Windows are rated in various categories which determine their energy efficiency. If you are picking out windows for your house, greater emphasis should be placed on varying ratings based on where the home is located in. For instance, if you are buying for replacement windows in Phoenix, Arizona, a sunny and warm climate, the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient is probably the most important rating to take into consideration. Other circumstances, such as the orientation of a window to the sun and any shade present need to be considered.

The United State Government's Energy Star program is designed to make it easy for people to identify energy efficient products and practices which will save them money and safeguard the environment. The Energy Star program rates over sixty products, including windows. Energy Star certification makes it convenient for shoppers to be certain that they are getting energy efficient replacement windows.

All Energy Star replacement windows are rated in five categories but Energy Star qualification is determined only on the U-Factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient. These ratings are also the categories utilized to determine if a window qualifies for the IRS Energy Tax Credit.

U-Factor
Determines the rate of heat transfer and indicates how well a window insulates. The smaller the U-Factor rating, the more efficiently a window insulates. The window U-Factor incorporates the thermal qualities of the frame in addition to the glazing.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)
Measures the solar energy transferred by the window and indicates how well a window blocks heat caused by the sun's energy. The smaller the SHGC, the less solar heat a window transmits.

Visable Transmittance (VT)
Measures the amount of light a window permits through. The greater the Visable Transmittance, the the more light that is allowed through.

Air Leakage (AL)
Measures the rate at which air passes through joints in a window. Air Leakage is measured in cubic feet of air that passes through 1 square foot of window area per minute. The smaller the Air Leakage value, the less air leakage.

Condensation Resistance
Determines how well a window resists water build-up. The higher the Condensation Resistance factor, the less condensation build-up a window permits.

Other Replacement Window Ratings
There are a few other ratings which are not presented on the NFRC Energy Star label but they are beneficial and appear on some windows.

Light to Solar Gain
The ratio of Visable Transmittance to Solar Heat Gain Coefficient determines the amount of light that is transmitted without adding heat. A greater number indicates that more light is transmitted without adding heat.

R-Value
R-Value was developed as a way to measure the insulation value of something. It measures conductivity and indicates the resistance to heat flow. A high R-Value indicates a better insulated window. The majority of windows today are measured using U-Factor (see above).

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