Something I've been pondering – how are you all justifying the cost of these windows? Is it mostly for comfort/peace of mind? The energy savings are great, but when I do the math, saving say $200 a year on electricity vs spending $10k on windows is like a 50-year payback purely on bills. I know there are other factors (old windows were failing, or hurricane protection, etc.). Just curious how everyone feels about the cost vs benefit now that you've done it. Are the non-monetary benefits the main reason?
@sewist85 Great question. In my case, the old windows needed replacing anyway (they were original from the 1980s and starting to fail, plus we wanted to modernize the look). So the "ROI" wasn't just about energy bills – it was also avoiding the maintenance hassles (like peeling tint, windows that wouldn't open, occasional leaks).
That said, you're right: pure energy savings alone might not pay back for decades. For most of us, it's a combination of things that justify it:
Comfort: The house simply feels better. No hot spots by the windows, easier to maintain a cool temp, and fewer drafts. That's hard to put a dollar figure on, but it improves daily life.
Noise reduction: Almost everyone here mentioned how much quieter it is. If you live in a noisy area, that alone can be worth it.
Home value: New windows do add value and can be a selling point. You might not recoup 100% of the cost, but it’s something. Especially in Florida, buyers appreciate impact windows or energy-efficient upgrades.
Aesthetics: New windows gave our home a facelift. The old aluminum ones were ugly and foggy. The new ones look clean, and we opted for a nicer grid pattern on a few for curb appeal.
Other benefits: Less UV damage to furniture, no more interior condensation issues, etc.
Also, in Florida there's the hurricane factor. If you get impact windows, you're also paying for storm protection, which is a different kind of ROI (safety, insurance savings, peace of mind).
So yeah, it's rarely just about slashing the electric bill. The bill savings are the cherry on top that will accumulate slowly. The immediate gains are comfort, appearance, and peace of mind. For me and many others, those were worth the cost.
@environment_jon That makes a lot of sense. Thank you for breaking it down. I definitely agree the comfort and other benefits would be great (my windows are 1970s single-pane jalousies, so anything is an upgrade, haha). Sounds like it's one of those home improvements that's partly an investment and partly just quality of life. I'm sold on doing it when I can budget it.
I'm not ready to spend as much as a full replacement right now. What about adding a reflective window film or tint to my existing windows as a stopgap? I have old single-pane windows and was considering sticking on a Low-E window film to at least reduce heat and UV. Has anyone tried that, and how does it compare to actually replacing the windows? Does it make a noticeable difference?
@inventor91 I actually did that at my last house before eventually getting new windows. Adding a reflective or Low-E film can help a fair bit with reducing solar heat and UV. It’s like putting a tint on your windows. In my case, it made the rooms a little cooler and definitely cut down on glare. It’s a relatively cheap improvement.
However, window film won't improve everything. It doesn’t insulate nearly as well as an actual double-pane window would, so you still have heat coming through via conduction and no argon gap or anything. It also doesn’t fix air leaks around old window frames. So if your current windows are drafty or not sealing well, film won't solve that.
One issue: if you have single-pane glass, adding a film can sometimes cause the glass to heat up more and potentially crack, especially if it's a darker tint and you get a lot of sun. It's not super common, but it's a risk if the glass is old or has any weakness.
I found the film was a nice temporary measure. It made things slightly better and was worth the ~$200 I spent on kits for the whole house. But after I got new windows, it was night-and-day better. If you’re planning to replace windows in a couple years anyway, film can bridge the gap. Just temper your expectations: you'll get maybe 20% improvement instead of, say, 80% with proper new windows (just rough numbers from my experience).
@andrew_mitchell Thanks for the insight! That's kind of what I suspected. I might do the film on a couple of really hot windows to hold me over, but I'm definitely aiming to replace them when I can.
I haven't seen this mentioned yet: doing the project in phases. My budget didn't allow doing all windows at once, so I did the south and west-facing windows last year, and I'm planning to do the rest (north/east sides) next year.
Even with just half the windows replaced, I noticed a difference. The rooms with new windows are cooler and quieter, and it actually made the old window rooms feel even draftier by comparison, haha. Visually it's not too bad; the new windows have slightly thicker frames, but most people wouldn't notice unless I point it out.
So if anyone can't afford all of it at once, doing the worst windows first is a viable approach. Just try to use the same manufacturer/style for phase two so everything matches in the end. In my case I went with CWS windows in phase one and will order the same for phase two. The only downside is paying the installer travel/setup twice, but it beats waiting many years to do anything at all.
@slewis17's point about not going with the absolute cheapest option is so true. I learned the hard way. I initially went with a super cheap local contractor who sold me on some no-name windows because the price was low. Installation was sloppy (I later discovered they didn't foam around the frames, just stuffed fiberglass in, and the caulking was a mess). Within a year, two windows had fog between the panes because the seals failed. The company wouldn't honor the warranty (they blamed the manufacturer, who was impossible to reach).
Long story short, I ended up replacing those defective windows again, this time with a better company/product. The money I "saved" by choosing the cheapest bid was lost and then some.
So, lesson learned: definitely compare prices, but be wary if one quote is way lower than others and the brand is unknown. Quality installation and a good product are worth a bit extra.
I actually went with fiberglass windows in my home in Tampa. We chose Marvin Elevate (fiberglass exterior, wood interior) because we liked the look and durability. They were about 20% more expensive than vinyl options we looked at, but we wanted a dark exterior frame and I felt more confident that fiberglass would hold up with the dark color.
It's been 3 years since installation. The windows look and perform great. No warping or fading at all. The inside is wood (for the interior finish), which we painted, and it hasn't had any issues with humidity (the fiberglass frame insulates well, so no condensation on the wood). Energy-wise, they're similar to vinyl – Low-E double-pane with argon – and our power bills dropped just like others have said (around 15%).
If budget allows and you want a premium option, fiberglass is worth considering. The frames are also really strong; we have one big window that we could do without adding a divider because of the strength. But if cost is a concern, a high-quality vinyl will get you almost the same benefits. For us it was partly an aesthetic choice too.
I live in a historic district in Tampa, and replacing windows outright is tricky (lots of red tape). Has anyone tried interior storm windows or inserts for energy efficiency? I was considering those magnetic acrylic panels as an interior add-on to get a double-pane effect without replacing the original windows. Wondering if it's worth it.