Simple ways to save energy and utility costs

Simple ways to save energy and utility costs

1. Use power strips. With today’s technology we have got more than lights to worry about. At least when you turn a light off, it is off. Not so with your TV, your computer, you’re VCR, fax, copier, stereo and dozens of other appliances. (You can use a gadget called Kill-a-watt to check out you usage – it costs about $25)

Check it out. Wait until your laptop is shut down and check it out. Lights still on, right? And check out the power adapter. Maybe it's warm? That's because it's still using electricity. It's called phantom power, but on your electric bill, it's definitely real -- a few bucks a year per plug. If you have as many electronic gadgets as I do, that adds up fast. To save that money -- and the environment -- use power strips, and turn them off when you're not using what's plugged into them. Utilize energy saving power supplies. Fax/Copy machines, computer and monitors that power down automatically.

2. Buy fluorescent bulbs. (The incandescent is going to be outlawed in the near future) If you have tried fluorescent bulbs before and hated them, it's time to try again. They are also available for flood/spot lights. They are not the huge, clunky, and slow-to-turn-on, like they used to be. The newest ones -- twisted like a soft-serve ice cream cone -- turn on instantly and cast a warm light. Yes, they're more expensive (around $2-$5 each), but they use about a quarter of the electricity of a traditional incandescent bulb and last 10 times as long, so they end up saving you a ton of money.

Replacing just six incandescent bulbs will cut your annual carbon dioxide emissions by 600 pounds and trim your electric bill by as much as $35 each year. Install occupancy sensors indoor and or photocell for outside lighting; utilize solar/photovoltaic light fixtures and or LED for exterior lighting.

3. Buy 'green' energy. Almost every utility company now offers alternative sources of energy -- and some of it is green. (Your local utility will continue to bill you for the power. It will also charge you a per-kilowatt-hour fee for delivering the power. So be sure that when you compare prices, you are comparing the cost of the green power with what your utility is charging for supplying conventional power, not for delivering it.) Many power companies are mandated, to offer clean, emission-free electricity from several different providers. Signing up is a breeze. Our electricity now comes from wind and hydroelectric, and it costs us just a penny or two more per kilowatt hour than traditional power. (Check various economic tariffs available to you by the utility company).

4. Put plastic on your windows and caulk and putty. It can cost a fortune to replace old, leaky windows. But you can save significant amounts of heating oil much less expensively each winter with a simple clear-plastic-and-sticky-tape window insulation kit. If your windows, like mine, are too big for the standard sizes, get a patio door kit.

Once up, the insulation is almost invisible. For a small fraction of the cost of new windows, it will save you about half the energy that new windows would. For even greater savings, buy a programmable thermostat -- and program it. Surprisingly, about two thirds of the people who buy programmable thermostats never actually use the feature. Install ceiling fans. Outside the windows you can install awning or plant trees.

5. Buy polyester. Yes, really. A recent study by some Cambridge University scientists found that -- over their respective lives -- a polyester blouse uses about 45% of the energy of a cotton T-shirt.

True, the study makes some assumptions that may not apply to you: that you drip-dry the blouse and tumble-dry and iron the T-shirt, for instance. But the point is that the obvious environmental choice may not be the best one. Polyester takes a lot more energy than cotton to manufacture, but much less to maintain. When thinking about a product's environmental footprint, you need to look at its entire life cycle, from manufacture to disposal.

6. Put up a clothesline. To drip-dry all that polyester -- and your cotton, too -- try taking a page out of your grandmother's book and hang it on the line. Air-dried fabrics smell wonderful -- and those fresh breezes help to discourage wrinkles.

If you don't have a lot of outdoor space, get an umbrella dryer, which folds up when not in use. You'll save yourself about $85 a year -- and keep more than 1,500 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

7. Start a compost heap. Disposing of garbage -- whether by dumping it in landfills or by recycling it --

Takes energy. You can save that energy, and feed your garden, by using it for compost instead. No room in your garden? Or no garden at all? Get a worm composter; it will turn your kitchen scraps and shredded newspapers into rich, dark soil that your houseplants will love. (And no, they don't smell.)

