Posted by James Desmond on Tue, Aug 10, 2010 @ 11:46 AM
This year the federal government has provided an energy tax credit for any homeowner who purchases energy-efficient products or a renewable energy system for their home, perhaps you may be eligible for a federal tax credit and you don't even know it! The tax credit is good for up to 30% of the cost of your product but only up to $1500 and this tax credit is set to expire December 31. Below you will find an overview of the federal tax credits for a few energy efficient products.
Beware, purchasing ENERGY STAR products doesn't necessarily mean that you are eligible for this 2010 tax credit. ENERGY STAR distinguishes energy efficient products which, although they may cost more to purchase than standard models, will pay you back in lower energy bills within a reasonable amount of time, but may not be eligible for the tax credit.
WINDOWS/DOORS/SKYLIGHTS: Energy efficient windows, doors, and skylights can dramatically reduce your energy bills.
*Must have a U-Value of <=.30
*Must have a SHGC of <=.30
*Tax Credit doesn't include installation costs
STORM WINDOWS/ STORM DOORS:
*Must have <=.30 for U-Value and SHGC
*Must meet the IECC
BIOMASS STOVES: which burn biomass fuel to heat a home or heat water. Biomass fuel includes agricultural crops and trees, wood and wood waste and residues (including wood pellets), plants (including aquatic plants), grasses, residues, and fibers.
*Must have a thermal efficiency rating of at least 75% as measured using a lower heating value.
*Tax Credit does include installation costs.
ROOFING: qualified roof products reflect more of the sun's rays, which can lower roof surface temperature by up to 100F, decreasing the amount of heat transferred into your home.
*Metal roofs with appropriate pigmented coatings and asphalt roofs with appropriate cooling granules that also meet ENERGY STAR requirements.
*Tax Credit does not include installation costs.
GAS,OIL,PROPANE WATER HEATERS: Water heating can account for 14%-25% of the energy consumed in your home.
*Must have an energy factor of >=.82 or a thermal efficiency of at least 90%.
*Tax Credit does include installation costs.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CLICK HERE.
Posted by James Desmond on Fri, Jun 25, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
To understand how a window can help you save energy in your home, you need to understand how an energy-efficient window actually works. The concept is really quite simple: an energy efficient window slows down the rate of heat loss between the inside and outside of your home. Because energy moves from warm to cold areas, your window becomes a magnet. In the winter, the warm air inside the house tries to move outside to the colder air; in the summer, the warmer air outside tries to move inside. The air goes to the windows because they are less efficient than most other parts of the house, including the walls, floors, and roof. The air will successfully get out through the window cracks, openings in the frame, or right through older single-pane or poorly insulated double-pane windows. Even in well-sealed windows there is still some energy (heat) transfer through the glass since the glass conducts heat via conduction.
Energy-efficient windows include modern technologies to reduce air flow and heat loss. These technologies include glazing, low-E coatings, low-U values, and gases such as krypton or argon between panes. These efficient windows protect you from the chill in the winter and keep you cool in the summer. In addition, they will also reduce that dreaded condensation inside your windows. How well an energy-saving window performs depends on the construction of the window frame and the spacer material that separates the individual frames of glass inside the pane and the glass itself.
*For more information about Suburban's Energy-Efficient Replacement Windows, please click here.
Posted by James Desmond on Wed, Jun 16, 2010 @ 11:53 AM
Did you know that the potential energy savings from reducing drafts in your home may range from 5-30% per year, and your home is generally much more comfortable afterward. First, check for indoor air leaks, such as gaps along the baseboard or edge of the flooring and at junctures of the walls and ceiling. Also look for gaps around pipes and wires, electrical outlets, foundation seals, and mail slots. Check to see if the caulking and weather stripping are applied properly, leaving no gaps or cracks, and are in good condition. Next, check to see if air can flow through these places:
- Electrical Outlets
- Switch Plates
- Window Frames
- Baseboards
- Weather stripping around doors
- Fireplace Dampers
- Attic hatches
- Wall or window-mounted air conditioners
Inspect windows and doors for air leaks. See if you can rattle them, since movement means possible air leaks. If you can see daylight around a door or window frame, then the door or window leaks. You can usually seal these leaks by caulking or weather stripping them. Check the storm windows to see if they fit and are not broken. You may also wish to consider replacing your windows and doors with newer, high-performance, energy efficient ones such as the revolutionary Heat Mirror replacement window (click for more information).
If you are having difficulty locating leaks, you may want to conduct a basic building pressurization test:
- First, close all exterior doors,windows, and fireplace flues.
- Turn off all combustion appliances such as gas burning furnaces and water heaters.
- Then turn on all exhaust fans (generally located in the kitchen and bathrooms) or use a large window fan to suck the air out of the rooms.
This test increases
infiltration through cracks and leaks, making them easier to detect. You can use incense sticks or your damp hand to locate these leaks. IF you use incense sticks, moving air will cause the smoke to waver, and if you use your damp hand, any drafts will feel cool to your hand.
