Lowering your heating and air conditioning bills (while improving your comfort) is probably the most immediate and quantifiable benefit that comes from replacing your old windows and doors. You should take the following factors into account in choosing the windows and doors that will provide you with the most return on your investment.

FACTORS TO EVALUATE:

Climate: If you live in an area with cold winters and hot summers, you’ll save on both heating and air conditioning bills if you choose windows with energy- efficient frames, insulating glass and low-e coatings. If you live in an area with mild winters, lower-cost aluminum frames may be your most economical choice, but you still may want to consider insulating glass, low-e glass or tinted glass to reduce fading, glare and air conditioning bills during the summer.

Window Location: You may choose to add options such as insulating glass, low-e coatings or tints to windows and doors only in certain locations where you’ll receive maximum value for your investment. For instance, if you live in a warmer climate, you might choose glass with a low Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) to minimize glare and solar heat gain on south- or west-facing windows. If you live in a colder climate, you may want to invest in glass with a low U-factor to reduce heat loss from windows and doors that are particularly exposed to winter winds or greater temperature drops.