Have you considered window pane inserts for your home?
The Department of Energy just released this great tool on various window coverings and attachments. Homeowners can log in and compare different treatments, find information about the various inserts and coatings, and choose a product that best fits their needs.
Why should you care about window pane inserts?
Have you ever felt cold in your home and felt dissuaded to sit in a room because the window was too cold? There is a way for you to take control of your comfort! In addition to the happiness it will bring to your home, treating your windows can provide you with energy saving benefits.
If you are considering a window replacement to help the comfort in the home, consider a few things:
- Window inserts are more cost effective
- You can preserve the original glass and the architectural integrity of your home
- You will not risk lead contamination with inserts, but removing the original windows can often cause this problem
What do home performance professionals have to say?
One Portland energy efficiency company Imagine Energy, has been a great history of helping homeowners in the Portland area with energy solutions. They recently spoke of Indow and how our window inserts help customers with energy savings and comfort. Here is what Imagine Energy said:
Today we’re highlighting one of the partnering products we most value in energy consulting. Portland homeowners should know about Indow Windows, acrylic inserts that fit inside window frames to boost energy performance. When thermal imaging and fan tests indicate leaky windows, but otherwise structurally sound, we suggesting installing Indow Windows.
Many Portland windows are single-pane energy holes where heat leaks out, hiking up energy costs. Yet older Portland homes are replete with beautiful period windows that homeowners typically wish to preserve. Indow Windows are perfect for this type of circumstance. We are happy to recommend Indow Windows to anyone who is interested in improving home energy performance.
By neatly fitting within the larger window frame, Indow Windows create an airtight seal that prevents heated or cooled air from leaking out. Each Indow Window is cut to size – Indow Window’s representatives laser measure your windows, and then the local company builds an insert that is slightly larger. An edging spring bulb around each Indow Window provides tension that keeps the unit in place. No nails or screws are needed; installation takes less than 3 minutes, and best of all, you don’t have to worry about damage to existing frames.
Here’s the science behind why Indow Windows work remarkably well at eliminating condensation and drafts. The snug fit provided by the spring-loaded frame creates an air pocket between the Indow Window and the windowpane. Air is an excellent insulator because its molecules are far apart, making heat transfer difficult. But you don’t have to take our word for it – PSU conducted a study on how the window inserts improved home performance in Portland-area homes built prior to 1950. The study found that Indow Windows decreased energy bills by up to 20 percent. In fact, due to less air leakage and conduction losses, Indow windows perform comparably to a replacement double-paned window.
Indow Windows is one of the partners we rely on to improve home performance for our energy consulting customers in the Portland area. We love to support this local, innovative company that’s as passionate as we are about saving the environment through technologically savvy home energy choices.
What a great idea. It sounds very innovated and extremly cost effective for home renovations. As well as very good for the environment and carbon footprint issues.Well done, my mind is racing towards prctical applications it could be tailored to fit.
Hi Diane! Thank you for your comment, we are very passionate about what we do and truly believe we are making an impact in helping our environment and historic preservation. You may be interested in reading more about our mission in this blog post: http://www.indowwindows.com/blog/sustainability/mission_vision_values/
It was nice how you said that window inserts are much more cost-effective and at the same time capable of keeping the structural integrity and design of the windows. That’s good to know because my brother is planning to have the windows of his century-old Victorian home replaced. I really loved its windows because of the rustic style and feel, it would make me sad if he replaced that. I think I can stop him by suggesting the use of window inserts. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Persephone! Congratulations to your brother on his Victorian home – we hope that he does investigate window inserts as an option. “Windows are the eyes to the soul of the building,” and if those are changed out, the character of the house is forever altered. If you have any trouble convincing him why the beautiful original windows should be kept, here is a great article reviewing all the valuable characteristics of historic windows: https://indowwindows.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/IW-Why-Historic-Windows-Matter-11-08-17.pdf
Thanks for visiting and sharing with us!
You got my attention when you said that window inserts are cost-effective and can help you to preserve the architectural integrity of your home. Our windows at home are causing our energy costs to spike. Since I’m looking for ways to reduce our energy bills and save money in the long run, I’ll make sure to consider window inserts.
Thank you for reviewing our information and for considering an alternative to window replacement! We hope to work with you in the future.