Posted by James Desmond on Wed, Jun 09, 2010 @ 12:14 PM
Heat Mirror technology is a low-E coated film product suspended inside an insulating glass unit. The result is a triple unit with two airspace's without the weight of triple insulating glass and with far superior insulating and shading performance. Heat Mirror was introduced over 15 years ago and marked the beginning of the technology that applied microscopic metallic coatings to window glass components. This technology suceeded in producing more energy efficient window glass and launched the popularity of Low E coatings in modern window glazings. Heat Mirror is a film-based technology where by a thin film coated to retard heat transfer is suspended between two pieces of glass and sealed into an internal glazing unit.
When Popular Science Magazine chose the 100 Greatest Inventions as a milennium-year special, only 5 appliances made the list. Along with the air conditioner, stove, washer and refridgerator, they listed a product they called "one of the more dramatic advances": Heat Mirror Windows. It helps conserve fuel, save money and provide year round comfort in both commercial and residential buildings. Heat mirror film can turn your window into a sophisticated climate controlling appliance, able to block heat transfer through the glass, achieving energy performance from your windows nearly 10 times that of single pane glass and 5 times that of ordinary dual pane glazings...And it knows what season it is; retaining radiant heat in the winter and repelling it in the summer. Heat Mirror doens't stop there. It effectively blocks over 99% of UV radiation from the sun which prevents fading of furnishings, carpet and drapes, and also reduces sound transmission for a quieter home.
Suburban Windows & Siding is an exclusive Heat Mirror dealer, for more information please contact us!
Posted by James Desmond on Thu, Apr 29, 2010 @ 12:00 PM
Many people wonder what makes a replacement window more energy efficient than another, especially if they can't see any distinct differences? Basically, how well an energy-saving window performs depends on the construction of the window frame and the spacer material that separates the individual frames of glass inside the pane and the glass itself. Energy-efficient windows include modern technologies to reduce air flow and heat loss. These technologies include glazing, low-E coatings, low-U values, and gases such as krypton or argon between panes. There are many different types of Energy Efficient Windows advertised these days, but most of them barely make the Energy Star standard. Here are 5 categories of what to look for when shopping for an Energy Efficient Replacement Window:
1) Multiple Panes of Glass: Two panes of glass, with an air or gas-filled space in the middle, insulate much better than a single pane of glass. Some Energy Star qualified windows include 3 or more panes for even greater energy efficiency, increased impact resistance, and sound insulation.
2) Improved Frame Materials: Vinyl and Fiberglass frames reduce heat transfer and help insulate better.
3) Low-E Glass: Special coatings reflect infrared light, keeping heat inside in the winter and outside in the summer. They also reflect damaging ultraviolet light (UV rays), which help protect your interior furnishings from fading away.
4) Gas-Filled Windows: Some energy-efficient windows have argon, krypton, or other gases between the panes. These odorless, colorless, non-toxic gases insulate substantially better than regular air.
5) Warm Edge Spacers: A spacer keeps a window's glass pane the correct distance apart, today's warm edge spacers reduce heat flow and prevent condensation. We use a Duralite Spacer System which improves the total window R-value which reduces heat loss and saves money on energy bills.
To find out more information about Suburban's highest energy-efficient window, The HEAT MIRROR Replacement Window, please click here.
Posted by James Desmond on Tue, Apr 06, 2010 @ 12:08 PM
This week, an assembly of 45 different companies sent an open letter to President Obama stating that Americans need more information about their energy consumption in order to conserve it. The companies consisted of tech firms, telecoms, and environmental groups, such as Google and AT&T, who believe that Americans are uninformed on the energy they consume, where it comes from, and if they are using it efficiently. If properly informed, they believe that consumers could save up to $360 per person/per year on their energy bills.
Here at Suburban Windows & Siding we are continuously trying to help others improve their energy efficiency with several cost-effective home improvements. We have seen too many people paying "through the roof" in order to keep their homes comfortable during the winter and throughout the summer. We believe that energy efficient home improvements: replacement windows, replacement siding, replacement roofs, and replacement doors can make an outstanding difference in our community both economically and environmentally.
For example, faulty windows can account for around 30% of your heating loss in the winter, forcing your heating system to work harder, which then leads to unnecessarily higher energy bills. In the winter, warm air inside your house tries to move outside to colder air, and in the summer the warmer air outside tries to move inside. This process happens because windows are less efficient than other parts of your house such as the walls, the floor, and your roof. To find out more information about our most advanced energy-efficient replacement window, The Heat Mirror Window, please click here. Thanks!
Posted by James Desmond on Wed, Mar 24, 2010 @ 12:43 PM
Are your windows drafty? Are they poorly insulated, installed improperly or have gaps and cracks? Or are your windows just outdated and inefficient? If you are experiencing any of these problems, you are not alone. To understand the importance of energy-efficient windows you have to look at the immediate benefits of replacement windows: saving money every month on energy bills, providing a comfortable living space all year long, and providing a greater value towards your home.
