SixLinks: Upgrade your windows and doors

Guide: Upgrade your windows and doors

Windows and doors are where a large amount of the nice perfect air inside your house leaks out, taking the energy you used to condition that air with it. This guide will help you better seal your home and save you money on energy bills.

Steps:

1 Find the draftiest windows and doors in your home

You should already have an idea of which windows and doors these are. Typically, older ones with only one pane of glass are going to be the worst. Ones right where warm or cool air enters a room are of especially high priority.

2 Find new windows and doors that are much more efficient

Check out the R-value or U-value, a higher R value and lower U value is better. In general, the more panes of glass a window has, the better the insulation value. Double pane is better than single, and triple pane is going to be the best.

If you want to know just how much better one window or door is than another, you can use the R-value (which is 1 divided by the U-value). An R-value double the size is twice as good.

3 Install the new windows and doors

Be sure to do a very good job of caulking them to prevent air from just getting through the seams between the windows or doors and the wall.

4 Check to see if there are tax rebates to apply for

There are many places that have local and/or federal rebates for energy efficiency upgrades to your home.

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