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Windows are a distinctive feature in any home. In most conventional houses, however, windows are the weak link in terms of energy efficiency and cold-weather comfort. During the winter, a typical window loses up to 10 times more heat than an equivalent area of an outside wall. Windows can account for up to 30 percent of the heat loss from a conventional home, adding significantly to heating costs. Drafts, window condensation and mould can also affect your comfort and your home’s indoor air quality.
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Windows and doors– collectively known as fenestration products – are a major source of heat loss in Canadian homes. Fenestration products that qualify for the ENERGY STAR mark have been independently tested and certified to be among the most energy-efficient on the market, so installing them in your home will reduce your energy consumption and save you money. But there’s more: energy-efficient windows will also increase your comfort, cut down noise levels from outside the home, have less condensation in cold weather than standard products, and allow fewer ultraviolet rays to pass through glazed areas, thus better protecting your valuables from sun damage. Last but certainly not least, by reducing your home’s energy consumption, ENERGY STAR qualified windows and doors also reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to climate change. |
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Climate change is a serious environmental problem that could have significant consequences for our health, our economy and our children’s future. All Canadians contribute to the problem, and we all need to be part of the solution. Making smart energy choices around the home – including installing ENERGY STAR qualified windows and doors – is a great way to start.
Homeowners who replace all of their old windows and doors with ENERGY STAR qualified products will typically save about 7 percent on their energy bills, depending on the number of windows and doors replaced, how old they are, and how much air leakage was occurring. Buyers of new homes with ENERGY STAR qualified fenestration products can save up to 12 percent on their energy bills compared to standard products (the savings tend to be greater for new homes because they are typically larger and have more windows and doors than older homes).
To qualify for the ENERGY STAR mark, fenestration products must meet strict technical requirements for both thermal and structural performance. Products are qualified based on either their U-value (rate of heat transfer from a warm area to a cold area) or their Energy Rating (a scale that takes into account a product’s U-value, potential solar gain and air tightness). The colder the climate zone, the more stringent the requirements are. Windows, doors and skylights must also have good air tightness to qualify for ENERGY STAR. To ensure the integrity of the ENERGY STAR mark, all product testing is done by accredited laboratories under standardized, quality-controlled conditions.
At Lifestyle our vinyl windows are virtually maintenance free! You can put away your ladder, paint and supplies as you will never have to paint around your windows again. Just imagine the ease of cleaning your new Lifestyle windows by simply tilting them in rather than straining to pull each pane out, one at a time. Enjoy the finer things in life with the time and money you’ll save by installing high performance Lifestyle windows.
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