I’m in Brandon and I actually took advantage of a local utility rebate for energy-efficient windows, which helped make the decision easier. Tampa Electric (TECO) was offering a rebate if you install windows with a low enough SHGC (solar heat gain coefficient). Our new windows qualified (the label showed SHGC around 0.28, under their requirement of 0.35), so we got a nice rebate check based on the square footage of windows replaced.
Aside from that perk, the performance has been great. After the window replacement, our home is notably cooler and less stuffy. We even hosted a family gathering in August and people commented on how cool our usually-warm family room was – that room has large west-facing glass doors we also upgraded, so it didn’t turn into a sauna like it used to. In terms of energy use, I’d estimate roughly a 10-15% drop in our summer power consumption. It’s a little hard to tell because we also got a new efficient HVAC around the same time (we did a full efficiency overhaul), but I know for sure the windows were a big factor because even before we replaced the HVAC, just swapping the windows made an immediate difference in how long the old AC had to run. So if you’re in the Tampa area, check for rebates or programs – and definitely consider doing the windows if your current ones are old. Between the rebate and the monthly savings, we’re quite happy.
Quick tip from my experience in Apollo Beach: if you get new windows installed, make sure the installers properly seal all the gaps around the frames. The crew that did mine missed a couple of small spots with caulking/foam, and I could feel a slight warm draft in one corner on a windy day after installation. I had them come back to fix it, and once they did, it was perfect. The lesson is: even the best windows won’t perform if not installed right. After the fix, I have zero drafts. Now the house is super airtight compared to before. The energy efficiency we’re seeing is great – our AC runtime dropped and the indoor temperature is very stable. Just wanted to mention this because it’s an important part of the equation: product + installation both matter. We’re now getting the full benefit of the new windows (consistent cool temps, no hot spots, and our humidity stays in check). If I hadn’t caught that, I might be wondering why one area was still warm. So definitely ensure everything’s sealed up and you’ll maximize your energy savings.
I’m in Port Richey and I actually tried a cheaper route before committing to full window replacements. A couple of years ago, I applied a reflective window film on my largest west-facing windows to see if it would help with the heat. It made a small difference (and cut some glare), but it was nowhere near enough to keep the house cool.
This year I finally went ahead and replaced those windows entirely with new Low-E double-pane units. The outcome: night and day improvement over just the film. Where the film might have taken a bit of the edge off the heat, the new windows dramatically reduced it. Now my living room, which gets intense sun, is comfortable with normal AC use – previously I was fighting to keep it below 80°F in that room on the hottest days, even with the film. With the new windows, I come home to a living room at 75°F and the AC isn’t even running at full blast. The overall energy usage for the house has dropped by about 10% comparing this summer to last, which I attribute largely to those windows (and also because I’m not overworking the AC anymore). So for anyone considering just sticking with quick fixes like films or heavy curtains – those can help a little, but replacing the old windows altogether made a far bigger difference in my case.
Just chiming in from Lutz (north of Tampa). We replaced the windows in our mid-’90s house last year and have been observing the differences through all seasons. Summer was the most obvious improvement – as others have said, the AC ran less and the house stayed cooler with less effort. But I want to note the winter/colder-night improvement too, because even though Florida is warm, we do get some chilly nights in the 30s and 40s. After the window replacement, our house held heat much better on those nights. We have a heat pump and previously on cold nights it would run a lot and sometimes the resistive heat strip would kick in (which uses a ton of electricity). This winter, I noticed the heat pump didn’t need to run as long to maintain our thermostat setting, and we never had the auxiliary heat kick on at all. It’s likely because the new windows aren’t letting that warmth escape like the old single-pane aluminum ones did (those used to be cold to the touch and had condensation). So while the biggest savings are in summer for the AC, don’t overlook the fact that efficient windows help year-round. Our January bill dropped a bit too, which was nice. And comfort-wise, sitting near a window on a cold evening is no longer uncomfortable – the glass on the inside stays closer to room temperature now.
@aaronl87 makes a good point about the return on investment. I’m in St. Petersburg, and in our case we plan to stay in this house long term, so we viewed the window upgrade as a long-term investment. We replaced original 1970s single-pane windows with modern efficient ones, and our energy savings have been on the order of 15% annually, which is fantastic. That said, when you pencil it out, the dollars saved per month are still going to take a very long time to equal what we spent on the project. We knew that going in. For us, it wasn’t just about immediate payback – it was also about comfort, reducing strain on our HVAC (hopefully extending its life), and improving our home’s value and appearance.
Now, nearly two years after the install, we have zero regrets. The house is more comfortable than it ever was. No more sweating in the kitchen while the rest of the house is cool, no more blasting the AC to compensate for hot air coming through leaky windows. We even noticed our thermostat doesn’t have to be set as low as before to achieve the same comfort. Like many have said, we can keep it a couple degrees higher now. So yes, the savings are real and ongoing, but think of them as just one part of the overall benefit. The comfort and peace of mind make it worth it, and over the decades the energy savings will add up too.
