If you’ve lived in the United States for any amount of time, you’ve likely seen products with the Energy Star logo on them. Energy Star is a program of the federal government’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which was designed to protect human health and the environment. One of the things the Energy Star program does is certify energy-efficient consumer products such as appliances, electronics, and building materials (including replacement windows).
Not every replacement window company participates in the Energy Star certification program, but most do, because they know that consumers place a certain amount of value on the Energy Star label.
But what about you? Should you value an Energy Star label to the point where you pay more for products that have it? Here are some things to consider:
Energy Star-Certified Replacement Windows Can Better Insulate Your San Diego Home
If one of your goals for installing replacement windows in your San Diego home is to better insulate your home from outside temperatures, then you absolutely want to look for Energy Start-certified window products! Having a well-insulated home can substantially lower your monthly energy bills, since you will be using your air conditioner and heater far less to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.
The Energy Star label will tell you how good a window product is at keeping out solar heat. It will also tell you the rate at which air passes through a window. Because Energy Star ratings are standardized, you can easily compare products. So if, for example, you want windows that will keep out the most solar heat possible, you would look for window products with the lowest Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) rating on the Energy Star label.
If you are only choosing to install replacement windows in your San Diego home for aesthetic purposes, you can ignore all Energy Star ratings and simply choose the windows that you consider to be the most attractive.
An Energy Star Certification May Qualify Your Windows for a Rebate or Tax Incentive
Occasionally, rebates and tax incentives are offered to homeowners installing energy-efficient replacement windows in their homes. One of the requirements is often that the windows be Energy Star-certified. You may find that after you take the incentive being offered into account, Energy Start windows are actually more affordable than non-certified windows.
Work with a Replacement Window Expert in San Diego
Your best bet to find the right replacement windows in San Diego is to work with a replacement window company that will take the time to listen to what you want and then recommend products based on that. A good replacement window company will never be pushy, and try to talk you into expensive models or upgrades that you don’t need or want. Instead, they will work closely with you to identify the products that will work best in your home, based on your budget.
