| You've thought about replacing your windows, but is it | | | | The air between the layers in a window can conduct |
| worth the expense? How much of an improvement | | | | heat or cold. Filling that space with more viscous, |
| would new windows be? A lot! | | | | slow-moving gas minimizes that conduction, reducing |
| Two recent technological improvements have helped | | | | the transfer of heat between the inside and outside. |
| to improve the quality of windows. | | | | Window manufacturers typically fill the space with |
| Low-E Coatings | | | | argon or krypton gas. Both gases are nontoxic, |
| Low- emittance (Low-E) coatings are virtually invisible | | | | nonreactive, clear, and odorless and give a measurable |
| metal or metallic oxide layers coating a window in | | | | improvement in thermal performance. |
| order to suppress radiative heat flow. Many Low-E | | | | Tax Break for Energy-Efficient Windows |
| coatings allow visible light through but reflect long-wave | | | | In 2010 homeowners can claim a tax credit of up to |
| infrared radiation. For a colder climate you might use a | | | | $1,500 for upgrading their home with energy-efficient |
| triple glazed Low-E window with three layers of glass | | | | windows, doors, and skylights. In other words, you can |
| and two Low-E coatings. For climates with heavy | | | | reduce your income tax by up to thirty percent of the |
| heating and cooling loads, some Low-E glass is | | | | purchase price (not including installation costs) for |
| spectrally selective, reducing heat loss in winter and | | | | qualified products. That's a nice incentive, but the real |
| heat gain in summer. | | | | benefits arrive in the form of increased comfort and |
| Argon/Krypton Gas Fills | | | | decreased energy bills. |