When you’re installing new windows and French doors in your home, it’s important that you choose the most energy-efficient ones that you can find, ensuring you enjoy energy savings down the line. As such, when you’re looking for a new window or door, there are two things you should look for: the National Fenestration Rating Council® (NFRC) and ENERGY STAR® labels. But what exactly is the difference between these two?

The NFRC®

While it may sound hard to believe, the NFRC doesn’t label windows and doors to tell you which window is good or bad. Instead, the NFRC’s ratings are merely there to help consumers compare the performance of different windows, doors and skylights. ENERGY STAR, on the other hand, enables homeowners like yourself to easily identify which NFRC product can help improve your home’s energy efficiency.

ENERGY STAR®

ENERGY STAR ratings are what helps you determine if a window or door is energy-efficient. In fact, the NFRC label can be found on every window that has the ENERGY STAR label. And unlike the NFRC, ENERGY STAR provides performance ratings for windows and doors in five categories, including U-factor, which measures how well your product insulates; Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC), which tells you how well your windows and doors block sunlight; and Air Leakage (AL), a rating that determines the rate which air passes through your window’s joints.

The fourth rating is Visible Transmittance (VT), which measures the amount of light your window lets through; and finally, Condensation Resistance, a rating that determines how well a window can resist water buildup. Apart from Condensation Resistance and Visible Transmittance, the lower the rating is, the better your product is.

Make your search for a door replacement expert easier by turning to Renewal by Andersen® of San Diego. Give us a call at (858) 935-8451, or fill out our contact form to get in touch with us! We serve homeowners in San Diego and other nearby areas.