It’s no secret that winters in Alaska are incredibly cold… but did you know that the windows in your home can make the biggest impact on the comfort and efficiency of your home during the winter months? If your windows are outdated or even just starting to show signs of wear and tear, this can lead to chilly drafts and costly energy bills.
Your home’s energy efficiency is dependent on many different factors, including:
- Location and climate
- The architecture of your home
- How many people reside in the home
- Prolonged days of sun
- Extremely cold winters
Durable windows are truly a must-have for homeowners in Alaska. But with so many options available to choose from on the market, you’ll want to make sure you choose a durable solution with low-maintenance features, designed to improve energy efficiency. If you’re unsure what to look for in replacement windows, here’s what we recommend:
Double Pane & Triple Pane Glass
Double pane and triple pane glass provide beneficial insulation to your home. Glass itself is a poor insulator and will let heat in and out fairly easily. The double pane or triple pane creates a pocket of gas between the glass and acts as a more effective insulator than glass alone. With single pane glass, you can end up spending thousands of dollars extra on heating bills over the life of your windows.
SunSmart Glass
SunSmart glass is particularly important in the winter and adds additional insulating properties to the window, which can cut energy bills by up to 25%. Similar to Low-E4 glass, SunSmart glass reflects heat in the summer, protecting your home from 95% of harmful UV rays, and helps keep heat inside in the winter.
Fibrex Frames
Fibrex is an exclusive and unique material to Renewal by Andersen that combines wood fibers and thermoplastic polymer to create composite wood. Fibrex frames are an excellent insulator for periods of extreme cold. It combines the low maintenance of vinyl and the strength of a wooden frame but without the risk of warping and distorting from the climate.
If your current windows are affecting your indoor temperature and leading to higher energy bills, we offer free consultations to get you a quote or even just answer any project questions you might have. We serve residents of Anchorage, the MatSu Valley, Kenai Peninsula, Fairbanks, and Kodiak and would love to help improve the comfort and efficiency of your home this winter!
