Brian Gunderson: Hi! I am Brian Gunderson with Anderson Windows. I am here to talk to you today about energy efficient windows.

Installing new windows can be a big project; it would help to know that you'll get some energy saving out of this investment. Today I'll show you how you can tell if your home needs new windows. Most of us just instinctively know the answer of this question, if your house is drafty or the window operate poorly you'll likely benefit from installing new windows. In some cases, you may even have glass that's permanently foggy even in a newer home. Most people will be surprised to know that the average age of the window being replaced today is seven years that seems very short to us and sure it does to other window manufacturers who are building quality products. Window quality ranges dramatically and people remodeling their homes often choose higher quality products than what they are replacing. Do you have a room in your house that you just don't use any more because it's too hot in a summer months, too cold and drafty in the winter? Technology has improved a lot in the last ten years. Your new windows will be more energy efficient which will cut down on your heating and cooling by as much as 70%.

So what should you look for when inspecting your window? Remodeling and window replacement professional can help you in find the answers to these questions. But let's start with just a few observations.

If better energy efficiency is your goal and your home is older than, say, 10 years old you'll see improvement by replacing your windows. Even if your windows are functioning well, the degree of improvement depends on your home and its location. In addition, are your windows operating smoothly? Are the sash in your double hung windows moving up and down easily? Or are the casement windows cranking in and out well? Is the window seal square in the opening with no gaps around the frame? Is the glass clear and not foggy? Is there condensation between the glass on dual pane windows? These are all signs of poor window performance. Once you have inspected your windows inside and out, we recommend consulting a building professional to discuss replacing your windows. Some options you may consider include a full frame replacement where you then taking the entire window out and replace it with the brand new window. There are also sash replacement options to replace the old sash with new energy efficient sash.

So that's how to properly inspect you windows to see if your home needs window replacement.