Do Replacement Windows Really Pay For Themselves in Las Vegas?

When you first think about replacing your windows, one of the biggest factors in your mind is generally how much it’ll cost. Most people are often scared away by the prices of windows nowadays. However, if you really look at it, windows can generally be a huge upgrade for your home, not only for comfort, but for money. Windows, like most things around the house, are a long term investment. You won’t see the ROI instantly after installation, matter of fact, you’ll likely only see small changes in temperature, or in money. But with enough time, like all other long term investments, you’ll see that this upgrade can possibly save you thousands of dollars.

You may not even realize it, but your house could be leaking a huge amount of warm/cool air. When your house is leaking like this, it could be leaking from one of many places, however the most common locations for leaks include the ducts and your windows. Sometimes, windows aren’t properly sealed, causing a minor leak. This, or since they’re cheaper windows, they can just naturally let out more air than other windows. Windows are an upgrade many experts recommend, as with a better, higher quality window, you can stop air leaks all together and reduce the energy cost of running your AC system (energystar).

Older homes in Las Vegas may benefit from a window upgrade more than newer places. Older homes have, well, older windows, this can create a leak, as stated previously. One research study was conducted to test retrofitting windows onto older homes. The study found that window upgrades can actually contribute to your annual energy savings, however, this also depends on the home's location, existing conditions, and the type of retrofit you install (ORNL). A good amount of the time you retrofit new windows, however, you’ll see a decrease in your energy bill, saving you money.

One of my biggest points I would like to make is the ROI for replacement windows. Windows are one of the most expensive parts of a house, running you up 400-1600 dollars for different qualities of a window. When you look at the price of windows, you’re likely immediately deterred by it, with them being a costly purchase and all. A study by Berkeley labs estimates that windows, of all things, are responsible for a majority of heating energy consumption. This means, the biggest money drain in your home is generally just your windows. Think of those 400 dollars as a long term investment. When you get them installed, you’ll save thousands of dollars in energy savings alone. Not only this, but you save the world’s energy consumption by many many times. These 2 reasons, combined with general comfort, are all in all, all the reasons you would need to replace your windows. (Berkeley Labs)

If you ever think about windows, the main thing you’ll be looking for is a way to cut down on prices. Some windows are marketed more expensive than others due to factors like keeping heat in better, or absorbing heat from the sun better to make your house warmer. However, a study the NREL had shown otherwise. Sometimes, companies offer these things to get sales on higher costing products, when in reality, these products are about the same as their lower priced partners. In other words, if you’re shopping for windows, pick windows from someone you’ve worked with before and trust. Don’t pick windows that are advertised as something that may not even be the case. You can save money this way. (NREL)

Your home's resale value is very important. Almost everything I’ve talked about has been about energy savings. While this can save you money, you won’t get the window’s installation money back from this alone. Where you’ll get back the majority of your spent money is your actual home’s value. Once new windows are installed, you could get back 60%-80% of your money back from installation. If you wait a couple years, you could get back 100% and then some. (consumerreports)

Taken all together, I see these benefits outweighing the negatives of installing new windows. Not only will you likely be much more comfortable in your home by installing new windows, you could also increase your home's resale value while lowering your energy bill. Installing new windows can be very expensive, but with enough time, they could pay themselves back. If you’re thinking about some home improvements, I would recommend doing windows, as there’s really only benefits to them.

Sources – 

https://www.ornl.gov/publication/experimental-and-analytical-evaluation-wall-and-window-retrofit-configurations-0

https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/research-reports/remodeling-impact

https://docs.nlr.gov/docs/fy19osti/70967.pdf

https://bies.lbl.gov/publications/savings-energy-efficient-windows

https://www.energystar.gov/products/energy_star_home_upgrade/windows_and_storm_windows