Window companies and providers say over and over again that adding replacement windows to your Arvada, CO home can save you tons of money on energy costs. At first glance, this claim makes a lot of sense. Windows are basically giant holes in your insulation, and old windows can be especially drafty. These drafts can seriously hike up your energy usage, and therefore your bill, right? Keep reading to find out.
A 2009 Energy Star study shows that homeowners can save at least $27 a year on their energy bills if they replace their windows with new, more energy efficient models. Homeowners that have single pane windows and replace them with double pane, Energy Star rated windows can save between $126 and $465 in savings every year, while homeowners with double paned windows already will only see $111 in energy bill savings.
That’s a pretty decent amount of money, and that’s just from the windows themselves. There are more ways replacement windows can save you money. One is Federal tax credits. If you need help paying for your replacement windows, or are looking to save a few bucks on your taxes, you can apply for a federal tax credit for replacement windows. You must use Energy Star windows in order to qualify, but you don’t even have to replace every window in your home. Homeowners saved 10% of their replacement window cost in 2011, up to $200, with Federal tax credits.
It’s important to remember, though, that you don’t always have to replace your windows to see improvements in your energy usage and spending. A California Office of Historic Preservation study found that homeowners thought that replacing their windows was their only option, and were pressured to do so, when in actuality, repairing existing windows can help you save money, too. A 2004 study found that new windows can cost anywhere from $150 to $1,000 per window, not including labor costs, while repairing existing windows can cost as low as $50 per window. Depending on the state of your window, repair is a great way to increase energy efficiency and save money all at the same time.
If you don’t have it in the budget to replace your windows this year, or your window problems can be fixed by repair, here are some other ways you can make your home more energy efficient:
- Window insulation, like plastic coverings
- Checking your home for leaks, including in heating and cooling ducts, doors and cracks
- Upgrading your home’s insulation (also gets you a federal tax credit of up to $500)
Replacement windows can and will save you money, but you can also try other methods of increasing your home’s energy efficiency to save more money or put off replacing your windows for another year.
United Windows & Siding, located at 12090 W 50th Pl Unit B Wheat Ridge, CO 80033, can answer any more questions you may have about energy efficiency, saving money, and Arvada, CO replacement windows. Please give us a call at 720-535-4767 today.
