Top Glazed Window Brands

Windows are important to your home energy costs, so it's important to understand the types of windows and which will work best for your home. Here's a look at the top brands of glazed windows.

Glazed windows are considered high performance and energy efficient, keeping in heat during the winter and keeping heat out in the summer. Heat transfer is measured by U-factor, which measures the heat flow through a window. The higher the U-factor, the more heat that's lost through the window in winter. The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) rates windows on energy efficiency. The NFRC label shows:

• The product is NFRC-certified
• U-factor
• Solar Heat Gain Coefficient
• The ENERGY STAR® label when applicable

High performance windows can lose their effectiveness if installed wrong. If you choose to install your own windows, make certain to:

• Square, plumb, and level windows with shims and spacers
• Ensure thermal and air resistance around the sides of the frame
• Use injected foam to seal the frame

Cost may be an issue, but glazed windows eventually pay for themselves. Thermotech builds custom energy efficient windows using a triple glaze process. Budget in the ballpark of $56 per square foot.

Inline Fiberglass horizontal slider 800 series offers:

• The strength of fiberglass
• High performance Low E or superior Heat Mirror for energy efficiency

Budget a ballpark of $50 per square foot for Inline windows, possibly higher.

Pella® offers a full line of window styles, including sliding windows, casement, awning, double hung and specialty windows, each with energy efficient options including:

• ENERGY STAR qualified products
• SunDefense™ Low-E insulating glass
• Double pane Low-E insulating glass.

Top glazed window brands may cost a bit more, but in the long run, your energy savings can make up the difference in price.