Quick Tip For May

Spring is in full swing and summer is just around the corner. You may be enjoying the mild, keep-your-windows open weather we've been having lately but if you've lived through an Atlanta summer, you know it's gonna get HOT. And if you're really looking to stay cool, here's a quick tip to help fight those humid Atlanta summers.

While it's still early spring, there are some easy things you can do now to to help keep your home cooler, fight back against rising energy costs, and lower your AC bill.

Here's one quick tip to help you stay cool-

Turn off the AC and turn on...

A portable fan!

While you're hanging out in one room for a while, to watch TV, grab a cup of coffee and read a book, or work on your blog, grab a little fan and prop it up near by.

Or just turn on the ceiling fan for a little while. In either case, if you can reduce the amount of energy used by AC units, which not only consume high rates of energy but emit a lot of C02 gases.

So there's a quick little way to cut down on using up a ton of energy this summer and stay cool. We encourage you to open your windows too but if you can't get them open, we'll be glad to help there too!

For more tips, stay tuned here or contact us at AtlantaWindows.com

Green Windows; An Investment That Lasts a Lifetime

Of the many investments that homeowners make...think about them for a moment.
Mutual funds, bonds, stocks, entertainment, 401 k's, automobiles, college funds, savings. How many of them are guaranteed to be around 20 years from now let alone to last a lifetime? Not only that but how many of those investments will have long term effects that will outlive their original buyer?

Believe it or not replacement windows and doors with lifetime warranties are the kind of investments that you know will last for many years to come. And it's not just because they're built to last.

Vinyl replacement windows that are energy efficient and use the most advanced technology of the day reduce energy usage, reduce C02 emissions, and help you save money year after year for a lifetime. When you replace a thermally inefficient single paned window, which does nothing to keep heat from transferring in and out of the house, you upgrade to a window that will ensure a reduction in heating and cooling usage.

Wouldn't it be nice to put an investment in your home that not only helps your home become more beautiful but take a step toward going green? And wouldn't it be nice to invest a feature on your home that not only has a lifetime warranty but comes with a lifetime warranty to cover the installation and service? Green, energy efficient, replacement windows are a step in the right direction.

There are very few investments you can make on your home in Atlanta that will last a lifetime. Not only that but there are very few investments that will increase your energy efficiency like a replacement window so that you can contribute to something positive that will help the next generation keep Atlanta going green!

Winter In Atlanta...Are Your Windows Ready?

With our first snowfall of the year, we're reminded that Atlanta can still get chilly. Though we don't experience the harsh January weather like our neighbors to the north, the ice and snow that collected over the weekend is enough to make you wonder if your home is equipped to keep you warm.

What makes a window warm? Keeping heat inside your home. A lot of homeowners attribute the cold air that is coming into the home as the main reason their windows are cold. While it is true that cold air does infiltrate drafty single paned windows, heat loss is the biggest reason your home is so cold.

Your heaters are working overtime in the winter (especially those colder days we've had this week) to keep the home at a comfortable 70 degrees or higher. However if your window are not properly insulated, all that heat that your units are producing go literally right out the window!

The home you see in the picture recently had Soft Lite Imperial LS vinyl double hung replacement windows installed. They're double paned, use the best spacer system available (Super Spacer), and have a great thermal rating (.29 U-Value for those interested). Just so you know the lower the U-Value the better and few double paned, low-e, argon windows if any exceed Soft Lite's Imperial LS rating.

We know this family is now experiencing better warmth in their home now because of their new replacement windows. But we also know they'll be cooler in the summer thanks to the way their replacement windows insulate heat. It's a year round investment and one that reduces harmful emissions, saves energy, and gives homes increased comfort and beauty.

Learn more at http://atlantawindows.com

Stay Warm and Cut Heating Costs

You may be one of the many Atlanta homeowners who still owns a home with single paned wood windows. And our warm thoughts and fond memories of the holiday season are not enough to keep the heating bills down and keep you toasty until March. Every winter day, you lose over 75% of your heat to inefficient windows. So your windows are a factor. But now you you can know how the right can windows help.