8. Wrap your water heater. Americans spend $18 billion a year to heat water, and some simple measures could save about two-thirds of that cost.

You can cut the amount of fuel you use to heat the water (and save about $30 a year) by insulating your water heater with a simple jacket (available at most hardware stores for around $20). To save further, think about ways of using less hot water: fixing leaks, installing efficient showerheads, washing your clothes in cold water. When replacing water heater, use tankless system – you save energy and calcification of the pipes.

9. Dam your toilet. If you're concerned about the environment, you need to worry about cold water, too, since water itself is becoming an increasingly scarce resource.

Americans are water hogs; we use about 100 gallons a day each. And roughly one-third of that goes straight down the toilet. A toilet dam, which stops some of the water from leaving the tank when you flush, can cut that by as much as 20%, but it's a specialty product.

A more readily available product is called a "tank bank" -- a glorified plastic bottle with a valve that keeps some of the water in your tank from going out when you flush. The goal is to save water by preventing the tank from emptying completely each time you flush. You can even use an old plastic bottle from your recycling bin. Cost: $0. Utilize rainwater and shower waste water to water your lawn.

10. Buy antiques. Any time you buy a used product instead of a new one (especially from a local seller), you're making sure one less product has to be manufactured, packaged and shipped, with all the emissions those processes cause. In most cases, you'll save money as well.

Most manufacturers sell refurbished appliances that work as well as the new ones and cost a lot less. Some even come with the same warranty as a new one. For furniture, try Craigslist. For clothes, check out your local vintage shops. Chances are you'll not just save money, and the earth -- you'll get something with more style, too.

11. Insulate your attic and your HVAC ducts, Install attic fans, humidifiers, dehumidifiers and ERV – Energy Recovery Ventilation (it brings in fresh air and takes out stale polluted air from indoors)

12.  Many utilities and governmental agencies offer incentives, rebates, tax credits and financing for implementing energy efficiency and conservation (some offer free CFL light-bulbs and energy audits). Take advantage of those programs.

Take the pledge now to conserve energy:

Take the pledge now to conserve energy:


For my transportation, I pledge to...
take public transportation to work or school instead of driving at least 1 day a week
carpool to work or school at least 1 day a week
replace at least 5 miles of driving with biking or walking per week
inflate car tires properly, use recommended motor oil and keep car well tuned
buy fuel efficient vehicle (30 mpg)


At home, I pledge to...
turn off lights and appliances when not in use
use computer sleep mode at home and office, turn off computer at night
open the dishwasher and air dry dishes instead of using the hot air dry cycle, run only full loads
dry laundry on a clothesline
wash clothes on warm cycle, wash only full loads
turn down your hot water heater to 120F
shorten showers by a few minutes to conserve hot water
lower your thermostat by 1F during the winter season
adjust thermostat when you leave the house (10F down in winter, 10F up in summer)
keep up with basic furnace maintenance- have it professionally tuned and cleaned, replace air filters regularly
cook more efficiently- cover pots, use a pressure cooker when appropriate, keep burners clean, cook several dishes at a time in the oven, use microwave to heat food
keep drapes or blinds closed at night in winter and during the day in the summer to reduce heating and cooling needs
clean refrigerator coil every 4-6 months
replace at least 3 incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs
install faucet aerators in sinks to reduce hot water use
install low-flow shower heads to conserve hot water
insulate 4 ft of hot water pipes closest to hot water heater
insulate all hot water pipes
caulk and weatherstrip all your doors and windows
have a professional seal your heating ducts to reduce loss of heated air
install programmable thermostat
replace old inefficient dishwasher (over 10 years old) with an Energy Star model
replace old inefficient refrigerator (over 10 years old) with an Energy Star model
replace old inefficient clothes washing machine (over 10 years old) with an Energy Star model
improve your home's insulation
replace old furnace with efficient Energy Star model
install a solar hot water heater
eat one less beef meal per week

World will be forced to conserve energy this time

World will be forced to conserve energy this time

 