According to the US Department of Energy, windows with a Low-E coating typically cost about 10-15% more than a regular window, but reduce your energy loss by as much as 30-50%. Low-E stands for "low-emissivity" which is a clear coating applied to the window pane which allows light to penetrate through, but prevents heat transfer. Energy efficient windows protect your home from cold drafts in the winter by retaining this radiant-heat, but repel radiant-heat in the summer, keeping your home a lot cooler.
Did you know that Americans spend about $40 billion annually to air condition homes and buildings, which accounts for roughly 1/6 of all the electricity in our country! Protecting your home from too much solar gain with energy-efficient windows is also important in preventing fading of your carpets or rugs, draperies, and furniture. Click here to learn more about Suburban's exclusive Heat Mirror window (see below), the most advanced energy-efficient replacement window.
Posted by James Desmond on Thu, Mar 18, 2010 @ 11:30 AM
Conserving energy, by purchasing energy-efficient appliances and upgrading certain features in your home are the smartest, most economical, and most potent environmental action you can take. Whenever you save energy, you not only save money, you also reduce the demand for such fossil fuels as coal, oil, and natural gas. Less burning of fossil fuels also means lower emissions of C02, the primary contributer to global warming and other pollutants.
Consider These Energy-Saving Investments:
1) Insulate your walls and ceiling. This can save 20-30% of home heating bills and reduce C02 emissions by 140-2100 pounds/per year.
2) Modernize your windows. Replacement windows that are argon filled and double-glazed, such as Suburban's Heat Mirror window, can save: 2.4 tons of CO2 for homes with gas heat, 3.9 tons for oil heat, and 9.8 tons for electric heat, per year.
3) Paint your house a light color if you live in a warm climate to reflect heat and paint your house a dark color if you live in a cold-climate to retain heat.
4) Buy energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs for your most-used lighting sources. Although they cost more initially, they save money in the long run by using only 1/4 the energy of an ordinary incandescent bulb, and they last 8-12 times longer.
5) Plant trees around your home where shading is necessary. Each tree you plant can absorb 25 pounds of CO2 from the air annually.
*For any questions about how to conserve energy in your home, please feel free to contact Suburban Windows & Siding.
Posted by James Desmond on Thu, Feb 25, 2010 @ 11:30 AM
In 1979, Southwall Technology was founded in Palo Alto, California and participated in a 5 year government-funded research program at M.I.T to improve energy efficiency in buildings. The result was the Heat Mirror, a clear polyester film with a 3-layer coating that transmits light but reflects long-wave infrared energy. Heat Mirror technology was the first innovation in the glass industry in over 100 years. In 1991, Window & Door magazine awarded Southwall the "Diamond Crystal Industry Achievement Award" for its contributions to energy conservation.
The Heat Mirror technology will lower your energy costs dramatically more than any other replacement window on the market. The secret to its success is the dual combination of heat-reflecting film and gas-filled air in the window that reduces heat-loss in the winter 5 times better than traditional double-pane windows. Heat Mirror will continue to save money on your energy bill in the summer by repelling radiant heat, therefore leaving your air conditioner significantly more effective. Heat Mirror doesn't stop there either, reducing sound transmission it also blocks 99% of UV radiation from the sun which prevents fading on your furniture, carpet, and drapes.
When Popular Science Magazine chose the 100 Greatest Inventions as a millennium-year special, only 5 appliances made the list. Along with the air conditioner, stove, washer, and refrigerator, they listed Heat Mirror Replacement Windows as "One of the more dramatic advances."
For more information about Heat Mirror technology please CLICK HERE.
Posted by Rick Luppino on Thu, Dec 10, 2009 @ 07:47 AM
Replacement Windows and sealing up your home from air leeks are two of the most important energy efficient improvements you can do to your home according to Bill Nye the science guy who was on CNN the other night. I was watching CNN and Bill Nye was debating the validity of Global warming and what we should be doing to help save our planet. There has been allot of debate surrounding the science of Global warming lately but the evidence is clear, our planet is warming at an alarming rate. I also saw Al Gore rebut Sara Palin on the subject as she seems to think it's all just a big scare tactic that will hurt the US financially in the long run. Bill Nye made it clear several times that insulating your home, sealing up air leeks and replacing your windows made a significant difference in not only saving you money and reducing your energy bills but also greatly reducing the level of co2 and the effects of Global warming. President Obama also continues to talk about retrofitting homes across America to make them more energy efficient and sites Replacement Windows as one of the best improvements you can make along with increasing insulation. This is why the government has been giving homeowners a $1500 energy tax credit on these type of improvements.
Bill Nye, Al Gore, President Obama, all pretty smart guys. Maybe we should listen to them. The evidence suggests that the last decade is ending up to be the warmest on record since they started keeping climate records in the 1800s. Even though the investment now may be difficult given the state of the economy, our future economy will be much brighter if we as a country take the lead and develop the solutions to make the world a cleaner more energy efficient place and eliminate the dependency on foreign oil. At Suburban Windows and Siding we are committed to doing our part by providing our Heat Mirror Replacement Windows at the lowest price available to the consumer.