I’ll share a slightly different approach we took. We couldn’t afford to replace all our windows at once in our Clearwater home, so we did it in stages. The first year we replaced the windows on the south and west sides of the house (the ones with the most sun exposure) and left the north/east side for later. The partial replacement already made a noticeable difference in cooling those sunny rooms. For the year or so that half the house had new windows and the other half still had old ones, it was interesting – you could almost feel the efficiency difference walking from one side of the house to the other. The old-window side stayed warmer and the AC had to push harder there.
This year we finally upgraded the rest of the windows. Now the whole house has matching efficient windows and the overall temperature balance is perfect. If anyone is on a tight budget, I’d say it’s okay to do it in phases, targeting your worst windows first. Just be aware that some parts of the house might still drag on the efficiency until you complete the job. After finishing, our electricity use this summer was about 15% lower than two summers ago before any new windows, which aligns with what we observed (we got maybe ~8% improvement after the first half, and the rest of the savings after completing all of them). It’s been a journey, but worth it.
My experience after window replacement has been great overall, though I’ll mention one tiny regret: I kind of wish I had opted for the slightly higher-performance glass package. I live in Tampa and replaced my windows with double-pane Low-E ones which are pretty good, but there was an option for an extra premium Low-E coating that I passed on to save some money. Now, having felt the results, part of me wonders if the extra coating would have made an even bigger difference on the hottest days. Don’t get me wrong – my house is much cooler and my energy bills dropped about 10%. I’m happy! But as a perfectionist, I’m curious if spending maybe 10-15% more for the top-of-the-line glass would have given me maybe a couple more percent efficiency. It’s hard to know. In any case, what I got is doing a solid job. The sunny front room that was once uncomfortable is perfectly fine now with normal AC. Maybe I overthink it. On the positive side, I did choose laminated (impact-rated) glass for two large front windows mainly for storm security, and those have the side benefit of even better insulation and almost no UV getting through. Perhaps that’s why that room feels so good now. Overall, I’m pleased, but if you’re a fellow efficiency nerd, it might be worth maxing out the options if you can afford it, just to squeeze out every drop of performance.
I’m from Palm Harbor and used Karoly Windows & Doors to replace all the windows in our house (built in 1985). We had already upgraded our front door and attic insulation in years past, so windows were the last piece of the energy puzzle for us. Karoly’s team was fantastic in helping us pick out windows that met Energy Star standards. We chose double-pane, vinyl-frame, Low-E3 glass windows with argon gas fill.
The result has been an even cozier home. Our energy usage has definitely gone down – roughly on the order of 15% less kWh during the summer months. We also noticed that the house cools down faster after we’ve been away. For example, if we set the thermostat higher while we’re out, when we come home and lower it, the house comes back to a comfortable temperature much quicker than it used to before the new windows. That tells me the heat isn’t lingering inside as much. We’re also big on natural light, and one worry we had was that coatings or tints would darken the rooms. But the products Karoly installed are great – the house is still bright, just without the intense heat. So we have the best of both worlds: lots of light but less heat. Can’t complain about that! All in all, it’s been a very positive outcome for us in terms of efficiency and comfort.
Our house in Wesley Chapel is only about 15 years old, but even in that time window technology has improved. We had what I’d call mid-range double-pane windows originally – no obvious coatings, aluminum frames. They were okay, but we decided to upgrade to vinyl-frame windows with high-performance Low-E glass primarily to reduce the heat in our south-facing rooms. The difference is noticeable. Those rooms are indeed cooler now in the afternoons. Before, even with the AC, you’d feel warmth radiating near the big windows. Now, you barely feel any heat at all. My wife loves to keep the blinds open to have a bright house, and previously that would mean the AC had to fight the incoming heat. With these new windows, she can open up all the blinds and we still maintain the temperature. It’s great because we get to enjoy the sunlight without cooking the interior. As for the energy bill, I’d say we see something like a 10% drop over the summer months (maybe a bit less in milder months). It’s somewhat modest, but our house was already fairly efficient. However, I expect over the years that will add up, and I know our HVAC isn’t working as hard (I can hear it cycle off more often now). I also noticed less condensation on the inside of the windows when it’s super humid out – the new insulating glass keeps the inside pane from getting as cold, so moisture doesn’t condense like it used to on the old aluminum frames. It’s a win for comfort in multiple ways.
Checking in from Clearwater Beach – we had Pro Tech Windows & Doors upgrade the windows in our coastal home, and it’s made a tremendous difference. Being right by the water, we went with impact-rated windows (a must for storm season) and made sure to get ones with good energy efficiency specs (Low-E, etc.). The salty air had corroded our old aluminum single-pane windows and they were super drafty. Post-replacement, the house feels like it has a new lease on life. Our summer electric bills went down by around 15%, and that’s even with us often having company over (doors opening more, etc., but the house still stays cooler overall). One thing I was really impressed with was how much cooler the second floor stays. Heat used to really build up upstairs during the day, but now it’s much more even. Pro Tech did a great job with installation too – they ensured everything was well-sealed, and you can tell. Even on windy days, no air comes through (we used to feel the wind around the old window frames during storms!). The new windows have really transformed our home’s comfort and efficiency. And as a bonus, our view out to the Gulf is clearer now without the old cloudy, salt-streaked glass, so we’re enjoying that view without sacrificing our AC bill.