This time it is different. True, this is an oil shock akin to those that struck the world economy in the 1970s, for the price of oil -- even allowing for inflation -- is now a lot higher than it was at the 1979 peak. Those shocks pushed the world economy into two recessions, in the mid- 1970s and the early 1980s, and helped drive inflation into double digits in most of the developed world. Unemployment soared as interest rates were raised to try to curb inflation. But then the oil price fell back again as new fields came into production and countries made a start on conserving oil.
So will the surge in the oil price have similar consequences this time? It is a tough judgment because we don't know how high oil will go, but it looks likely that this oil shock will have a less damaging impact than in the 1970s. However, since the price is unlikely to fall back as far, it will have a more lasting impact on our way of life.
Since oil is the largest single source of global energy, larger than natural gas or coal, and far larger than nuclear or renewables, a rising oil price pushes up the price of everything, including food. That squeezes living standards still further.
As a result some countries may well be pushed into recession. There is a good chance that will happen in the US and maybe here in the United Kingdom, though in both instances the prime culprit would be the end of the housing booms. The surge in the oil price just happens to come at a very bad time. But even if this does happen there are a number of reasons to suppose that the world will continue to carry on growing, despite the pressure from oil.
One, of course, is the size of China in the world economy. Last year for the first time it added more demand for oil to the world than the United States. Demand from India, Russia and other large economies is strong too.
The high oil price speeds up the shift of power from the "old" developed world to the "new."
Another is that inflation, while rising, is far lower than it was in the 1970s or indeed the 1980s. So there is much less need to crunch it down with high interest rates.
Still another is that the world is much better at conserving energy than it was 30 years ago. We use roughly half as much energy to produce a unit of GDP now than in the 1970s. But if we can probably cope better, we should not expect cheap energy to return for two main reasons. One is that demand from China, India and other fast-growing economies will remain strong: their growth will offset their efforts to conserve energy. The other is that there is no longer spare capacity; some geologists believe we may be close to peak oil production. Whether that proves right or not, there is certainly no easy oil to find and while alternatives such as biofuels are being developed they will take years to make a material difference.
In a way, though, this is good news. This time the world will be forced to continue its efforts to conserve energy. The market will drive us to reduce our carbon emissions. Many would say: about time too.

Small businesses conserve energy to curb costs

Small businesses conserve energy to curb costs

That means lights out at nighttime and fryers off during off-peak hours

NEW YORK - The lights go out at night after the last wash at Jim Whitmore's five coin laundries — no longer does he use a fully lit store as advertising. And at Todd Waldemar's Wing Zone store, he's shutting down some of the fryers during off-peak times.

Small business owners are getting pinched by the soaring prices of oil, gasoline and other fuels, eating into their profits as they gas up vehicles, heat and cool their premises and run machinery. Often, they turn to commonsense solutions to save energy and money.

For example, no longer flooding a store with light at nighttime.

"We used to use it as a way to advertise our stores — people drive by at night and would see clean stores," said Whitmore, whose laundries are in the Boston area. He said his energy costs have gone up 10 percent to 15 percent in the last year.

Small businesses have had to become creative and smarter to cut energy costs. Companies that do a lot of deliveries as part of their business — florists, for example — have been reducing the number of delivery runs they make each day. They're also using mapping software to find the shortest routes, and making sure vans and trucks are filled as much as possible to capacity.

Many that consume a lot of energy buy contracts ahead of time to get oil or natural gas at a set price. And many business owners invest in more energy-efficient machinery or switch their heating systems to wood or other alternative fuels from oil or natural gas.

Whitmore is in the process of replacing his washers and dryers, and is searching for machines that will use less energy and water, reducing his costs over the long term. He sees a side benefit of going greener: By advertising that his laundries are more environmentally friendly.

"Hopefully some of it will flow to the bottom line and help pay for the new equipment," he said.

At Ranch Rudolf, a resort in Traverse City, Mich., owner Sid Hamill has replaced most of his heating system with a wood-burning furnace. He estimates it's saving him between $10,000 and $12,000 a year in fuel costs.

Since his business is located on 195 acres of land, he cuts most of the wood he burns from his own trees.

"The wood works well for me," Hamill said, and estimated that the new heating system "basically has paid for itself."

He's still using some regular fuel, but is hoping that fairly soon he'll be able to switch the entire property to wood-burning energy.

