The Importance of Energy Efficient Features on Connecticut Replacement Doors
For windows and doors, heat escapes in four possible ways. Conduction involves heat being transferred through the window. Radiation allows heat to move as infrared energy through the glass. Air leakage occurs around cracks and weather stripping. Convection moves air downward, where it is cooled; in this circular process, the air becomes denser.
What can replacement doors do for your Connecticut home? First off, air escapes from older windows and doors, and newer models are decidedly more energy efficient. Less conductive materials stop heat flow; for instance, multiple glazed windows trap gas like argon between panes, and thermally-resistant edges and spaces in the frames reduce conduction.
Replacement doors for a Connecticut home, in this regards, have improved physical design. Not only are the materials more durable and weather resistant, but the fixtures control air leakage, with closing mechanisms clamping down on weather stripping.
Low-emissivity, or low-E, glass is another significant change for newer replacement doors and windows. This particular glass is more energy-efficient than standard panes, as it reflects heat's energy and lets visible light through. Specifically, low-E glass lets low-range, shorter-wave visible light pass through in winter, where it is absorbed by the interior. 90 percent of long-wave heat, meanwhile, is reflected. These properties, in fact, make low-E glass the equivalent of adding an additional pane. When combined with low-conductance gas fillings, the glass' efficiency is 100 percent greater than that of clear single pane options.
Aside from the glass and improved features, replacement doors can reduce the need for artificial light sources. Sliding or gliding models, for instance, have greater glass surface area, allowing more light to stream through into your home.
With these properties, replacement doors, when combined with similarly-efficient windows, lower energy and heating bills over time. Not only will your Connecticut property be more comfortable all throughout the year, but you'll end up spending less on artificial sources of heat and light.