Well the first round of salesmen are finally gone. I figured they would stake some measurements, type out a quote, and email it to me. They took way longer than I expected; 2.5hrs.
Do I want low-E windows in my climate? I enjoy not having to run heat in the spring and fall due to solar heat gain, but does low-E also retain heat better in the winter? Can I still get solar heat gain with the visible light, or is solar heat gained mostly through infrared?
The guy said there are only a few companies that offer Krypton filled windows. Don't know that I'd want to pay extra if it only keeps for 5 years.
Not only that, but I'm only replacing the south facing windows. I would think the extra insulative value would be compromised by the existing north facing windows, which have probably lost any gas they were filled with.
EDIT: Just found this...
Quote:
According by "Understanding Energy-Efficient Windows," a Fine Homebuilding article by Paul Fisette, "Argon and krypton are safe, inert gases, and they will leak from the window over time. Studies suggest a 10% loss over the course of 20 years, but that will reduce the U-factor of the unit by only a few percent." The seals used in insulated glazing units are improving all the time. According to the new European standard (EN1279), argon leakage rates must be no more than 0.5% to 1% per year.
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