Air Space

The first element of a warmer window is insulated air space. This also happens to be the first place that single paned windows are lacking. Since all you have in a single paned window is a piece of glass in a wood sash, there’s is no air space to slow down heat loss. In an energy efficient vinyl window, the double paned glass unit creates 7/8”-1” air space filled with inert gas (argon gas in most cases and krypton for that extra boost), that slows heat transference. Remember, when think about your windows, it’s not cold you’re gaining, as much as it is heat you’re losing (thus the cold). A window with an insulated air space greatly increases your windows ability to keep heat in the house where it belongs.

Spacer

The spacer is, simply put, what goes between the two panes of glass. A good spacer does not conduct heat (it keeps heat from passing through the panes of glass) so that your house stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer. If you’re home has single paned windows there’s no spacer working to keep heat in the home and thereby allowing a ton of heat loss. If you have wood or aluminum windows that use an aluminum spacer, you’re losing heat through the conductivity of aluminum.

You want to have a window that has a warm edge spacer. Although swiggel (the black rubbery stuff you see in many wood windows) is a warm edge spacer (non metallic) it falls short by comparison to the latest technology found in most upper end vinyl windows. Super Spacer, Dura Seal, and even Intercept are a few offerings that help cut down on heat loss. When selecting a vinyl window that will help add warmth to your home chose one that has a spacer system you’ve looked in to and that you believe will give you the best insulation your money can buy.

Frames and Sashes

Lastly for this blog entry we’ll take a quick look at how frames and sashes can contribute to reducing heat loss in the winter. Most vinyl window frames and sashes are already better insulated than wood windows and are far better than aluminum. However, not all vinyl windows are the same. If you want that extra boost of insulation, check and see if the windows you’re looking at have a foam filling in its chambers. It’s somewhat nominal but it makes a difference to have that added filling to keep heat in the home rather than passing through a hollow sash or frame chamber.

Also, if you’re concerned about cold air seeping into the home, take a closer look at the weatherstripping that your vinyl window is equipped with. Does it give you the impression that dust, allergens, and drafts will stay out? Just one more thing to think about if you’re trying to stay warm this winter. Your windows can help you more than you know!

If you’d like to learn more of have questions, contact us at info@atlantawindows.com or call us 770-499-8894 or visit us at http://atlantawindows.com.

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Replacement windows needed for this home in Decatur. I'm blogging on this one now to track the process from the replacement of single paned wood windows to insulated replacement windows. The new "Green" windows will create more comfort and especially energy savings for this Atlanta home. Stay tuned for more updates.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

More Ways to Conserve Water

Today's AJC has a great article about a man in Roswell, GA named Jorg Voss who takes water conservation seriously. Since we discussed power and water conservation this past weekend, and although this post is not directly related to windows, it has a lot to do with our aim to help you Go Green and conserve. So here's some of the things Voss is doing on a daily basis that maybe you can try at home.

Disclaimer! Some of these tips may not be for the faint in heart. Don't feel like you have to be another Jorg Voss but maybe there's some ideas you can take from Voss' lifestyle that you can implement at home. Making even one lifestyle change makes a big difference.

1) Rain Collection.
Voss has put together a complex rain collection system. When it's actually raining in Georgia this is a useful tool. However, what ol' Jorg is doing is collecting water from his gutters and using a submersible pump to water his lawn and garden!

2) Waiting for the Water to Warm Up... Don't Let it Go Down the Drain!
Water that we usually waste is collected and reused by Voss. Water that flows while waiting for it to warm in the shower is captured in wash pans and can be used for flushing the toilet or again for watering.
Another tip I received recently that I'm sure Voss is already putting into practice, is reusing dishwater. This "gray water" or, recycled wastewater that doesn't come from the toilet, can be used also for flushing the toilet or watering such plants as Hostas, Hellebores, and most ferns. They love gray water. But don't use it on your Dog Hobbles, Azaleas or Sourwoods.

