New Home Building 101 - Window Placement

What factors will you consider in selecting, locating, and installing windows in your new home? When selecting windows you should choose those with low potential for condensation. For best results in Mississippi, windows must have a U value less than or equal to 0.50 and a solar heat gain factor (SHGF) less than or equal to 0.40, or must be Energy Star® or NFRC labeled.

The location of windows in your new home is also important. Daylighting is a technique of using natural light from the sun and the sky and incorporating it into your home via the windows. Using daylight is free and efficient, which translates to lower energy consumption and utility savings.

When using daylighting, be mindful of the seasons. In the summer, the sun’s rays are more intense. To avoid over-heating, window coverings or overhangs should be used to shield the windows from solar heat gain. In the winter, the sun moves on a different seasonal path creating less warmth. You may want to consider locating more windows on the south side of the home to take advantage of the natural solar affect, and locating fewer on the north facing windows. Plant trees on the south facing wall of your home to shade the home in the summer.

Windows must be installed correctly to protect moisturesensitive materials from rainwater intrusion. Install head flashing over the tops of the windows. Shingled drainage paper must be wrapped into the rough openings on the sides and bottom of the window. Pan flashing, which allows water that penetrates the window, or the window installation, to drain outside of the wall assembly and away from the house, must also be used at the bottom of the windows.

For more information about window installation and Best Building Practices contact me at gary@garynsmith.net or call me toll free: 1-877-809-6139.