How Much Can I Save on My Energy Bills by Replacing Old Windows?

The real estate market is on fire, and home prices have been skyrocketing. After purchasing a new home, homebuyers often spend money renovating and remodeling their purchase to make it their own. One smart move to consider is replacing your current windows with energy efficient windows. This is an investment that provides long term dividends.

Do New Windows Help with Energy Efficiency?

Floridians understand how difficult it is to keep energy bills in check, especially during the extended summer season. As June rolls in with its heat and humidity, power bills soar.  It’s inevitable. One smart move to make that will help reduce those painful energy bills is replacing your current windows with new energy efficient windows. It is estimated that 25-35% of heat gain or loss in homes occurs through windows.  For Floridians, using the air conditioner in the summer is a fact of life. Now there is an easy way to save some money while staying cool.  

After taking the initial step to replace those old windows with new, energy efficient windows, there are some decisions that need to be made in order to maximize their efficiency. First is choosing the right frame for those new windows. The standard window frame for most houses is aluminum. Aluminum is a heat conductor, adding more heat to an already hot situation. The goal with energy efficient windows is heat reduction, which is why vinyl window frames are typically used to replace those old aluminum frames. If vinyl frames are not for you, there are new aluminum frames that are ”thermally broken.” These frames consist of two pieces of aluminum, inside and outside, with a barrier in between. While the outside aluminum absorbs heat, it is unable to transfer that heat into the home due to the composite barrier in between the two pieces of aluminum.

Another choice to consider is the type of glazing required for the new windows. One option is called Low-E coating. This thin coating is applied to the window. It is transparent and will not limit your view. This coating acts as a reflector of infrared energy, also known as heat. This type of coating is also beneficial for homes in cold areas where homeowners want to remain inside. The heat inside the home reflects off the glass and bounces back into the home. The two types of low-e coatings are passive and solar control. Passive low-e coatings provide an effective way to heat a home without significance dependency on artificial heating means. Low e-coatings that are of the solar control type reduce the amount of heat that transfers into a home. This type of coating lowers the temperature in the home and lessens the burden on your air conditioning unit. 

Another important component of your new energy efficient windows is the gas that fills the space between the two pieces of glass. Originally, air was the filler; however, scientists and manufacturers have discovered that argon acts as a better insulator than plain air. Argon is the perfect filler as it is also non-toxic and colorless, which will ensure your view remains unclouded. Combined with low-e coatings, an argon gas fill between the windowpanes will ensure those energy bills are cut. An added bonus to using argon instead of regular air is the enhancement of the windows’ soundproofing. Clear views, better insulation, and soundproofing – argon is the right choice for your new windows.

What Is the Most Energy-Efficient Window Style?

New windows, whether you choose argon gas fill and low-e coatings, or just regular new windows, will still benefit your bottom line. However, upgrading to energy efficient windows will compound those savings, especially when you choose impact windows.

Impact windows rely on three attributes that make them the best choice for energy efficient windows. First, impact windows must be able to withstand impacts of a certain force based on where the home is located. These impact windows are created with additional layers of glass at an increased density, created with three pieces of glass and piece of laminate and supported by a sturdy frame. The creation of this barrier between you and the outside world increases insulation, which is then paired with a reflective low-e coating to increase the energy efficiency of impact windows. The cherry on top impact windows is the argon fill that occupies the space between the layers of glass, making impact windows the perfect energy efficient option for your remodel.

For an in-depth answer to the question surrounding impact windows and energy efficiency, visit Mister Window.

How Much Money Can New Windows Save on Energy?

Since windows have been shown to be responsible for 35-35% of heat gain or loss in a home, finding a way to reduce those percentages is key to energy efficiency. Updating old windows to repair seal failures or adding coatings to reduce heat transfer is one way to get the job done. However, the most savings is seen by replacing your windows with impact windows, glazed with a low-e coating and filled with argon, and those savings are noticed immediately. For Floridians, who experience the excessive heat of the summer longer than most other Americans, that savings could increase monthly by about $100. While the price tag may seem daunting, those energy efficient windows will wind up paying for themselves.

What Are the Costs of Energy Efficient Windows?

The cost of energy efficient impact windows for Floridians varies depending on the location of the home. Due to Florida’s location, it is prime hurricane country. The closer to the coastline the home is, the more expensive the energy efficient impact windows will be. This is due to state codes that require the impact widows to be able to withstand the high winds of hurricanes. The further inland your home is, the less need there is for impact windows that can withstand winds up to 180 mph, as is required in Miami-Dade County.

The quick answer is the cost may range from $1,200 to $2,200 per window.  However, that amount is not indicative of just the cost of the window. When you contract with a reputable installer, like Mister Window, the amounts you are quoted will include permitting, ordering, measuring, installation and removal of your old windows. Many companies will offer a cheap quote that does not include obtaining the proper permits or disposing of your old windows. It is important to remember that these can be costly details added on to a suspect cheap quote. Further, these prices may go up or down depending on the size of the window. Of course, an energy efficient picture window is going to be more expensive than a small bathroom window. While shopping for the right windows and installer, a budget of $1,800 per window is a good point of reference.

