As it stands now, the bill provides two types of consumer incentives:

1)   Silver Star – this provides up-front rebates at the time of purchase for insulation, duct sealing, windows and doors, air sealing and water heaters. Homeowners may receive up to $1500 per improvement, with a total rebate of up to $3,000 or 50% of the total project cost.

2)  Gold Star – rewards homeowners that undertake a comprehensive energy audit and document their energy savings. Consumers may receive $3,000 for a demonstrated energy savings of 20%. For every 5% energy savings after that, they can receive $1,000. The cap is $8,000 or 50% of the project cost.

To make sure homeowners will be able to afford the home renovations, the bill includes $324 million for state and local governments to provide financing options to consumers to manage their share of the cost. This can be a powerful program for homeowners that can take advantage of it before the money runs out.

Projects must be installed by qualified contractors, and the states will have independent quality assurance providers auditing installations in the field to ensure the energy savings will be achieved.

President Obama strongly supports the Act, and agrees that it will not only reduce greenhouse emissions and help consumers lower their energy bills, but it will also stimulate the creation of green jobs (estimated at about 170,000) in construction and manufacturing. The administration views it as a key element of the economic recovery and green job agendas, and it has widespread support.

We have yet to clarify what this will mean in terms of real savings on windows and doors until the bill is finalized. However, upon first review of the bill it is very favorable to window and door replacement.

There is additional concern about the Home Star program being negatively affected by the recent passage of the EPA’s Lead Paint Rule which targets homes built before 1978. I expect to have more details on this in the next few weeks. If you have questions, please make a comment.

We at Mr. Rogers Windows take the dangers and health risks of lead paint very seriously. Our sales consultants and installers have undergone rigorous EPA training, as well as most of our support team. We will provide clients with our EPA Certification, and remain in full compliance with all Lead Safe Work Practices.

If your home or building was built before 1978 you should know that we are actively engaged in the regulations, and up to date with federal and state compliance requirements in order to assure the safety and health of your home and family.

If you have questions or need information contact me, or the National Lead Information Center. Click herefor important lead hazard information in the EPA’s Renovate Rightconsumer brochure.

At Mr. Rogers Windows, I become your advocate if something ever goes wrong with your windows so you would never have to wait 5 years for your claim. And you wouldn’t have to pay for installation again either, which is often times more costly than the windows themselves.

That’s the kind of guarantee you want when you buy replacement windows. Here’s what ours says:

• All windows and doors from Mr. Rogers Windows are guaranteed to perform as well as the day they were installed, for as long as you own your home, no matter what.
• If anything goes wrong with your windows and/or doors installed by Mr. Rogers Windows, other than intentional misuse or abuse, the problem will be fixed for free, no questions asked.
• Regular wear and tear that affects the performance of your windows and doors, and accidental damage or breakage is also covered, free of charge, for as long as you own your home.
• Mr. Rogers Windows’ guarantee covers everything. Parts, supplies, labor, time and clean up are all included. There are no hidden fees, and no surprise charges.

Don’t underestimate the importance of a consumer guarantee. You can read more in my article, “What You Need to Know – Replacement Window Warranty v Guarantee”.

So let’s take a closer look at this phenomenon.

Warping vinyl siding has occurred before. In fact, the Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI) issued a warning about such distortion over 8 years ago. The Institute reported that a number of other variables can contribute to siding distortion:

• outdoor temperature and wind speed
• how close other heat sources are, such as air conditioning compressors
• color and solar absorption of the vinyl siding (darker colors absorb more heat)
• the heat distortion temperature of the vinyl siding (cheap siding has a low distortion temp)
• architectural designs that block wind and trap heat
• angle of the sun and orientation of the glass relative to the vinyl siding
• distance of the window to the vinyl siding

It’s usually a combination of one or more contributing factors that occur before the siding “melts”. Even home-builders are reluctant to blame the neighbor’s windows, and point to a variety of factors that could affect the intensity of the reflected sunlight.

Each case needs to be investigated on an individual basis.

For example, melting can occur from the reflection and radiant heat of a dark roof, or the pavement, or some underlayments. And crazy at it may seem, even an interior vapor barrier installed behind drywall can trap enough heat under the right conditions to affect siding. Alcoves that block the wind, overhangs that trap convected heat, and inside corners that capture glass reflections…these can all contribute to the problem.

A home inspector friend of mine agrees—there are other contributing factors that can cause vinyl siding to warp, buckle and melt. He’s observed it mostly in newer neighborhoods, where the homes are built really close to one another.

And it could be the quality of the siding.

According to current manufacturing standards, normal grade vinyl siding begins to distort at 160 – 165 degrees. That’s pretty low to begin with. Now consider that newer homes and retrofits have darker siding options—grays and beiges—which absorb considerably more heat than white siding when exposed to reflected or even direct sunlight.

Research from Cardinal Glass Industries shows that vinyl siding with high solar absorbency can distort from solar reflections from all glass products, including clear glass as well as glass with one or multiple Low-E coatings.

In my opinion, Low-E windows are not the problem.

Local building codes all over the country now require installation of energy-efficient windows with Low-E coatings. Low-E glass and energy-efficient construction make good sense for your home and for the environment. We’ve saved millions of dollars in energy because of these requirements, plus we substantially reduced greenhouse gas emissions from the lower energy consumption. Low-E windows are here to stay.

