Hi everyone, I'm considering upgrading to energy-efficient windows (especially ENERGY STAR-certified ones) for my home in Tampa. My current windows are old single-pane and my summer AC bills are through the roof. For those of you in the Tampa Bay area who have done window replacements, what kind of long-term ROI and actual energy savings did you see? Did your electric bill go down noticeably? I'm in Hillsborough County and trying to figure out if the hefty upfront cost is really worth it in the long run. Any real-world experiences (good or bad) would be greatly appreciated!
I live in Brandon (Hillsborough) and replaced all my windows with energy-efficient double-pane ones last year. I did notice a drop in my electric bills, though nothing crazy. My summer bills went down maybe 15% compared to the previous year. The house definitely feels cooler and less humid inside now. ROI purely from energy savings is slow (probably will take many years to recoup the cost), but I think it's worth it for the comfort and the fact that my AC doesn't run nonstop anymore.
Hey there, I'm in Clearwater (Pinellas County). We upgraded to ENERGY STAR double-pane, low-E windows about 5 years ago. Our energy savings have been decent – roughly $20-$30 less per month on our electric bill, especially during the hot months. That might not sound huge, but over the year it adds up, and the house is more comfortable. Plus, the new windows fixed a lot of drafts we had and even reduced outside noise. From an ROI standpoint, if you only look at the power bill it’s a long-term payoff (maybe 15-20 years to break even for us), but factor in the improved home value and comfort, and we feel it was a good investment.
I'm in Palm Harbor (Pinellas) and replaced all the windows in my 1980s house two years ago. It was expensive (about $12k for 15 windows), but the energy savings are noticeable. My monthly Duke Energy bill dropped by around 10-15%. The biggest change is in the west-facing rooms that used to bake in the afternoon sun – they’re much cooler now. I also got a small discount on my homeowners insurance because I opted for impact-rated windows. If you do go for it, I highly recommend Karoly Windows & Doors. They handled my install and did a fantastic job with quality and cleanup.
This is really helpful. I'm up in Land O’ Lakes (Pasco County) and debating if I should do my windows too. Honestly, I've been wondering if the money would be better spent on something like adding attic insulation or a new AC, since windows are so pricey. Is the ROI on windows actually better than those other improvements? Or is it more of a comfort/luxury thing?
@phill68, good question. I actually did both improvements over a couple of years. First, I beefed up my attic insulation (which was relatively cheap and helped a bit), and later I replaced the windows. The insulation helped some, but after the new windows went in, I noticed another drop in my energy use and the house was way less drafty. Windows are definitely a big-ticket item and the payback period on energy savings alone is pretty long. But in my experience, if your current windows are old and leaking air, the new ones make a huge difference in comfort. I looked at it this way: insulation was the quick win, and windows were the long-term improvement that also gave other benefits like noise reduction and better curb appeal.
Checking in from South Tampa (Hillsborough). I replaced my original 1965 single-pane windows with double-pane hurricane impact windows last summer. The difference was immediate. Before, my AC struggled and some rooms would never get comfortably cool. This summer, I saw about a 15% reduction in my electricity usage. It made a dent in my TECO bill – roughly $40 less on my highest month compared to the previous year. I also took advantage of a TECO rebate for energy-efficient windows which gave me a few hundred bucks back (had to do their free energy audit first). I went with ProTech Windoors for the installation, and they gave me a fair price and solid workmanship. The windows not only cut down on the heat, but they also make me feel safer during storm season.
Good to know, @slewis17. I'm also with TECO and didn't realize they offer rebates for windows. I thought they only did rebates for AC or insulation upgrades. How did that work?
@jroberts86, yes TECO has a rebate program for window replacements. You have to get an energy audit (Home Energy Check) done first, but it's free. After I replaced my windows, TECO gave me a rebate based on the total window square footage (I got about $200 back for my project). For those in Pinellas with Duke Energy, they have a similar program – I believe up to $400 back for energy-efficient windows, especially if they're installed on the sun-facing sides of the house. It's definitely worth looking into these programs to offset some cost.
For those of you who did see savings, how long did it take to notice? Did you compare your bills year over year? I'm trying to justify the cost to my wife by pointing to real numbers. We live in a two-story home in Carrollwood (Hillsborough), and the upstairs gets ridiculously hot in summer. I'm hoping new windows will help with that as much as with the bills.