According to data collected by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average American pays nearly $121 per month for electricity, which adds up to $1,452 a year. Optimizing your windows and doors is one of the biggest ways to help reduce energy costs. In fact, upgrading to ENERGY STAR-qualified windows can help you save on yearly household energy bills. These savings can even be up to $500 a year, depending on your location and the type of window you’re upgrading from. Keep reading to learn about the six most energy-efficient window providers in 2023, their costs, ratings, and much more.
The best windows to improve your home’s energy efficiency have multiple panes of glass, an ENERGY STAR certification, and other features like argon gas fill.
Here is our list of the top window replacement companies that offer efficient window options and what makes them stand out:
So, what makes a window energy-efficient? These are the top features you should look for when selecting high-performance windows to improve your home’s energy efficiency:
| Champion | Renewal by Andersen | Window Nation | Universal Windows Direct | Window World | Castle Windows | |
| Product Offerings (out of 40) |
34 | 35 | 35 | 29 | 38 | 30 |
| Affordability (out of 25) |
21 | 20 | 21 | 25 | 21 | 18 |
| Company Reputation (out of 15) |
10.5 | 12.5 | 7.5 | 10.5 | 12.5 | 12.5 |
| Service Offerings (out of 10) |
10 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 8 |
| Warranty & Support (out of 10) |
10 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 10 |
| Total Score (out of 100) |
85.5 | 81.5 | 76.5 | 80.5 | 85.5 | 78.5 |
Energy-saving windows combine multiple energy-efficient features, like gas fill, multiple windowpanes, Low-E tints, and more. The combination of them reduces your energy costs, improves your home’s value, and provides other benefits like noise reduction.
Dual-pane windows have better insulation, reduce air leakage, and stop UV rays from entering the home and fading your furniture and wall decorations. You can expect lower energy bills when you upgrade to more energy-efficient windows. Low-E glass tints insulates your home during the winter, which helps keep heating bills low, and lowers summer air conditioning costs by decreasing the ultraviolet rays that warm your home. Tinted windows are another option for reducing natural light and furniture fading.
No homeowner wants to lie down for a good night’s sleep only to hear neighbors and traffic. Many energy-efficient windows double as excellent noise reducers, primarily because they use double or triple panes and tight seals.
Window condensation causes paint to peel, wood to rot, and creates spots on your ceilings and walls. It can also provide mold with the water it needs to grow. Less condensation is easier on your wallet long-term because you won’t have as many home repairs.
Energy-efficient windows are made in multiple ways, and they often include a combination of features to get the most energy savings. Typically, this is achieved by combining efficient window glass and an efficient window frame material. Our breakdown of these energy-efficient options is below.
Double-pane and triple-pane glass are the most common types of window glass used in energy-efficient homes. The more insulative the frame material is, the more energy-efficient the glass will be, which is why triple-pane windows are the most highly recommended. Low-E glass tints are another critical choice for window glass because they reflect UV and infrared light, which can unnecessarily warm the house and make your HVAC system work overtime. We recommend a triple-pane window with a Low-E glass tint for the most bang for your buck and the highest energy efficiency.
Window frames made from vinyl, or fiberglass, are high-quality, durable, and energy-efficient because of the tight fit and UV ray resistance. Aluminum windows transfer hot and cold temperatures, making them less energy-efficient than wood and vinyl windows. Lastly, wood windows are an excellent energy-efficient window frame material. However, this material requires significant maintenance and is much more expensive than other window frame materials. Our preferred type for efficient window frame materials is vinyl because it’s widely available, more affordable, and energy-efficient.
In addition to being better for the environment, energy-efficient windows are money-savers that can make a significant difference in your yearly energy bills and more.
Homeowners can earn up to $3,200 a year to reduce the cost of energy-efficient home improvements by up to 30%. Improvements include installing insulation and adding energy-efficient windows, heat pumps, and solar panels.
When upgrading to ENERGY STAR-certified windows, you’ll find that they provide better insulation, reducing your heating and cooling costs by an estimated 12%.
You invest a lot of money on your wood floors, drapes, carpets, and furniture. The last thing you want is to have sunlight fade these items. Efficient windows reduce UV rays entering the home, protecting your home and furniture from sun damage.
The best energy-efficient window for your home will depend on your location, climate, budget, and what you’re upgrading from. Fortunately, many window providers on the market offer various energy-efficient window options. We recommend taking advantage of window providers’ free estimates and consultations and scheduling appointments with representatives from multiple window brands like Champion and Renewal by Andersen.
At Today’s Homeowner, we strive to bring you the most transparent, accurate information for your home improvement projects. Our window company ratings emphasize what matters most to you — a wide range of well-designed products with reliable installation and great curb appeal. Our ratings are based on publicly available information about each company, secret shopping online and over the phone, customer-review analysis, and discussions with renovation and building experts. A company can earn a maximum of 100 points across five categories, converted to a five-star scale. We researched dozens of windows installation and replacement companies to develop the following formula:
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