I think what’s happening is more indicative of the cheap, lower grade siding commonly used by tract builders. Maybe you’ve heard toe saying, “Cheap is the most expensive price to pay.” Wood and metal siding products, which cost more, react to reflected solar radiation at much higher temperatures. Inferior products just can’t be trusted to hold up under extreme conditions.

So what’s a homeowner to do? Choose siding with a high heat distortion rating, high solar reflectivity, and a light color. If you already have vinyl siding that may be affected by heat distortion, plant shrubbery or trees to deflect heat, and in some cases screens or awnings can help.

For more technical information about vinyl siding distortion, you can read the Cardinal IG technical bulletin here.

Gas fills between window panes have shown a measurable improvement in the thermal performance of windows and patio doors.

Our windows and doors are filled with argon gas. It is inexpensive, non-toxic, clear and odorless.

Krypton gas has a higher thermal rating than argon, but it is much more expensive to produce. It is also clear, non-toxic, non-reactive and odorless.

The tradeoff is that krypton performs best in a window where the space between the glass is about 1/4 to 3/8 inch. For this reason, it is more commonly used in triple pane windows.

The atmospheric pressure can affect windows that have so little space between the glass. Tests have revealed that Krypton has a higher gas leakage rate than argon as well.

The Renewal by Andersen Fibrex composite replacement window is designed with a wider space between the panes, 1/2 inch, and that additional space plus the argon gas, Low E4 coating and Smart Sun glazing provides excellent efficiency, without the risk of seal failure.

Thanks for your question.

Air infiltration, more commonly referred to as Air Leakage (AL) when it comes to windows and doors, is effected by weather conditions such as wind and temperature. It is a rating that tells you if the window is drafty or not. The Efficient Window Collaborative recommends a rating of 0.30; the lower, the better.

Quite franky, most manufactured windows are designed to meet this standard or better. And that’s why they don’t often include the rating on their NFRC label. It’s optional.

Most manufacturers already participate in the certification program adopted by the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), that includes air infiltration, water leakage, structural resistance to pressure (like wind), and even resistance to forced or criminal entry.

A gold label on the inside jamb of a new or replacement window indicates it passes the AAMA 101 design and performance standard.

80 – 90% of manufacturers easily pass the test and the NFRC suggests that air leakage issues in many windows are the result of improper installation.

You may see mention of leakage and infiltration in marketing literature, but there is not a significant difference among manufactured windows that meet this requirement. Of course every reputable manufacturer should be able to provide these independent test results to you if asked.

If you live in an area prone to weather extremes and wind-driven rain, you may also be interested in reading my post on Design Pressure (DP) ratings, which is included in the ANSI/AAMA test as well.

I hope that helps clear up some of the confusion.

I have been in this business for 25 years, and I have never seen a government program that offered this much money toward windows and doors replacements! Virginia’s Energy Efficiency Rebate Program offers homeowners an exceptional opportunity to make energy-efficient home improvements extremely affordable.

Just take a look at these figures: the State rebate amount pays 20% of the cost, up to $2,000 per household, on new replacement windows or doors–and that includes the cost of labor to install them. Plus, the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy is paying up to $250 for you to get an energy audit.

And don’t forget that $1500 federal tax credit we’ve all been talking about. So with the 20% from the State of VA and the 30% from the federal government, you can cover your replacement window costs to a total of $3500. That’s pretty good.

I’m on the energy conservation bandwagon too, so if you are interested in replacing your windows and/or doors or improving your energy efficiency with a new awning window, see what finance programs and end-of-year discounts we’re offering.

In order to be eligible for the Virginia Residential Energy Efficiency rebate, you must first register with the program. Start the process by reserving the funds for your window or door replacement project with the Division of Energy. Funds will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, so you have to act now, because you won’t want to miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime combination of savings.

I get asked this question very often, in one form or another. So when I came across it again online I tried to respond. Unfortunately the comments were closed, and that’s why I’m posting it now. Here is the rest of the question:

My house is 20 years old and most of the seals have broken and the windows are fogged. We are looking at replacement options and have found that vinyl is a lot less expensive than wood or composite. Our house is worth about $500k and we don’t want to hurt our resell since we will be moving within the next 3-5 years. Will vinyl windows hurt the resell value in a house in our price range?”

Yes, and no.

There are some high quality vinyl windows available today with energy efficient properties that would probably add to the value of your house versus repairing the current wood sashes. It depends on their condition.

But your house is only worth what people are willing to pay for it. I’m guessing that your 20-year-old house in an established neighborhood has a definite aesthetic appeal that inexpensive vinyl windows will not be able to accomplish. Vinyl frames are thicker than those of wood or composite materials like FIBREX. Plus rarely have I seen vinyl windows that actually match or complement the exterior finish of a house that isn’t white, gray or tan. They just won’t look right, and who wants to be the house people point to and say, “There goes the neighborhood!”

You may think vinyl windows are a good choice because of price, and because you’ll never get away from the ongoing, annual maintenance of painting wood windows and the moisture issues that go with them. But there are other options to consider that can be very economical—especially if you buy windows that will qualify you for the $1500 federal energy tax credit (1500 tax credit windows).

With the savings in monthly energy costs, ongoing maintenance expenses and the tax credits available today (check the Energy Star website and my tax credit posts), you stand a good chance to recover your entire replacement window investment in a few years, increase the resale value of your real estate, plus improve your monthly cash flow.

A good resource for resale values is the annual Cost vs. Value Report issued by Remodeling Magazine. Good luck with your project.