If you’ve been thinking about having new windows installed in your North Carolina or South Carolina home, but it’s been a long time since you last purchased windows — or you’ve never needed new windows in your current residence — you might find yourself feeling a bit overwhelmed by the various choices on the market.
Not only are there dozens of window manufacturers you can choose from, but each brand has multiple lines. It can certainly be challenging to determine what specific window model is the right fit for your Carolina home. Here, we will dive into one increasingly popular option — insulated windows.
As you read on, you will learn more about insulated window glass and, hopefully, be able to determine if this sort of window could be right for your upcoming home renovation project.
What exactly is an insulated glass window?
In the home improvement industry, insulated windows are typically referred to as IGUs (insulated glass units). These types of windows are, fundamentally, comprised of at least two panes of glass separated by pockets of air or gas. The gaps serve as “insulation” and help maintain a steady interior temperature in your home, no matter how hot or cold it happens to be outside.
The more panes an insulated glass window has, the more temperature control you can expect inside of your home. It is also worth noting that more panes equal more money. If, therefore, you live in an area of the Carolinas that is fairly temperate, you may want to go with two-pane insulated windows so your project will cost less. If, however, you reside in a mountainous area with major temperature fluctuations throughout the year, three-pane windows might be best for you.
How do air and gas differ?
Although you might think that air-filled insulated windows and gas-filled insulated windows are more-or-less the same, there are actually some differences you should be aware of before you make a purchase. Air-filled panes provide homeowners with the lowest R-value, but the longest average lifespan.
Gas-filled panes, on the other hand, are more energy efficient, but don’t tend to last quite as long. If you choose gas-filled insulated windows, you will have several gas choices — Argon is typically the most cost-effective and, therefore, the most popular, Krypton is the most costly, and Xenon is the most cutting-edge, combining high performance and extreme energy efficiency. You need to consider your personal priorities when making a decision between the two options.
What do I need to know about cost?
The overall price of your residential window replacement project will depend on a number of factors, including which window brand you choose, which type of glass you end up going with, and how many windows you need. Furthermore, the price of your new windows could be lower or higher depending on what time of year you buy them — sometimes, for instance, manufacturers run major sales around holidays like Memorial Day and Labor Day.
If you have questions about an upcoming North Carolina or South Carolina window installation project, contact the expert team at Hatch Homes at your earliest convenience. We are here to help you every step of the way!