Living Like Ed Read Online Free PDF

in another house someday.
    Choosing the Right Windows
    Window technology has become so advanced that you can now get windows that have been fabricated specifically for your climate. Somebody who lives in Minnesota wouldn’t want to install the same windows as somebody who lives in Miami. Not only is there obviously a dramatic difference in temperatures between those two regions, but there’s also a difference in the amount and the strength of direct sunlight.
    To meet the needs of homeowners living in different places—and working with different budgets—window manufacturers offer all kinds of options. Besides double-pane windows, there are triple- and even quadruple-pane windows. Though they are a little more expensive, triple-pane windows are a good match if you live in an environment that has harsh, long winters. It’s just another added layer of protection from heat transfer.
    You also can find windows with a larger airspace between panes, which also increases energy efficiency. And you can find windows with gas (usually argon) instead of air between the panes. Argon is denser and has lower conductivity than air, so it reduces heat loss—or heat gain—through the window even more.
    Windows are offered with different coatings, too. Tinted glass and tinted window films are designed to reduce heat gain through windows—primarily for people in warm climates. Windows with low-e, or low-emissivity, coatings come in different styles to meet different needs. Some are designed for people in cold-weather areas to reduce heat
loss
through the windows in winter. Others are designed for people in hot climates to reduce heat
gain
through the windows in summer.
    Making Any Windows More Efficient
    Even if you aren’t ready for the expense of replacing your windows—or if you’re renting a home right now—there are ways to make the windows you already have more energy efficient.

                      Curtains, blinds, shades, and shutters are a fantastic way to add color and texture to a room. They give you a great opportunity to show off an accent color from a couch or bring a new, dramatic feel into your bedroom. They can make an impressive interior design statement. But did you know they’re also a great way to save energy?
    This is especially true in the winter. At night when it’s cooler, just close your curtains to keep the heat in your home. In the morning when you wake up, push the curtains back and let the sun shine in to brighten and warm up your rooms. It’s so simple, but it really can lower your heating bill, which saves you energy . . . and gives you more money to spend on clothes and makeup!

    It’s important to mention that not all window treatments go on the
inside
of your home. You can mount awnings outside—particularly on south- and west-facing windows—to block the hot summer sun.
    As you know, the sun is much higher in the sky during the summer. Awnings—as well as eaves and overhangs on the outside of a house—will block that really hot summer sun, reducing your cooling costs. When the sun gets lower in the sky in the wintertime, as it moves toward the winter solstice, it’s able to reach beneath the awnings and hit your windows, helping to heat your rooms for free. That is the beauty of the wraparound porches that you see on older homes, particularly in the South.
    But you don’t have to do a major remodel to get these same benefits in your home. Relatively inexpensive awnings are a very effective way to turn your home into a passive solar house.
    You can achieve a similar effect by planting deciduous trees—trees that lose their leaves in the fall and winter. Plant them on the south side of your home—and perhaps to the west and east as well—where they will shade your house from the baking sun in summer. And in winter-time, what happens? The leaves drop off those trees, allowing the sun to warm your house.

    In lieu of double-pane windows—or any of the more expensive