Window Facts

In areas where winter is more than having to put on a sweater when going outside having the right kind of windows makes a big difference.

If you stand by an old window you can feel the cold because your body heat is pulled by the cold glass. When it hits the glass the cold pane cools it and it falls causing a current of air that feels like a draft from a leaky window.

When buying new windows look for these features:

1. Triple pane gazing

2. Argon or Krypton-filled glass, heavy gases to cut down on heat being radiated outside.

3. Low Emissivity Glass - This has a transparent foil coating which radiates heat back into the home.

4. Thermal Breaks - Foam or air-filled vinyl which prevents heat from traveling out by conductivity.

5. Leakage - Have a professional window installer put the windows in because they know how to flash and seal the window properly. Spending $15,000 on new windows, and getting a deal to install them from someone not well-versed in window installation, could produce leaks, if not now then in a couple of years time with the shifting and shrinkage of caulking.

If you have old windows get ready for winter by sealing them with a removable sealer and them put plastic over them. This is cheap and may take you 2 days to do. But you will feel warmer and your heat bill will be noticeably smaller.