Energy Savings
“U-value?” we hear you ask. “What’s that?” Don’t worry! The Window Geeks are here to tell you.
This is Part 1 of a 2 part series on window U-values.
Let’s begin with understanding the concept behind a window U-value. It's all about energy efficiency and heat, and how easy it is to escape from your window. Like the R-value is the thermal resistance of a wall, the U-value is the thermal resistance of a component such as a window. Technically they are the same thing, however, the U-value is the inverse of the R-value. To put it in simple terms it is 1 divided by the R-value. But be careful, there are imperial and metric units to watch out for. R-Value is Imperial, while RSI is Metric, and both have a U-value equivalent.
Sure! Here's an example of how to convert an R-value of an exterior wall to a U-value:
R21 Wall Insulation (1/21) is 0.048 U-Value in Imperial terms (USA). If I multiply this value by a factor of 5.678 you get a metric U-value of 0.27.
...Now let’s look at it from a window perspective.
1.4 Metric U-value, when divided by 5.678, is an imperial U-value of 0.25, which is an R4 window.
The challenge with U-value numbers is we tend not to apply the units of measure with the number and mix up metric and imperial U-values. The units for metric are W/(m2K) and the units for imperial are BTU/(hrFf2). Note the use of meters in the metric unit and feet in the imperial unit.
A common comment I get is “your window has a U-value of 1.47 while these other windows have a U-value of 0.30. This is a classic metric/imperial mistake. A U 0.30 is actually a U 1.7 in metric.
So here is all the background info. The funny part is, that now with technology, we can just google it - but now you know. Stay tuned for Part 2 to find out how windows achieve specific U-values.
Centra Windows is not only the manufacturer but also the installer of its product, which enables us to offer a full warranty, eliminating any confusion between product performance and installation. We view the house as a system and understand how each of the elements must work correctly to maximize the comfort and energy efficiency of your home. Contact our local Employee Owners at 1-888-534-3333 or send us an email at info@centra.ca for more information about this topic and many more. You can also sign up for our biweekly newsletter, providing all the tips and tricks about the window industry.