Yesterday I talked a little bit about why staying cool in the summer is largely due to keeping heat out of the house more than it is about pumping cooler air into the house. If you really want to stay cool in the Atlanta summer, you have to keep your home well insulated year round.

I thought I’d take just a minute to go a step further with some heat gain 101. And to understand heat gain better, it helps to understand how heat functions and how your windows can slow heat from coming into the house.

Heat is active. And it warms the areas that it is effecting by two means; Radiation and Convection.

It’s gonna get a little bit like science class in here so hold on. But in this post we’re only going to talk about…

Radiation

You don’t have to get our your yellow nuclear jump suit, Marty. Not all radiation is going to kill you. For our purposes we’re gonna stay focused on radiation in general terms. Without getting into all the very technical descriptions, the most basic definition I can give you is that it is how heat is transferred between two substances that are not in contact with one another.

With that in mind, the best way to fight off radiant heat is to reflect the heat back to its source. Once an uninsulated window is heated by radiant heat, it has a high emissivity factor. That’s why you’ll hear of windows that have “Low-E” or “low emissivity”. These windows with the “low-e” coating (a film that is actually coating the glass in a double paned glazed window) are reducing the heat transference by reflecting radiant heat back to where it came from.

So for starters, keeping your house cooler starts with windows with Low-e that will reflect heat back to its source and cut down on heat infiltration.

Believe it or not replacement windows and doors with lifetime warranties are the kind of investments that you know will last for many years to come. And it’s not just because they’re built to last.

Vinyl replacement windows that are energy efficient and use the most advanced technology of the day reduce energy usage, reduce C02 emissions, and help you save money year after year for a lifetime. When you replace a thermally inefficient single paned window, which does nothing to keep heat from transferring in and out of the house, you upgrade to a window that will ensure a reduction in heating and cooling usage.

Wouldn’t it be nice to put an investment in your home that not only helps your home become more beautiful but take a step toward going green? And wouldn’t it be nice to invest a feature on your home that not only has a lifetime warranty but comes with a lifetime warranty to cover the installation and service? Green, energy efficient, replacement windows are a step in the right direction.

There are very few investments you can make on your home in Atlanta that will last a lifetime. Not only that but there are very few investments that will increase your energy efficiency like a replacement window so that you can contribute to something positive that will help the next generation keep Atlanta going green!