Hey neighbors! I wanted to start a thread about the before-and-after of installing energy-efficient windows. I'll go first: I live in Wesley Chapel in a 2008-built home. My original windows were basic builder-grade (some were even fogging up from failed seals). We finally replaced them last month with new low-E double-pane windows. The difference is amazing – the house stays much cooler in the afternoon now, and the AC isn't running non-stop like it used to. We also noticed the rooms are less humid and no more hot drafts near the windows. It even feels a bit quieter inside. We haven't gotten our first full electric bill yet, but I'm expecting some savings. Overall, the home is way more comfortable than before. Has anyone else here done a window upgrade? I'd love to hear your before-and-after experiences – comfort, energy bills, any lessons learned, etc. 😃
Absolutely! I'm in Clearwater with a 2003-built house and I did my windows last year. My old windows were aluminum single-hung with no tint – basically heat sieves. In July, my living room felt like a greenhouse. After installing new Energy Star double-pane windows (I went through ProTech Windoors for the install), it's a night and day difference. The afternoon sun used to bake our family room, but now the Low-E glass cuts the heat dramatically. Our electric bill dropped by about 15% in the summer months – we went from around $220 down to ~$185 on average. Beyond the numbers, the comfort is so much better; we can actually sit by the west-facing windows without feeling the heat. We also replaced our old drafty sliding glass door with an efficient one, which stopped a major draft. Honestly, I wish we'd done it sooner. ProTech did a great job for us, by the way. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your stories! I'm in Brandon in a 2010 home and considering upgrading my windows. Summers get brutal - my AC runs constantly and some rooms still don't stay cool. My windows are double-pane but builder-grade with no Low-E coating, and I can feel the heat coming through. A few questions for you experienced folks: Did you see a big difference in your power bills after the new windows? Was the installation process disruptive (like, did you have to move out for a day or two)? And how did you choose an installer? Any recommendations in the Tampa Bay area (I see mentions of Karoly Windows & Doors, ProTech Windoors, etc.)? I'm also curious about cost – was it insanely expensive or manageable? Appreciate any insight!
Jumping in – I’m in Apollo Beach with a 2005 home. We replaced all our windows two years ago after getting tired of taping X’s for every hurricane threat. We opted for hurricane-rated impact windows (we used Karoly Windows & Doors for the project). Before, we had original single-pane windows with tint film. After, the impact windows (double-pane with laminated glass) made our home so much cooler and safer. Our August electric bills went down about 20% because these windows block a lot of heat. Plus, the peace of mind during storm season is huge – we don’t have to put up shutters now. An unexpected perk: our home insurance premium dropped a couple hundred bucks a year once we installed the impact windows and sent them the paperwork! Karoly’s team did an awesome job with installation and permitting. In hindsight, this upgrade was one of the best decisions we made for comfort and safety.
Great questions @mbrown43! For me, I noticed the comfort difference immediately – no more hot spots near the windows. As for the power bill, I haven’t gotten a full cycle bill yet either, but I'm expecting maybe a modest drop (others here are saying ~15% or so, which sounds about right). Installation-wise, it took two days for our whole house. I just had to clear the furniture away from the windows beforehand. We stayed home during it – it was noisy (lots of drilling and banging) but totally doable. Our installer (it was Karoly Windows & Doors, coincidentally same as @charlie_woof) handled permits and inspections, so we didn’t worry about that. In terms of cost, it was a significant investment – our quote averaged out to about $800 per window including installation (impact windows would have been more). It's not cheap, but we viewed it as an investment in our home. Given the comfort improvement and potential energy savings, I feel it was worth it. And like others mentioned, check out well-reviewed local companies – we had great results with Karoly. 😄 Hope that helps!
Hi everyone, thought I'd add a few tips since I went through window replacements in two different Tampa Bay homes:
Get multiple quotes. I'd say at least 3 quotes from different companies. Prices and approaches can vary a lot. Make sure to compare apples to apples (same number of windows, similar specs) when looking at quotes.
Check the window ratings. Look at the NFRC label for U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). In Florida, a low SHGC (for example, around 0.25 or less) is important to block our intense sun. All the good options should be ENERGY STAR rated for our region.
Think about impact glass vs. non-impact. Impact (hurricane) windows cost more, but they give you storm protection and often a home insurance discount (like others mentioned). If you already have hurricane shutters and want to save money, non-impact windows with Low-E can still greatly improve efficiency.
Make sure your installer pulls permits and schedules the inspection. In most of Tampa Bay, window replacements require a permit. A good contractor (like the ones mentioned here) will handle that. Also check what warranties you're getting on both the windows and the installation.
Look into incentives. Right now there's a federal tax credit for energy efficient windows (up to $600 back). Our local power companies (TECO, Duke) sometimes offer small rebates for window upgrades too – worth checking.
Prepare for install day. The installation can get noisy and a bit dusty. I took down all my curtains and blinds beforehand and covered my furniture. It helped make the process smoother. Typically, a full-house job can take a day or two.
@jcoder32 Thank you for the detailed tips! Super helpful. I had no idea about the federal tax credit – that's great news. I'll definitely take your advice on getting multiple quotes and checking the window ratings. 😊
I can share my experience as well. I'm in St. Petersburg, in a townhouse built around 2000. By last year the original windows were pretty lousy – single-pane and starting to warp. A friend recommended ProTech Windoors, so I went with them and upgraded to impact-rated windows throughout. The difference blew me away. The traffic noise from the nearby street is much quieter now (that laminated glass really works), and I noticed my AC doesn't kick on as frequently.
During the peak of summer, my upstairs used to be unbearably warm. After the window replacement, it's actually comfortable up there. As a bonus, my insurance company gave me a discount for having all impact windows (combined with my new impact front door). ProTech’s team did a solid job on installation too – they even finished in just a day and a half for the whole place. I'm really happy with how it turned out, and it's such a relief not to stress as much during hurricane season now.
Right on @waffles_campbell, those insurance savings are sweet. We saved about $300 a year after showing proof of our impact windows to our insurer. It's like the upgrade keeps paying back in different ways. 😎