How Does Solar Heat Gain Affect Your Home?
As you plan out your window replacement, you should invest in quality units that offer excellent performance and improved energy efficiency. Efficient replacement windows can effectively increase your home’s indoor comfort while also lowering your energy footprint. This leads to lower monthly utility bills and bigger savings in the long run.
However, to determine how you can get efficient replacement windows, you need to learn a bit more about how they are designed and built. That means learning about certain technical terms that are often used by professional window installers and contractors, such as solar heat gain. Although this is one of many commonly used terms in the window industry, understanding how it affects your home can make a big difference in improving indoor comfort and efficiency.
How Solar Heat Gain Works
To understand a window’s solar heat gain, its solar heat gain coefficient is calculated. Also known as SHGC, it refers to how much solar radiation is admitted through the glass pane. Think of it as the amount of the sun’s energy or solar radiation that turns into heat when it passes through your windows, which is almost similar to how a greenhouse works when the light either bounces off or passes through. You’ll find the SHGC rating in most ENERGY STAR®-certified windows, with lower numbers showing how the window allows less solar radiation and heat to get inside.
How Solar Heat Gain Affects Your Home
Whether or not solar heat gain benefits your home depends on the specifications you’re looking for in replacement windows. If you want to lower your cooling bills during the summer months, consider getting windows that have a low SHGC rating. But if you live in a relatively cold climate, a higher SHGC rating for your new windows may be the better choice.
To give you a clear idea of how low and high SHGC-rated windows work, just think of how you can make the most out of them during each season. For instance, a lot of solar heat gain during the winter months is beneficial, as sunlight can stream through high-transmission windows and naturally warm up your home. You won’t have to crank up your heating system as much, which leads to lower energy bills. However, high-transmission windows may not be the best option during the summer months because they let in more heat during that season.
If you don’t want to make your home feel like a greenhouse and force your AC to work harder than necessary, you have to choose your new windows carefully. And if you’re looking for the best replacement windows in the area, Kroll Construction has got you covered. Call (888) 338-6340 or fill out our convenient online contact form. We serve customers in Michigan, including Detroit and the neighboring communities.