Rising energy costs are forcing some companies to shorten their operating hours — a sacrifice in particular for restaurants that pride themselves on being open 24/7.

Phil Greifeld, chief executive officer of the Huddle House restaurant chain, said the company is allowing its less-profitable franchisees to close at midnight, although Huddle House has advertised itself as "always open, always fresh, 24 hours a day."

"There was a lot of internal debate about it, but it's a good thing we did that in terms of helping people to control their costs," Greifeld said. The result: Those restaurants that are closing at midnight are making more money.

Other steps Atlanta-based Huddle House is taking include reconfiguring its seating arrangements, to allow restaurants to accommodate more customers and increase their volume. The company, which has 440 restaurants in 17 states, is also working with equipment manufacturers on burners that turn the gas on when a pan is placed on the stove and turn it off when a pan is removed.

"It really does add up" in saving money on energy, Greifeld said, and added about cutting costs, "it's something you have to work on day in and day out."

While businesses try to cut costs as much as possible, most are ultimately forced to pass some of the higher energy prices on to customers. Delivery charges are going up, manufacturers are repricing their goods and restaurants are raising their menu prices. Generally, small business owners say their customers understand — energy prices are going up for them as well.

Waldemar uses independent delivery drivers for his Norfolk, Va., Wing Zone stores, and they're asking for more money per trip. "Eventually, it's passed on to the consumer, because that's how it works," he said.

But Waldemar is also contending with rising fuel costs for cooking the chicken wings and other food he sells, plus higher electricity prices. He estimates that his propane costs alone have risen 30 percent to 40 percent over the past year.

So, one solution is to turn off unused fryers during down times.

"There's only so much I can do," Waldemar said.

He's also looking at more fuel-efficient equipment as he plans to expand. He has two stores now, and plans to open one more in January and another in March.

Raising prices isn't easy, though, for many small business owners, because of the competition they face. Whitmore noted that his pricing is expressed in minutes — the number of minutes a customer gets of dryer time per quarter. He can cut the drying time only so much before customers, who tend to be lower-income and not able to pay much more, might go elsewhere.

"We're in a competitive market, and our competitors are not always eager to play ball," he said.

More businesses embrace greener commuting

More businesses embrace greener commuting

Employee incentives sometimes include free bikes or monthly prizes

High gas prices and the ongoing concern for the environment have prompted an increasing number of environmentally sensitive businesses to focus attention outside of the workplace and on those carpool lanes, bike lanes and even sidewalks.

Many businesses are now encouraging and rewarding employees who use alternate forms of transportation to get to and from work. For some companies, it means paying the daily fares and footing the bill for mass transit for their employees. Other companies are rewarding carpoolers with prizes such as gift cards to local businesses.

While carpooling has attracted fewer than 8 percent of the nation's daily commuters, vanpooling has emerged as another option, with companies hiring vans, designating a driver (or rotating drivers) and giving commuters the opportunity to relax en route to the office. According to the Santa Barbara County Van Pools in Southern California, riders pay anywhere from $100 to $175 per month, depending on the distance to and from the destination, which typically beats paying for gas. In some cases, companies are setting up their own vanpools, such as those used by Safeco Insurance, which offers incentives to employees who use any of the 80 active vanpools that are set up throughout the country.

Biking to and from the office is also gaining popularity: "We give out a bicycle to everyone who has worked at the company for at least one year," says Bryan Simpson of New Belgium Beer in Fort Collins, Colo. The environmentally driven brewery, which runs on the power of wind turbines, has seen more employees biking than your average brewery and even hosts a philanthropic bike festival called the Tour de Fat, which celebrates bicycling as a viable form of transportation.

Encouraging 'greener' commuting
Joshua Scott Onysko, founder and CEO of Boulder, Colo.-based Pangea Organics, who also gives mass transit passes to employees, sat down with his staffers to determine what else could be done to encourage "greener" commuting. "We found that a lot of people would bike to work but needed a place to change and dry off," explains Onysko. "We responded by turning 500 square feet of our facility into lockers and showers for employees biking to work."

