June 2004
NEWSLETTER
#224
HOUSE-N-HOME PLANS.com Money Saving, Convenience and Healthy House Tips
James Todd
June, 2004
Happy Father’s Day
All past newsletters are archived
online at: http://www.house-n-home-plans.com/newsletters.html
CONTENTS:
- Window Selection
- Central Vacuum Installation
- Finish your basement now or later
- Thought for the Day
- Subscription Information
Please forward this newsletter to anyone whom you think may be
interested!
1. Windows - The Basics
and Energy Rating
Windows and patio doors are collectively
one of the most expensive components in the
building
of your new home. They are also responsible
for a major operating expense throughout
your occupancy because they are accountable for
most heat transfer (loss)between your living
environment and the great outdoors. Where
a
typical insulated wall has an R factor of
R-20, a standard double glazed window has an R
factor
of R-2. So we gain or lose 10 times as much
heat through our windows as our walls. There
are several things that can be done to windows
to minimize heat transfer and these all add
to the cost. One simple thing that will save
you money is to minimize the windows and
patio doors with a westerly exposure.
There are a wide choice of windows available and we will present
more articles on choosing windows in the near future. However,
in this first article I will cut to the chase and give you some
targets to think about.
There are important government and industry standards that will
help you choose the right windows for your climate and your budget.
The two most important standards are the Resistance to heat flow
or R-value, and the Energy Rating or ER. Fortunately, these standards
are consistent across the US and Canada making window comparisons
possible.
The ER standard is a valuable consumer tool because ER is based
solely on a window's performance regardless of how, or with what
materials it was built. The higher the ER numbers the better.
A common, poor performance, fixed window, with an aluminium spacer
between the glass panes and double glazing (2 panes of glass),
might have an ER of -35. The minimum ER for what is considered
to be a high performance fixed window is +2 and the ER for the
opening version of the window is -11. A moderate cost, high performance,
fixed window, with insulated spacer, double glazing, low-E coating,
and argon filled should have an ER of +5 and the opening version
should have an ER of -8. The highest performance, fixed window,
with insulated spacer, triple glazing, low-E coating on 2 surfaces,
argon or krypton filled gap has an ER of +15 or more. It is also
the most expensive.
If you are concerned about energy costs to heat or cool your home,
you need to consider the ER number when choosing your windows.
There are many other considerations including appearance, price,
durability, condensation resistance, wind resistance, water resistance,
lower sound transmission, and coatings for reflection of sunlight.
Generally speaking, if windows are certified to have high ER numbers
they will have been built with enough to ensure that many of these
other items have already been included.
Be sure to buy windows that are certified by a trusted standards
body, have a visible certification on the window, and are guaranteed
to meet the standards that you require.
What's Next? In next month’s newsletter
we will be exploring what you
should look for in window frames. In
the
following newsletter
we will discuss Low E Coatings and Other Films on the
glass.
Useful Links
For a Glossary of Terms see:
http://www.protecht.us/GLOSSARY.HTM
For more interesting reading on this topic see:
http://www.aaamsa.com/Documents/publications/publication3.htm
Fiberglass framed windows:
http://www.fibertec.com/index.html
Window manufacturing:
http://www.wadf.com/index2.htm
2.
Central Vacuum Installation
Central Vacuum
installation
is relatively
straight forward,
however
there are
a number of important
factors
to take
into account during
the construction
of you new home, which will ensure trouble free use. The following
decisions
should be considered: 1) Location of each inlet 2) Number of
Inlets
3) Size
of
power
