Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine January 2026

HVACR NewsMagazine January 2026

Energy Talk

bill to be cut in half by replacing windows alone. If your home has perimeter ductwork, (vents around outside walls) be sure to have the duct system evaluated. New windows would have a short life if hot air were directed on the modules. Think of the expansion and contraction if it is 25 degrees outside, and your furnace directs 120-to-140-degree air repeatedly against the glass from three to five feet. Garage door insulation In Climate Zone 2, insulated garage doors (regardless of the insulation rating) perform poorly. Not because of the garage door quality, but rather the location of the door. Most homes with attached garages do not have insulation in garage walls that meet exterior. Code generally does not require insulation over garage space. Where tuck-under or covered garages exist, exterior walls are not required to be insulated. When you separate R values in construction, such as placing an insulated garage door on an uninsulated garage, the R value is diminished to zero. When it comes to efficiency and garage doors, air sealing is once again the most important and you must be sure the bottom seal is flexible and top and side weather-stripping fit flush with construction framing. On a positive ending, insulated garage doors will reduce a substantial amount of noise from outside the home. Foam as an upgrade Many home builders have adopted foam as standard insulation. Others offer foam as an upgraded insulation package. Either way, foam has made a significant

windows efficiency is advertised by U Value. To keep things simple single pane window may be an R-1 and Energy Star rated double pane windows can be about R-3. Windows with Argon gas may be rated as high R-5 or R-6 and are of significantly higher cost. Windows with Xenon and Krypton are at the top tier. By comparison, walls are in the R-13 range in climate zone 2. But before you cancel that order of windows there are other reasons to replace them. Most of today’s windows are much improved over windows of just a few years back in three major ways. The first is reduced air flow. The manufacturing process uses better materials and methodology to slow down air exchange between inside and outside air. Second is internal shading with Low E glass. Sunlight will obviously drive temperatures up but will also damage construction materials and furnishings. The Low E coating and double pane construction cuts the effect by about 70%. Finally, the gas between the panes can cut sound transmission. If you have dual pane windows that have failed, (fogging during weather change) be sure to understand the moisture that migrates in and out of the module is going somewhere. In some cases, moisture can damage construction material surrounding and supporting the window making is more expensive to replace eventually. It is important to understand more expensive windows may be desired in areas where extreme cold is experienced. Do not expect your utility