You may already be familiar with the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) and ENERGY STAR® labels typically found on replacement windows. But what do they mean, and how can you use them to your advantage?
In this two-part blog, Renewal by Andersen® of Greater Philadelphia answers these questions and more.
Why NFRC and ENERGY STAR Labels Are Important
A discussion on these labels wouldn’t be complete without discussing energy efficiency. The objective of energy efficiency is to reduce energy consumption without sacrificing its functionality. It’s important to have replacement windows that prevent thermal transfer (indoor heat loss during winter and indoor heat gain during summer) that puts less strain on the heating and cooling systems. Our replacement windows accomplish this through our Fibrex® material and High-Performance™ Low-E4® glass.
Homes are built differently and therefore have different requirements. This is why there is no single all-in-one replacement window solution; NFRC ratings and ENERGY STAR labels help you home in on window replacements that fulfill these requirements during point-of-sale. Regardless of the actual ratings, however, NFRC- and ENERGY STAR-certified replacement windows can improve your home’s energy efficiency to some degree.
NFRC Labels vs ENERGY STAR Labels
You may be wondering why both labels are almost always found on every replacement window from every window company. You may also be curious why you need to have both when they basically have the same function. It helps to think of it as like buying a box of cereal: the box front would have something like “more fiber” or “less sugar” written on it. At the same time, you’d find the nutrition information box elsewhere which lists in detail how much fiber or sugar the cereal product actually has.
The relationship between NFRC and ENERGY STAR labels are similar. The ENERGY STAR label is like the “less sugar” tag: it’s an at-a-glance indicator that a product is energy-efficient.
The NFRC label, on the other hand, is like the nutrition information box, listing detailed ratings on specific performance metrics like U-Factor and SHGC. These ratings are represented in numeric values, which we will discuss in detail in our next installment.
Renewal by Andersen® of Greater Philadelphia serves homeowners in and around NJ and Philadelphia, PA. To know more about our energy-efficient replacement windows, call us today at (610) 813-6777 or fill out our contact form for a free window or door consultation.
Related: Andersen Corporation Earns 2017 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award
