A new view: Consider efficiency, costs when replacing windows

AROUND THE HOUSE

Most homeowners look through the windows in their home just about every day.
But maybe they should be taking a closer look AT their windows; they could be letting cold air in and warm air out in the winter. They could be eyesores, both inside and outside the home.
Replacing those suckers could be a fine investment in your home. But before you grab the crowbar, here are some tips you might consider:

Materials
If your house has ugly, older aluminum, steel or cheap wood windows, vinyl replacements can be a great choice. You may have noticed that most builders have switched to vinyl. Their justifications can be yours, too: Vinyl windows are quick and easy to install, require almost no maintenance and they save big bucks in energy costs year-round.
 
Shopping
The replacement-window business is highly competitive; that means you can get a good deal by doing some careful shopping. Interview at least two dealers on your own turf, and ask them to provide the names of several recent customers whom you can call for feedback.

Extras
In our climate, low-e glass is a must. It's a reflective metallic film on the inside of one glass pane that mirrors heat into the house in the winter and helps keep glare and the sun's heat out in the summer.
Another choice is an inert gas - such as argon - that conducts less heat than the typical dry air inside the double panes. I've heard mixed reports about the longevity of this stuff at our elevation. So it's one option you may want to avoid.
 I like the tilt-in feature for single-hung (vertical) windows. It allows you to lean the sash from the inside - a real benefit for two-story dwellings. Also, some manufacturers include a double-locking feature - high and low - that can make you feel more secure.

Glass rating
Make sure your new windows are Energy Star rated. That designation means that the units have been tested by the NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council - an industry group) and certified to meet the latest government regulations for overall window efficiency - that is heat loss and heat gain.
Most manufacturers' basic, low-end windows meet the standards, and most also have two or three lines that exceed the standards by maybe 10 percent to 40 percent.
Of course, they are considerably more expensive, so, as with all energy upgrades, do the math and figure out how long it will take to recapture the extra expense - after which time you'll start saving money.
There are new regulations pending at the Department of Energy that will tighten up the standards to a considerable degree.
If history is any guide, the new requirements will be mandatory, and you and I will be stuck paying lots more for each window. So, if you want wider choices, I would buy new windows sooner rather than later.

Doing it yourself
You could buy new windows at a lumberyard or home center and arrange installation yourself, but you may be asking for trouble. You need to know who'll be responsible for measuring errors and whether a separate, unsupervised (by the retailer) installation affects the warranty on the units.
Another do-it-yourself-issue - demolition.
If you could snap your fingers and have your old windows in the trash can, this would be a piece of cake. Unfortunately, the hard part is removing the existing units. It's pretty tricky - and dangerous - as the old glass can "explode" when strain is applied to collapse the old frames.
Weatherproofing and retrimming wall surfaces, inside and out, is part of this, too. So it's a job best left to folks with the right tools and expertise. Bottom line: Avoid the pain and plan on buying the windows and installation as a package, whether from a dealer/manufacturer or a retailer.

Warranties
 There are transferable warranties that come with most new vinyl window packages.
Look for one that includes a lifetime glass-breakage guarantee.
Incidentally, most of them require re-registration with the dealer each time the house is sold.

Cost
 You're going to spend $300 to $500 per opening for new basic windows - more for fancier configurations such as bays, bows, octagons and picture windows.

Savings
You can figure on recapturing most, if not all, of the cost in energy savings, but it will take the better part of 10 heating seasons or so.
If you leave earlier than that, you may or may not be able to pass on the unamortized portion to the next buyer.
However, some benefits aren't quantifiable - including your personal comfort and the remarkable face-lift that new windows give an older home.

Window terms

- Low-e: Low-emissivity window technology emerged a couple of decades ago as a way to save additional energy, beyond double glazing. A thin, reflective, invisible metallic coating - like zinc oxide - is applied inside the window panes.
- Sash: The combination of glass and a frame - metal or wood - into a single fixed or movable assembly.
- Double hung: A window with upper and lower sashes that both slide to provide a top and bottom opening.
- Single hung: A window with a fixed upper sash.
- Slider: A window that slides sideways.
- Casement: A window hinged on one side that swings out.
- Awning: A window hinged on top that swings out at the bottom.
- Double glazing: An assembly of two window panes, separated by a spacer bar. Desiccated (very dry) air is usually sealed inside.
- Bay: A window assembly consisting of three panels fixed together at an angle, which protrudes from the exterior wall.
- Bow: Same as a bay, but with multiple facets.

Contest

Do you have a kitchen that's been screaming for a face-lift for the past decade? Is your guest bathroom in desperate need of a new vanity?
Would $1,000 help?
The Gazette is holding a Renovations Contest. You can enter at gazette.com. Just send us a photo of the room you'd like to redo and 50 words or fewer about why it needs improvement.
Readers will vote on which room deserves the upgrade, and the owner will get a $1,000 gift certificate to The Home Depot.
Contest deadline is Oct. 7. At that time, readers will be able to vote. The winner will be announced on Dec. 2.