With the freezing temperatures of winter just around the corner, one of the most common problems homeowners face in their homes is drafts. There are a number of problems that can cause certain areas in your home to feel colder than the rest but perhaps the largest contributors to this problem are your doors and windows. If you’re due for a replacement any time soon, make sure you choose window, door, and siding replacement companies that have experience in helping build comfortable homes from the inside out.
Here are some tips from our experts at Ashmen Installations Inc. on how you can improve the energy efficiency of your entry doors and drastically reduce drafts inside your home.
ENERGY STAR® Ratings
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) started the ENERGY STAR® program to help homeowners, and window, door, roofing and siding installers find energy-efficient products easily. There are perhaps hundreds of different brands, styles, colors, and materials for entry doors available today but you can reduce the list of options by choosing only those that are certified with an ENERGY STAR logo.
Understanding the Ratings
ENERGY STAR rates entry doors and other home fixtures based on a few different criteria. For homeowners, it’s enough to understand the basics of these different ratings to get a clear picture of how energy-efficient their choices are. For doors, you want to take a look at the U-factor and SHGC numbers.
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U-factor is a measurement of how much heat your door can transfer. Higher numbers mean poor insulation, leading to drafts. Recommended ratings can vary by area but generally, you want to look for ratings between 0.25 to 0.50 to ensure maximum comfort.
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SHGC stands for solar heat gain coefficient and it’s a measure of how much heat from the sun it allows to get inside your home. For homes in areas that get cold winters, choose SHGCs between 0.25 to 0.30.
At Ashmen Installation Inc., we are your number one resource for ENERGY STAR certified replacement windows and entry doors. Give us a call today at (877) 274-6361 or fill out our contact form for a free quote.
