Make sure you’re buying quality windows

To understand what makes a quality window is important when shopping around. If you’re in need of new windows and you’ve started the process of shopping around to get window quotes, there are a few tips that will help you pick out the quality window you're seeking.

It is tough to judge with replacement windows on what they’re performance will be by just looking at them and it seems like an impossible task to determine which product is really better, but if you are looking for quality there is plenty of information available for you to make a smart and thorough decision.

As we mentioned in our earlier post this month regarding energy efficiency and replacement windows, although installing new windows won’t translate over to better energy efficiency, they do make a difference if you ensure other portions of your house are more energy efficient.

The best way to get energy-efficient windows is to buy products that are Energy Star rated and CSA certified. Energy Star is an international organization that rates household appliances and building materials based on their energy efficiency performance.

In Canada, Energy Star outlines three specific climate zones for window performance. Most urban areas in the country fall under Climate Zone 2, and require windows to have an ER rating of 29 or higher.

Energy Star and CSA (Canadian Standards Association) use similar rating parameters when assessing how well a window performs, and whether it’s rated for one area or another.

In the majority of cases if a company’s windows are Energy Star rated they will also be CSA certified in Canada. The performance data is collected for all the different window configurations and options. All of this is available publicly, so this is a very concrete way to compare window performance.

Check out this page: http://bit.ly/1i0UTJG and you’ll be able to search through a list of ENERGY STAR participating window retailers. You can also find a list of participating CSA companies and window performance ratings on this site: http://bit.ly/2rJ98Ou.

Another important thing to remember is these organizations require their products to be labeled with their respective logos. It is part of demonstrating to the customer the windows are suitable for their climate zone, and the homeowner is getting exactly the type of product they paid for.

Be sure to ask if a company’s windows are Energy Star rated and CSA certified before purchasing, and look for those symbols on the windows when they arrive at your home.

Our experts at GreenFox Windows and Doors can also help answer any questions you may have about which window is right for your home and the best energy efficient options out there today.