Ottawa Windows and Doors Specialists Carry Energy Star Products that Save on Energy

The business of windows and doors is not the same as it was a century ago. New techniques for measuring and producing glass, new styles, and new conveniences have only been the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the many ways that these have changed. You may take for granted these components of every home, but the truth is, they play a critical role in the energy consumption of your home, thereby affecting both your energy bills and your ecological footprint.

At one point, the only time you would ever have seen the now-iconic Energy Star logo in relation to “windows” was when you booted up your computer back in the days of Windows 95. Now, 20 years later, many Ottawa windows and doors manufacturers, retailers, and installation services offer Energy Star-certified products. But what does this certification entail?

Started in 1992 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States, and adopted by other countries including Canada, the Energy Star program began as a voluntary labelling program for energy-efficient products to be easily identified. It began with computers and printers, but soon expanded to appliances home electronics, heating and cooling systems, and—you guessed it—windows and doors.

How does a product become certified?

Certification guidelines vary from product to product; what applies to your laptop won’t apply to your fridge, and et cetera. Because the products carried by Ottawa windows and doors retailers typically become part of the barrier between your home and the external environment, their certification depends on factors mainly related to heat transfer and air circulation.

Energy Star-certified doors and windows are graded on five criteria:

  • The U-Factor measures heat transfer in British thermal units (BTU) per hour in relation to the space being heated.
  • The Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, or SHGC, measures how well a product protects against heat transfer by sunlight. For both the U-Factor and the SHGC, a lower ranking means better insulation.
  • Visible Transmittance is a measurement of light that is allowed to pass through a window or other glass portion.
  • Air Leakage is based on the volume of air passing through each square foot of window each minute.
  • And finally, a high Condensation Resistance indicates that a window allows less water buildup.

What does this mean for me?

These changes in the industry don’t just affect manufacturers and retailers. When you buy Energy Star-certified products from your Ottawa windows and doors specialists, you are changing the way that your home regulates temperature, airflow, and humidity. You are choosing a more efficient option that requires less power to achieve the same result. And that is a smart choice.