For those who are not avid bikers, there's always another basic, earth-friendly alternative. "I walk to my office every day," says Kelly LaPlante, founder of Kelly LaPlante Organic Design in Venice, Calif. "In fact, everybody who works for us, more than part time, is within walking distance. We prefer people who live close to us who can walk to work. It helps us decrease our carbon footprint," says LaPlante, adding that the company certainly wouldn't turn anybody away who is talented just because they're not living nearby.

Along with providing incentives and amenities for bike riders and walkers, it behooves a company to initiate alternative commuting. With that in mind, RideSpring, a Santa Cruz, Calif., company that matches commuters online offers rewards to individuals for their "greener" commuting efforts. "The most popular place to organize a carpool is at work, but very few companies have a system in place to help people find matches," says RideSpring founder Paul T. McGrath.

With that in mind, RideSpring sets up specific password-protected Web sites for companies where employees can post and find ride information and subsequently win individual monthly prizes, such as $300 toward REI purchases or $400 toward Apple goodies, simply by using alternative means of commuting. In addition, RideSpring compiles trip-reduction statistics on a daily basis so that business owners can evaluate the effectiveness of their programs.

"[RideSpring uses] a formula that essentially gives us the number of commuting miles saved, gas saved and reduction of CO2 emissions. This allows us to tell our employees how much they are helping the environment so that they can continue to use the RideSpring program," explains Mark Parnes, assistant general counsel and green team member at the Palo Alto, Calif., office of the law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. The firm has seen a positive response to its RideSpring incentive program.

Transportation alternativesTo get started with a green commuting program, companies can do their own workplace commuting evaluations. "Companies can do workplace transportation audits to look at what infrastructure and policies are in place now and see where changes can be made to help develop green commuting action plans," says Jessie Klassen, coordinator of workplace transportation for Resource Conservation Manitoba, a nonprofit center for applied sustainability based in Manitoba, Canada.

According to Klassen, who helps businesses develop such green commuting plans, one of the principal reasons that commuters shy away from greener modes of transportation is the inconvenience of not having accessibility to a car during the day.

This problem is being addressed by Zipcar, which merged with Flexcar in October 2007. The company provides low-emission, fuel-efficient vehicles that can be conveniently parked near any business and ready for whoever is signed up and holds an access card. Companies that sign up can have employee rules in place for using the "instant car" for which they are charged an hourly rate, which includes gas, insurance and maintenance. Such easy access to a car can provide peace of mind for those employees who are uncomfortable about not having an available vehicle in case of an emergency, such as a call from their child's school.

Slowly but surely, companies are making efforts to entice their workforce to make the switch to alternative transportation. Even communities are jumping on board. For example, Boulder, Colo., features the annual Bike to Work Day Business Challenge, pitting businesses in different size categories against one another to see who can have the most employees pedal their way to work. Meanwhile, in Central Oklahoma, there is also a Bike to Work Day; in Santa Barbara, Calif., there's Bike to Work Week; and according to the League of American Bicyclists, May is National Bike Month, with biking events scheduled in various states throughout the month.

Solutions for Summer Heat

Keep cool and save on your electric bills at the same time.

 

Keeping Your Cool

Save money, energy and the sweat of your brow with these basic steps to battle the summer swelter.

Block the sun. If you're installing new windows, your best defense against sun is heat-reflecting or low-emissivity windows. These windows contain a thin film sealed inside double-pane glass to slow heat absorption in summer and heat loss in winter.

Install film on existing windows. One type of film -- a window tint -- absorbs solar radiation; the other -- a reflective film -- reflects the sun's rays and is more transparent than the window tint. Install the type best suited to the climate in which you live. Films are left on windows year-round. Both should last at least 10 years.

Insulate your attic. If you live in a climate where summers are hot and winters are mild, also consider installing a radiant barrier -- a layer of foil to deflect radiant heat. Radiant barriers, however, do not replace the need for other insulation.

Attach awnings. Buy ready-made fabric or aluminum awnings, or build wood awnings that complement your house. Install awnings on east-, south-, and west-facing windows.

Mount outside sunscreens. Block the sun by covering windows that receive direct sunlight with screenings of bamboo, wood, fiberglass, or polypropylene.