3) The Wash. That Wasteful Rinse Cycle.
The second and third cycles of the washing machine is a rinse cycle which provides water that is easily reusable. What Voss does with his rinse cycle water is unhook the hose that usually takes the waste water to the sewer and reroutes it to a collection container where the mostly clean water can be reused for washing dishes, watering outdoors, flushing the toilet etc.

The point is any water that can be reused is. Now you may not be the type of person who goes to the lengths that the Voss family is going to but perhaps you can take some of these tips and add them to your routine.

We don't have to be under another drought to think about water conservation. Water is a precious resource and the more steps we can take to avoid waste can make a big difference for years to come.

Well, it wouldn't be a window blog without mentioning replacement windows. In my last post I mentioned how replacement windows save water. Check out this post to see information on how replacement windows conserve energy and water.

Until next time, Atlanta keep going green and please feel free to share any green tips you have at all whether they are related to windows or not. Thanks!

Jaq B in Atlanta, GA

Reducing Your Energy Costs and the Water Shortage

The truth is your energy usage is directly related to water usage. Since power plants use so much water every day to produce energy, the more energy you use, the more water is being put to use.

According to a NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) report 89% of all energy produced in the United States is hydroelectric. Meaning the more energy you're consuming on a daily basis, the more water your consuming as well. And with the drought effecting us in Atlanta, we need to conserve as much water as possible.

Georgia Power posted the graph you see to above. According to their studies, 52% of our energy usage is from heating and cooling. So keeping the thermostat turned down in the winter and up in the summer is important. However, when you consider that you lose a majority of the heat in your home through your windows...see where I'm going?

So believe it or not, green windows help you save money, energy, and water!

Do your part to help us get through this drought. You probably never thought about how reducing your heating and cooling bill could help keep energy and water usage to a minimum.

If you're a homeowner looking for a way to make your home Green. Energy efficient windows are a big step.

If you're not a homeowner tell people you know how important it is to make sure that they have energy efficient windows in their homes.

For an additional resource about insulation and energy reduction, click here.

Jaq B in Atlanta, GA

What Can You Do? Tell Someone!

Yes this blog is entirely about green windows and doors. But I'm hoping that by spending a few minutes reading and looking around you'll be able to see some of the ordinary things you can do to reverse the trend of energy waste and high level of greenhouse gases. Everyone can do his or her part.

You may have found this blog and you want to be "green" but you're not a homeowner. If so you may not be at a place to consider replacing windows and doors with energy efficient units but you still want to help.

Well good news! Today I have a good tip for you in which everyone can take part. You can help the people around you "Go Green" with the investments they put into their homes.

Your mission this week: Talk to someone.

As an individual who is earth conscious and thinking about as many steps as you can take here in Atlanta to make a difference, tell someone you know about the importance of replacement windows and doors.

Why? Because sadly so many homes built here in Atlanta are still lacking where they need insulation the most; windows and doors. They still have single paned windows or poorly insulated doors. These units do not contribute at all to a home's insulation!

In a home with single paned windows heat in the summer time has no way of being kept out of the house. So people crank up their AC units to keep the home cool. Thus, high energy bills and higher C02 emissions! In the winter, it's the same thing. Homes with single paned windows have no way of keeping the heat inside their home and thus the trend continues in the cold months as well.

However, by replacing windows with energy efficient products that are double paned, come with "Low-e", argon gas, and a good warm edge spacer, you can cut those C02 emissions and lower energy bills greatly.

Makes a lot of sense doesn't it? So tell someone! Let them know they can make a very affordable investment in their homes that will make a HUGE difference in protecting our environment. Not to mention all the "green" they'll save in dollars by keeping their heating and cooling bills lower.

Spreading the word is what "Green" is all about.

