Is your money going out the window?
By Jeff Ranson
You feel a draft from the window and imagine the hydro company’s has cartoon eyes rolling with dollar signs as you see hot air escaping your home. It’s true that old windows are a source of heat loss, but before you spend thousands on state-of-the-art energy efficient windows there a few things to consider to get the best environmental bang for your buck.
Seal them up:
“Homeowners believe that windows and doors themselves are the culprits for energy loss,” said Tracy Chong, Vice President of GreenSaver, a leading Ontario home energy focused non-profit. “GreenSaver’s experience has been that many times this isn’t the windows and doors – it’s usually the lack of proper air sealing around those areas.” Proper sealing is a low cost way to guarantee a return on your energy investment and plenty of online tutorials make this an easy do-it-yourself project.
It might not be the windows:
Heat loss can come from poorly insulated walls, floors and basements, as well as un-insulated cavities where plumbing, lights and power outlets come through the drywall. When choosing between upgrading windows and insulating walls, remember that windows only make up 10-20 per cent of a typical house. An investment in the other 80 per cent will go a lot further.
Get an audit:
An ecoENERGY home audit from a company like GreenSaver is the best way to learn where you’re losing heat and the most cost-effective way to deal with it. As a bonus, the ecoENERGY program offers grants of up to $10,000 for energy efficiency improvements but only if you complete the home audit. If you’re borrowing for home repairs, it’s also worth talking to your bank to see how they can help.
“A growing number of Canadians want to improve energy efficiency in their home and one of the best ways to start is with an energy audit,” said Gord Kerr, Head of Marketing for Home Equity and Lending at RBC Royal Bank. An RBC Energy Saver mortgage or loan, for example, offers a rebate of up to $300 or $100 respectively on the cost of an energy audit to help homeowners create a more energy efficient home faster, while saving on borrowing costs.
What kind of windows should I buy?
Any good green home designer will start with a tight, well-insulated envelope. ENERGY STAR certified windows are a good baseline, but pay attention to R-value which indicates the insulation value (better windows are typically around R-4 or R-5). If you want to avoid vinyl consider fiberglass window frames instead.
Cathy Garrido, a Partner at Altius Architecture recommends wood frames for added beauty but suggests clad wood windows – wood on the inside, fiberglass on the exterior – for reduced maintenance. While Altius used high-end R-9 windows on their off-the-grid Cliff House, she says that other approaches should be tackled first. Proper shading in summer and maximizing winter sunlight will save more off heating and cooling bills than a better R-value and choosing windows that open can save you hundreds of dollars on air conditioning.
Online Resources
http://www.greensaver.org/
Jeff Ranson is a sustainability consultant with the Innovolve Group in Toronto and a manager with Sustainable Buildings Canada.
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