Double Hung Windows

Are you planning on replacing your old windows Astoria but concerned about sacrificing beauty for energy efficiency? Well, the good news is you don't have to sacrifice either when you choose double hung replacement windows. That's because the very design of these charming windows provides smart ventilation for your home. Add to that original great feature the bonus of advanced window technology and you have windows that can save homeowners money and help to save the planet.

In fact, you could say that double hung replacement windows actually offer "twice" the energy savings of other windows. Here's how:

Old Green Technology

Astoria Double hung windows have been around for about three hundred years. Our colonial forefathers (and foremothers) knew a good thing when they saw it! Double hung window construction involves two sashes, a top and a bottom, and each one opens and closes independently.

Because hot air rises and cold air sinks, double hung windows are uniquely equipped to regulate the temperature within a home, thanks to their simple thermodynamic design: with the top sash open, the warmer air can escape, to be replaced by cooler air, which can flow in through the lower sash. In other words, the window works like an air conditioner in the summer, but you're snug and warm in winter when both are closed.

New Green Technology

Modern innovations are making Astoria double hung windows more efficient than ever before. Some of today's double hung replacement windows are technologically advanced in both materials and construction.

Let's look at window glass first: new energy efficiency standards in glass add to the double hung window's overall cost savings. If you want to take advantage of the Federal Stimulus Tax Credit, your windows have to meet a U-Factor equal to or less than 0.30 and a Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) equal to or less than 0.30.

Different types of Low-E glass, a glass that has low emissivity--thanks to a metallic coating that restricts the passage of radiant heat--are available today as more and more innovations in glass technology are introduced. Not only does Low-E glass save you money on heating and cooling costs, it can also protect your house and furniture from harmful UV rays, and help with sound penetration.

One fourth generation innovation called High Performance Low-E4 even claims to lower maintenance costs by reducing water spots and dirt buildup by 99% on the exterior. A titanium dioxide coating reacts with sunlight, loosens dirt which is washed away by rain, and dries faster so you get fewer water spots.