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).