The cost of heating and cooling a home are rising and people want to know how to cut these costs without frying in the summer and freezing in the winter. The windows on your home could be the source of heat loss and cooled air loss. Insulated replacement windows are the best choice for saving energy in the home and reducing electric and gas costs, year round.

If you stand next to your window and light a match, you can see the energy loss in your home. When the flame is held just one inch from the glass, the flame will bend toward the windowpane. Why? Windows that are not insulated provide no barrier between the elements and the outside world. The glass will let in the cold air and the heat of the day, depending on the season. This is not to mention the drafts and condensation that can occur when old windows are installed in the home.

Conduction is the process that heat goes through both in the home and outside. This process forces the heat to find a cooler location. This means in the summer, the heat from outside is constantly trying to invade your cooler environment and vice versa in the winter. Insulated windows provide a barrier that heat cannot escape through.

The Best Materials

Not all windows are created from optimal materials. Wood, vinyl, fiberglass, and foam are the best materials for reducing heat conduction. Metal and aluminum, on the other hand, are the worst materials. The glass in newly manufactured insulated windows is often double paned. This space allows the conducted heat to be absorbed before entering or exiting the home. This can help to prevent heat and cooling loss. When that double pane space is filled with gas, the insulated replacement window provides even more energy savings.

There are two gases used to fill the space between double paned windows, Argon and Krypton. Argon is highly effective at reducing conduction, but Krypton is 50% more effective. Insulated replacement windows with gas between the panes will be more expensive than traditional insulated replacement windows.

Tripled paned windows are also available. These windows can be filled with gas in much the same manner as double paned windows with Krypton gas being 2.5 times more protective against heat conduction that Argon gas.

Choosing an energy efficient replacement window is simple. The products that are created within energy saving guidelines will have an "Energy Star" logo. This logo cannot be used by the manufacturer unless the replacement windows meet federal guidelines for energy saving. In addition, there are some federal programs that may offer tax rebates or savings if the homeowner chooses an energy efficient option over another type of replacement window.

Insulated replacement windows are about more than just keeping a home cooler or warmer. The money saved can be dramatic, especially in older homes with cracks in the window frames and gaps leading outside. If your energy bills are skyrocketing, the time may be here to spend a little upfront to save a lot in the long run with replacement windows displaying the Energy Star logo.