Windows and Doors - Insulation Values??

[tjm73]

I've been trying to educate myself on insulation and everythign I can becaue I hope to build a home soon and I have many different ideas.  I don't want to make a costly mistake and build a house with garbage doors and windows.

I can't seem to find anything that explains what windows and doors are efficient, or what an efficency rateign for them would even be.

Are their any resources that anyone can point me toward to read/learn about this topic?

One of my many ideas is a wall of French or sliding doors.  I like the feeling that a room in my parents house has.  The room is 8'x12' and it has 6 sliding glass doors.  Two on each exterior wall.  The fourth wall leads into the house.  In the winter it get's too cold over night but warms up rapidly when the sun shines on it.  It's build over a crawl space that is not tied into the houses full cellar (the very reason it gets called so they've been told).  Their is a heat run but the door to the room must be kept closed most of the winter due to the cooling effect it has onthe house.  This makes it a 2.5-3 season room.  I love the room and would like to incorporate the 'outside all the time' feeling it gives, but I need to have it be a 4 season room.  I'm in upstate NY and in January it's not uncommon to get sub zero temps during some overnights and even durning some days on cold years.  2 years ago it was below zero for over 21 days straight.  It was below 20f for almost 9 straight weeks that year.  brrrrrr......

Someone please help me learn...

[tjm73]

I found this.  It's the only thing that's plainly laid out what's what.

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=windows_doors.pr_ind_tested#ufactor

[Billy Bob]

That's a good link, and pretty much tells the story.
One thing you could do is see if triple glazed units are available.  I know they are used in cold climate areas, but don't know if there are any U.S. manufacturers.  I am sure they are not cheap.
 Is the crawlspace in your folks house insulated? That would help lots. I think an insulated slab would help moderate the temperature swings even better, or a Trombe' wall.  Bear in mind the slab won't work as well if you put anything like carpeting on it.
I don't think any glazing will approximate a good r value wall.  You need some kind of thermal barrier, maybe insulated drapes, if you want to slow down the heat loss on those long winter nights.
Did you check out the Sunroom info on the plans page?  Good stuff!

[Amanda_931]

Most people I know who care about such things do have insulated curtains or shutters--ranging from not much more than lining to right serious panels--to put into their windows at night or on really cloudy cold days.

1/2 inch of styrofoam covered with a drapery cloth, for instance.  

if you don't have destructive cats.

 

What kind of glass you have--or superstition--may dictate how you set things up when you are leaving for a few days.

from "might as well leave the shutters up because it's January and likely to be very cloudy" to "Oh my gosh, the windows will break if they get over 120 degrees--leave them open."

Although the time people yelled at me after I'd decided on the first, and they thought the second, the windows were fine, thank you.

[Billy Bob]

There's some neat insulated shades, etc., available, but they COST, if you can imagine.
I like your idea, Amanda, and will prolly do something like that.
I have only seen scenario II happen once, and it wasn't in January.  A car dealership built a key hanging board of 2x4's and Masonite right against the glass of a south facing showroom window.  The tempered glass cracked the first summer, but has been providing service for seven or eight years, crack and all.

[GaryGary]

Hi,
This is a good link for windows:
http://www.efficientwindows.org/index.cfm

It tells you how to select the best window for your climate, and what you will save.

Try the Window Selection Tool