The Simple Way to Compare Performance Among Replacement Window Brands Sold in San Diego

Have you ever tried to compare seemingly similar items before making a purchase, only to find out that you weren’t actually comparing apples to apples? Maybe you were shopping for a new laptop computer. You probably found that the prices were all over the place. You could buy a Chromebook for around $150, but then you also saw a MacBook Pro for over $1,500. Is a MacBook Pro really ten times better than a Chromebook? Some might argue that it is, but it can be tough to compare the two just in terms of simple metrics.

Fortunately, when you’re shopping for replacement windows, it’s a little easier to compare products. This is because pretty much all replacement windows on the market are evaluated by the same independent, third-party organization: the National Fenestration Ratings Council (NFRC). In case you’re not familiar with the term “fenestration,” it’s just a fancy word that refers to the openings in a building’s façade—in other words, windows and doors.

The NFRC does standardized testing on four different areas related to window performance and produces ratings that can then be easily compared as you’re looking at different brands of replacement windows in San Diego. But first, you need to understand exactly what these ratings are measuring, and what a “good” rating actually is.

The first rating is a window’s U-Factor. This rating tells you how well a window keeps heat from transferring through it. With a U-Factor rating, you want to look for a lower number, as a lower number indicates a window does a better job of insulating your home and keeping heat from escaping in cold weather. U-Factor ratings in windows typically fall in the range of 0.2 to 1.2. A good U-Factor rating is a more important factor in colder climates than it is in San Diego, but it’s still something to keep in mind if you tend to run your heater a lot in the winter.

The second rating put out by the NFRC is the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). This measures the amount of solar heat that is allowed to enter the home through a window. This rating is probably the most important one for homeowners to look at when they’re shopping for replacement windows in San Diego, due to our abundance of hot and sunny days. Just like with a U-Factor rating, a low SHGC rating is best. Ratings fall on a scale of 0 to 1. You want to look for windows with a SHGC rating of 0.25 or less. For the lowest rating possible, you may need to upgrade your windows with a more advanced glass package than what comes standard.

The third thing that the NFRC tests for in windows is visible transmittance (VT). This tells you how much visible light a window allows into a home. With this rating, a higher number, on a scale of 0 to 1, indicates that a window allows in more visible light than a window with a lower number. If you like to turn your lights off during the day, and just let your house be lit up naturally by the sun, windows with a high VT rating are the right choice for you.

Finally, the NFRC tests for air leakage in windows. In every window, a small amount of air is able to pass through, which will cause a room to exchange the inside air with the outside air. Look for windows with an air leakage number of 0.3 or lower for the best performance in this area. A window with a rating close to 0.1 is a window that is virtually airtight.

When you work with BM Windows for replacement windows in San Diego, we can show you how the ratings of the windows we sell compare to other brands. We can also help you compare certain other aspects, such as sound suppression, durability, warranties, and other aspects that may be important to you and your family. Contact our office to set up an in-home consultation, during which we can answer all your questions and help you choose the replacement windows that are right for your home.