The Top 5 Advantages and Benefits of Double Pane Window Installation

Years ago, I used to spend a decent amount of my time explaining to homeowners in Northern California exactly what double pane windows are. These days, most folks in our area seem to know the basics—double pane windows have two panes of glass instead of one, sometimes insulated with gas between them—and most folks also seem to have a vague idea that these windows are a great investment to make for your home. What everyone seems to be less clear about, though, are the specific details of the advantages and benefits that double pane windows provide.

Double pane windows have a lot to offer; so much, in fact, that it can sometimes be hard to keep track. The benefits of double pane windows range from energy savings to noise reduction, increased home value to eliminating cold drafts during the rainy and wet Northern California Mediterranean winters. These benefits are pretty diverse, but there is one thing they all have in common: it’s a good idea for homeowners to know as much about them as they can in order to make an educated decision when it comes time to invest in new window installation and upgrades.

After all, are you more likely to invest in a new computer or a new computer you’ve been guaranteed can increase your Internet speed, screen resolution, and is easier to use? Buying double pane windows for your home is much the same way—knowing the specific benefits and advantages matters.  

#1: Energy Savings Is a Benefit of Double Pane Window Installation

One of the best ways to save money at home is to take a whole house approach to energy efficiency, which means making sure that all the facets of your home are working together to be as energy efficient as possible. This means investing in things like smart thermostats, energy efficient HVAC units, high R-value insulation, and double pane, insulated windows.

In Northern California, we’re lucky enough to experience diverse seasons. Our summers are hot and arid, but our winters are wet, rainy, and cold. This means both your air conditioner and your furnace probably gets excessive use, depending on the season. Your home’s HVAC system relies on your windows to help keep the conditioned air in. If the conditioned air in your home can easily pass outside through single pane windows, or ones with broken seals, your HVAC system will be forced to work extra hard to generate more warm or cool air to keep your home in a comfortable temperature range, burning more energy than is necessary.

The U.S. Department of Energy reports an average reduction in household heating and cooling costs by about $500 annually when homes have double pane windows installed.

The U.S. Department of Energy reports an average reduction in household heating and cooling costs by about $500 annually when homes have double pane windows installed. That number may be even higher in Northern California where we have extreme temperature ranges over the course of a year. Simply put, investing in double pane windows can save you money on your monthly heating and cooling bills.

#2: Double Pane Windows Aid in Noise Reduction

Now, I know you probably like your neighbors. If you’re like me, you stop to chat whenever you both happen to be outside. That doesn’t mean there aren’t times when you’d rather not hear the neighborhood gossip, though. Noise filtering in from the street can also affect the comfort of a home.

Double pane windows are certifiably fantastic at reducing noise. Their extra layer of glass does a bit more than just keep conditioned air in your home, it also helps keep exterior sound out. I don’t know how many homeowners I’ve talked to who say they’ve slept more soundly after getting double pane windows installed at their house.

#3: Increased Home Value Is an Advantage of Double Pane Windows

Having new windows installed may be an upfront expense, but it also adds additional value to your home. Concerned about financing options? Most of Northern California is eligible for the Hero Energy Efficiency Financing (HERO) Program. With HERO energy efficiency financing, Northern California homeowners can upgrade their home’s overall efficiency through special financing dedicated for installing solar panels, updated HVAC systems, low flow plumbing, and, ding ding ding, double pane windows.

HERO financing can cover up to 100 percent of a California homeowner’s energy efficiency or water saving home upgrades.

HERO financing can cover up to 100 percent of a California homeowner’s energy efficiency or water saving home upgrades. HERO offers up to a 25-year term with fixed rates and allows homeowners to borrow up to 15 percent of their home’s total value to finance green upgrades, like the double pane windows we’ve been talking about. One word of warning: eligibility can be a bit tricky, but an experienced window installation company can help you through the entire application process.

#4: Curb Appeal Is Benefited by Double Pane Windows

Installing new, custom double pane windows can update your curb appeal, as well as your home’s energy efficiency. Windows are the eyes of your home; changing their size, shape, or style can give a house a whole new look and feel.

The market is full of custom, aesthetically pleasing double pane windows that make it possible for you to update your current look or go in a whole new direction—maybe clear glass on the top pane and fogged on the lower ones. You can also add bay or bow windows to your home as part of a new window installation. Double pane windows are entirely customizable with the help of an experience local window installation expert.

#5: The Safety Benefits of Double Pane Windows

Sure, we all want our homes to be beautiful and energy efficient, but there’s one concern that always comes first: safety. Now, most homeowners I know took great precautions to make sure their houses were safe when they first moved in. The thing is, over time, houses age just like we do and need maintenance, care, and updates. Windows in particular need to be upgraded over time to update their safety features, especially in some of the historic homes in the older Sacramento neighborhoods.

Here’s how new double pane windows can benefit and improve the safety of your home by:

• Safer materials: Older windows, especially those with stained glass, were sometimes made with lead or asbestos, both of which are hazardous to your family’s health. Every double pane window currently on the market now, though, is guaranteed to be made with 100 percent safe materials.
• Secure seals: Windows you can trust to stay locked are great for peace of mind. Old window frames, however, are sometimes easier to pry open. Double pane windows, though, have heavy duty frames that are almost impossible to pry loose. Plus, the extra layers of glass make them harder to break through.

So, there you have it, the top five benefits of double pane window installation upgrades. Personally, I think I would have been sold on them after the second or third, but the more the merrier when it comes to home improvement advantages.

The key to ensuring your home benefits from all the possible advantages of installing double pane windows, though, is to make sure you work with an experienced window installation company who can help you find the exact perfect fit for your home and make the installation process relatively care-free. Basically, these benefits are great, but if your windows aren’t installed correctly, you won’t be enjoying any of them.

Learn more about the many benefits that double pane windows can offer your home—and whether there are other maintenance steps your house is in need of, from an HVAC system upgrade to efficient plumbing to an insulation install. Contact the experienced energy efficient home professionals at Bell Brothers today.

Wondering how to finance needed upgrades? HERO is a unique financing option that helps California homeowners afford energy efficient upgrades to their home. Contact Bell Brothers, a HERO-approved contractor, to learn more. Our local HVAC, plumbing, and window specialists will walk you through the entire process, from applications to installation.

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