Was this post helpful? Let us know! Leave a comment or come visit us at atlantawindows.com

Thanks!
Jaq B.

The Lifestyle of Green: The Three Numbers of Window Efficiency

If your aim is to go green you'll soon find that what really makes a long term positive effect on our environment is all the little, daily decisions you make. Going green is a lifestyle. Being able to make a difference that will last a long time to come is a result of living a life that will have beneficial results.

These sundry decisions we make add up. Taking a reusable grocery bag to the store. Maybe biking to the store rather than driving. Using energy efficient light bulbs. All these choices combine to make an important impact.

It's the same with your windows. Since you live with them everyday, making the choice to upgrade to well insulated energy efficient windows is a huge step you can take to keep heating and cooling costs way down and even reduce the amount of harmful C02 emissions that are released.

When you think about what kind of laundry detergent you purchase you usually look for the kind that's low in phosphorous. When you pick out a new window for your home why not select a replacement window that will reduce energy cost as well as give you a good conscience knowing you've cut down on emissions as well.

So here's a quick tip. When selecting an energy efficient window, pick the one that gives you the best numbers for your buck. There are three numbers to consider that will help you know the thermal value of each window you look at.

U-Value-This value measures the overall thermal value (glass, frames, and sashes) of a window by telling you how slowly heat is transferring through window. The lower the better. Most good windows will have a U-Value of around .28-.30. Anything higher than a .30 may not be worth a second look.

R-Value- It's the inverse of U-Value and uses a more is better scale. It usually measures the density of insulation and how well it blocks heat. Higher is better here. Most well insulated windows have an R-Value of 4 in the glass. The tricky thing about R-Values is that you can get different values from different components of the window. For example the glass may have a 4 while the sashes have an 11. That's why we mostly turn to U-values for an accurate assessment of a window's thermal value.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient-(SHGC) measures how well a window blocks heat from sunlight. The SHGC is the fraction of the heat from the sun that enters through a window. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window's SHGC, the less solar heat it transmits. A good number to look for on a window is .23-.25.

So as you look into replacement windows, these numbers will give you a good idea of what you're comparing between products. The better the numbers the better the performance you'll get and your dollars can go a lot further. You'll be investing in a window that will not only last a long time but its insulation value will be one that you can feel good about.

For even better numbers in a vinyl replacement window, don't forget about the options of triple paned units, krypton (rather than argon) gas, and Super Spacer (one of the best spacers available).

Going Green

It’s sort of a big deal to us. We hear about global warming, gas prices, and diminishing resources all the time. It seems you can’t turn on the news without hearing some kind of mention of these hot topics.

That’s why “Going Green” has become such a concern for so many Americans. People are now looking for ways to not only cut their energy costs to save some “green” in the pocketbook, but also make a lasting impact on the environment.

One way we recommend save some “Green” is to have your single paned or clear glass windows replaced with energy efficient replacement windows that provide better warmth in the winter and keep you cool in the summer.

How can this make an impact you may ask?
Consider:
Most heat loss and gain comes is through your windows and doors. Since they open and close frequently and let in light, they typically are built with poor insulation value. Since your home has to work hard to compensate for this loss during the cold of winter or the heat of summer, your AC units are working overtime during the height of each season to keep you comfortable.
All this output and energy consumption from your heating and cooling units does two major things;
Raise your gas/electric bill to sky high levels.
Produces high levels of CO2 (carbon dioxide) gasses.

But how can replacement windows and doors help? When window frames, and glass are properly insulated they can help in a big way. Things you should look for you in your replacement windows; multiple panes of glass for one. Most windows are available with up to three panes of stacked glass for added insulation value. Also the presence of “Low-e” (for low emissivity) is vital. The low-e coating goes on the inside of a pane of glass and acts as a heat shield, keeping heat in for warmth and out during the hot months. Don’t forget about warm edge spacers which you can learn more about here.

For more information contact us or visit us at http://atlantawindows.com