Mister Window has been providing superior service to the Tampa Bay and Suncoast areas for Florida since 1977. Their installers are knowledgeable and efficient, taking pride in walking customers through the process of upgrading their windows. The process begins with an initial needs assessment where the representative gains an understanding of what it is the customer is looking to achieve with the replacement windows. Next, after determining the right make and model of windows for your home, the installer will do a window inspection and take measurements. The needs assessment, measurement, and inspection are needed for the company to create an honest and fair quote for the customer to use when determining their budget. For unparalleled customer service and installation you can trust, contact Mister Window to speak to a representative that can answer your questions concerning the costs of upgrading to energy efficient windows.

Many new residents to Florida are lured in by the breathtaking surf and sand. However, as summer arrives and hurricane anxiety is amplified by 95°F weather and 100% humidity, the real price of living in Florida is exposed. With home prices soaring, there is sometimes not left in the budget after the purchase for remodeling or upgrading. Mister Window offers multiple payment options to meet the needs of its customers. They understand that sometimes the need outweighs the means. That’s why they are proud to offer zero-interest financing options with no upfront costs. Those terms can even be up to ten years. Their most popular plan provides for a 12-month interest free payment plan. The best part of this financing option is that there is no need for the customer to come up with a hefty down payment. 

Rebates, Incentives, and Credits for Replacing Old Windows

As inflation continues to rise, especially in the energy sector, and climate change brings changes to the environment, conserving energy has become a priority for many communities. Because of the energy saving qualities of new windows are so great, many organizations, from local companies all the way to the federal government, have created a variety of incentives for people to swap out their old windows for new, more efficient ones. 

• Tampa Electric Window Replacement Program: This program is great for the residents of the Tampa Bay area. Tampa Electric offers a rebate to customers for replacing their old windows for energy efficient windows. The rebate applies to windows and sliding doors that meet their specifications. The windows must be in a conditioned space, meaning areas like sunrooms and garages are not considered when calculating the rebate amount. The windows must be labeled by the National Fenestration Rating Council to have a minimum Solar Heat Cain Coefficient less than or equal to 0.35, and it must have a U-Factor less than or equal to 0.60. The rebate offered is $0.76 per square foot of window replaced. Once the installation is complete, a Window Replacement rebate application can be completed online.
• Duke Energy Window Replacement Program: For residents of Florida who receive their electricity through Duke Energy, the rebate they offer is significant. In an attempt to reduce the amount of solar energy entering your home, they are offering this rebate as an incentive where customers are able to conserve energy while increasing comfort and lowering costs. In order to be eligible for the rebate, homeowners must first complete a free Home Energy Check and then have their new windows installed by a licensed and insured window replacement contractor, like Mister Window. Once pre-requisites are met and the windows are properly installed, customers receive a rebate of $2 per square foot of window area on east-, west, and south-facing windows, up to $400. Beyond the amount of the rebate, this rebate differs from the Tampa Electric rebate in that it does not apply to sliding glass doors. The windows also have different solar heat gain coefficient specs (less than or equal to 0.25 and a U-factor of less than or equal to 0.35.
• Federal Residential Energy Property Credit for Homeowners: This tax credit is provided by the federal government and is applied to your federal tax filing. These credits are available for energy-efficient exterior windows, doors and skylights. The amount of the credit is 10% of the cost of the qualified product, excluding installation, up to $500. Windows, however, are capped at a lifetime limit of $200. Not all windows need to be replaced in order to qualify for the tax credit. Nor does the tax credit only apply to replacements, installing new windows in areas of the home where one did not previously exist qualifies for the tax credit. There is a requirement that the products must be Energy Star certified. The Energy Star credential was started by the EPA in 1992 as a way for businesses and consumers to obtain trusted information on creating and maintaining energy efficient homes and offices.

Proper Installation to reap the Benefits of Energy Efficient Windows

The one vital component to ensuring your energy efficient windows save you the most amount of money on your energy bills is the installer. You can order the right windows and frames, but if they are improperly installed, then the savings is lost. With Mister Window, you receive hassle-free, honest quotes from knowledgeable representatives. The representatives of Mister Window deliver five key components:

• A free home consultation to determine the needs and wants of the customer and to assess the viability of those preferences in the design, sometimes referred to as a needs assessment;
• A highly detailed proposal detailing expectations;
• Final measurements with an order to the manufacturer. Measurements are a crucial aspect of the window replacement process. By ensuring correct measurements, customers can be guaranteed leaf-free windows with all of the added energy-efficient benefits;
• Seamless installation that is always on schedule; and,
• A final follow-up inspection to ensure all of the work is completed to the customer’s satisfaction. It is only once the final walk through has occurred and the customer is completely satisfied that the job is complete and may be closed out.

Scams are everywhere, and the window business is not free of scammers. It is important to contract with a reputable company, offering real energy-efficient products at reasonable prices. Be wary of low offers that seem too good to be true.  They are! Don’t let FOMO control your cash. Research your contractor and make sure they aren’t using gimmicks to relieve you of your hard-earned money. Mister Window provides high quality windows that provide sought after energy efficiency and weather protection by installers who are honest and reliable, serving up the best value on the market for its customers.

Mister Window has the answers to your window questions and concerns. Contact us to discuss readily available energy efficient window options today!