your windows.
Put Up Energy-Efficient Curtains
Consider installing curtains or draperies as a simple interior project to enhance your windows’ energy efficiency that you can do on your own.
Using blackout curtains can effectively prevent sunlight and solar heat from getting inside your home, which helps to keep it cooler in hot weather. For windows that get a lot of sunlight, you can install thicker curtains or drapes to block heat and provide insulation for your windows and overall home.
Install Exterior Shutters
Installing exterior shutters is a great way to enhance the look of your home’s exterior and improve the efficiency of your windows.
They can be easily installed by yourself, and when closed, they provide an extra layer of protection to your windows. This helps block harmful solar rays that can damage your window films or coatings.
Put Solar-Blocking Film on Your Windows
If you want to give your windows a coloured tint and reduce the amount of sunlight entering your home, then sun-blocking window films are a great option.
These films are easy to install and give your home a sleek, simple look. Additionally, they help block certain rays and reflect sunlight, which keeps your home cooler.
Use Outdoor Awnings
Installing awnings over your windows is a great way to enhance the energy efficiency of your existing windows and create a better outdoor space. Awnings are commonly used on windows that overlook porches and other outdoor areas.
Awnings could be a suitable option for you to create shade in both your indoor and outdoor areas. They are effective in preventing excessive light and solar heat from entering through the windows, which ultimately prolongs the lifespan of your windows by reducing wear on the glass.
By shading your home, it will help regulate the temperature and keep your living space cooler.
Looking to Upgrade Your Windows?
When it comes to improving your home energy efficiency, your windows are one of the best places to start. There are many options available from replacing current windows with new, energy-efficient ones or simply fixing peeling and cracking caulk around seams.
If you want more information on how Apex Windows can help improve the energy efficiency in your home through high-performance windows and doors, get in touch today! Our team is here to answer any questions you may have about our products so that you can make an informed decision when selecting replacement or retrofit glazing solutions.