JAMES AND MORRIS CAREY \ On the House Best windows improve looks, save on energy

Some home-improvement projects pay bigger dividends than others. For example, a new vinyl floor in the kitchen can do lots to improve the appearance of the space but doesn't do much else.
On the other end of the home-improvement spectrum is window replacement. It's a project that has benefits galore. Except for siding and roofing, new windows have the biggest impact on the overall appearance of your home. And a window's attraction isn't limited to the home's exterior. Depending upon the material and style chosen, a new window can nicely dress up the interior of a room.
And, energy-efficient windows can make your home more comfortable, as well, by eliminating drafts in winter and preventing heat gain in summer. Good windows will give you the best of both worlds -- allowing sunshine to warm your home in the winter and preventing solar gain in the summer, thus keeping your home cool.
The result is a more stable interior climate and reduced demand on your home comfort system -- heating and air conditioning. That means less energy use, lower utility bills and home comfort equipment that won't work as hard, and consequently will last longer.
Recommendation
If you're window shopping, we have two words of advice for you: "Energy Star." In 2002 alone, Americans, with the help of Energy Star -- a government-backed program that helps individuals and businesses protect the environment through superior energy efficiency -- saved enough energy to power 15 million homes and avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 14 million cars.
And $7 billion was saved. It says a lot that a home improvement that has such a positive effect on the value of your home has such a profound effect on our environment and economy.
If all residential windows in the United States were to be replaced with Energy Star qualifying models, the nation would save $134 billion in energy costs over the next 15 years. Using new technology in frame materials, glass coatings, design and gas fills, today's Energy Star qualified windows, doors and skylights lead to significant energy cost savings.
The facts:
UEnergy Star qualified windows today are, on average, twice as efficient as the average window made only 10 years ago.
UEnergy Star qualified windows, doors and skylights can help reduce your energy bills up to 15 percent. Over the lifetime of a typical window, the return on investment can be substantial. And, saving energy prevents pollution.
UEnergy Star qualified windows, doors and skylights also provide increased comfort, noise reduction and protection against sun damage to carpet, vinyl wood flooring, window treatment, fabrics and even artwork in your home.
Checklist
To achieve maximum energy and pollution savings when window shopping:
ULook for windows, doors and skylights with the Energy Star label.
UCheck the U-factor -- the rate of heat transfer either from your home or the outside through your window, door or skylight. A lower U-factor means less heat is transferred.
UBe aware of the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) -- how much heat your house gains from the sun. A lower SHGC results in less heat gain from the sun.
UConsider climate: Windows, doors and skylights are tailored to fit the energy needs of the country's four main climate regions: northern, north central, south central and southern.
ULearn about energy-efficiency horsepower. All Energy Star qualified windows, doors and skylights also bear a label from the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC), which provides independent energy performance ratings by product for U-factor, solar heat gain coefficient, and visible transmittance.
3 ways to go
There are three basic means of window replacement installation:
UBuy a retrofit window that fits inside the old wooden frame.
Though there are many variations on this process, the basics are the same: A new frame -- generally aluminum or vinyl -- is custom built to fit into the old one. In retrofit installations, built-in wooden flashings reduce any water infiltration between the old and new frames.
These flashings work well but don't always offer the best aesthetics.
USaw the old frame out and install the new window in a thick bed of caulking and-or foam on all four sides.
This technique is used primarily for aluminum and older-type steel windows. With windows, leaks are a primary concern, and this process has the most potential for developing leaks because caulk may shrink or separate from the frame as a result of normal house movement and settling over the years.
UInstall a new window.
In our opinion, this is the best option. It also happens to be the most disruptive and costly. All exterior wall covering gets removed; the old window is taken out completely (including the flashing) down to the studs; and the new window and flashing is nailed in place, covered with siding paper, and caulked and sealed from face of stud to exterior trim. This way, you have three or four layers of protection between the outside elements and the interior of the house.
XFor more home improvement tips and information, visit www.onthehouse.com.