All that you can ask for out of your home windows is that they do their job from an energy efficiency standpoint. When you live in the Jacksonville, FL area, this means working to help out your air conditioner in any way possible. Think about those hot summer months of July and August in the Jacksonville, FL area. It can be oppressing in terms of the heat to the point where it may seem hard to breathe. The temperatures inside of homes, especially when the air conditioner is not working appropriately, can make the living conditions extremely uncomfortable.
Your home windows need to be in such quality shape that they can act to help out your air conditioner in a variety of ways. If you have a quality window air conditioner or a central air conditioning unit, you should pay attention to just what your windows are doing, or not doing, to assist in just how effective and efficiency the air conditioner is able to run. Let’s take a closer look at just who you can ensure that your home windows are helping and not hurting your air conditioner.
Think About the Age and Quality of the Windows
The age and quality of the windows that you currently have can dictate a great deal in terms of just how effective they are at helping out your air conditioner. Starting with the age of your windows can give you a good point to begin your evaluation. Windows that are two or three decades old were made very differently than they are today. When you are dealing with older windows you typically are going to have windows that are only a single-pane. This means that there is just one thin layer of glass that separates the outside heat from the inside of your home. When you have windows such as this you are increasing the chance that they will let heat seep into your home and cold air seep out.
It comes down to quality with the windows. Even outside of the single-pane windows, you also have to consider the frames of the windows as well. Older windows typically are going to have a wooden frame. As the years go by these wood frames can crack a bit and begin to break down. This can also allow the cool air to seep out and the heat to seep in, exposing your home to the elements and harming the efficiency of your air conditioning unit.
Check For Any Cracks in the Windows
You also want to do a quick investigation in terms of whether or not any of your windows have any cracks. If you have broken windows you are going to want to get them replaced as soon as possible. When you have a cracked window, you mine as well have no window at all. The space is just going to allow the cool air from your air conditioner to seep right out of your home. If it is very hot outside, that heat is going to come right in.
How New Windows Help
New energy efficient windows are going to have the build quality that is going to be needed to help out your air conditioning unit. Newer windows are going to be of the double-pane variety. This means that there are going to be two panes of glass that separate the inside of your home from the outside world. If cold air manages to seep out of one of the panes of glass, it is going to be blocked once it hits the second pane. The idea is also the same for the heat coming into your home. New window frames are also going to be of much higher quality. New windows today are typically made up of vinyl. Vinyl window frames are not going to break down over time like would will do and these will be largely maintenance free.
Your air conditioner is going to be working overtime in those hot Jacksonville, Fl months. The least that you can do for yourself and the energy efficiency of your home is to be sure that the windows that you have work to be helping and not hurting. Check the age of the windows as well as the build quality of them. If your windows are out of date, consider a replacement of a few or all of the windows of your Jacksonville, FL home to help your air conditioner do its job in the most effective and efficient manner.