Hang light-color interior shades. Reflect the sun with shades made with a shiny outer surface. Some fabric shades are backed by light-reflective materials.

Install a whole-house fan. If the humidity in your area isn't too uncomfortable, mount a whole-house fan in the ceiling just below the attic. These fans draw in cool air through open windows at night and push out hot air through attic vents.

Cross-ventilate. Exhaust air any time the temperature outside is cooler than it is inside. Make sure air can come in one open window and leave freely through another.

Add operative skylights. Hot air rises, so let it out at the top of the room through a new skylight. You can buy skylights with tinted glass to cut down on solar heat gain.

Update your older windows

Windows can add a lot to a home's character. But if they're old and worn, they can also add to your heating and cooling bills.
From Better Homes and Gardens

In older houses, faulty windows can account for a third of the total heat loss in winter and as much as 75 percent of interior heat gain in summer. Look for the following telltale signs that a window has lost its effectiveness:

• Stand inside your house on a windy day with a lit candle near the window's operative edge. If the flame flickers or goes out, your weather stripping might be damaged.
• During the winter, if a window develops ice buildup or a frosty glaze on the interior of the pane, the ventilation in your home may not be adequate. Another possibility is that your window may not be providing enough insulation value, a situation that can make your heating bills soar.
• If you need to prop open your window with a book or a stick, the window may have lost its functionality.
• Sit near your window. If you feel cold air coming in during the winter or warm air during the summer, your windows have little insulation value. This means you're paying more to heat and cool your house to compensate for the exterior air entering your home.
• Do your windows get fogged with condensation? If so, you may have a seal failure and need to replace the glazing or the entire window.

In some cases, replacing broken panes and tending to loose or missing weather stripping may buy some time. If your windows are old and ill-fitting, however, you need more than stopgaps. (Read more about securing windows.)


Replacement window options
Wood is the choice of most homeowners. Wood is strong, insulates well, and has natural appeal and a warm look. It needs exterior maintenance, and interior surfaces can be painted, stained, or finished any number of ways.


Vinyl windows do not need to be painted or stained—a plus on the exterior. They offer good insulation value and strength, making them a viable alternative to wood.


Aluminum windows have a stronger frame but poorer insulation than wood or vinyl. They're fine in areas with a mild climate, and are also used for commercial applications.


Fiberglass combines the higher strength and stability of aluminum with the insulating properties of wood and vinyl. Fewer options are available at this time, as fiberglass is just beginning to show up in the window market.


Combination windows are available with wood on the interior and vinyl or aluminum on the exterior, combining the look of wood with a low-maintenance exterior material. This is known as "cladding" (as in vinyl-clad or aluminum-clad). (Read more about window shopping.)


Features to consider
Energy efficiency. Almost any good-quality window available today incorporates two pieces of glass with a sealed airspace between then as a buffer between indoors and out. Some windows are even triple-paned. You may have the option of argon gas instead of air between the glass to further the window's insulating abilities. Most window manufacturers also offer such options as low-E glass, which reflects heat and screens out the sun's rays.


Design. Windows are available in shapes ranging from quarter rounds to ovals. Consider an arrangement of smaller windows instead of one large one, or vice versa.


Ease of installation. The easiest type of replacement window is a frame-within-a-frame design that can be installed in an existing frame without disturbing walls or trimwork. Some are sold in kit form, complete with hardware, for standard sizes. If your original windows have divided lights or panes, look for multipane replacements or snap-in grilles that match glass dividers on the old units as closely as possible. If your windowsills are rotting or damaged, however, you'll need to replace the old frame as well.


Ease of maintenance. Weather-resistant materials will reduce your regular maintenance; vinyl or aluminum-clad exteriors need no painting. For ease of cleaning, choose windows that tilt in or open from the side. Many double-hung windows now come with tilting sashes so both interior and exterior glass surfaces can be cleaned from inside the house.


Function. Tempered glass is required by code for certain applications, such as glass doors and some window installations with low sill height. For more extreme conditions, such as coastal environments, consider laminated impact-resistant glass designed to withstand hurricane-force winds and the impact of airborne debris.


Hardware. Some manufacturers offer improved hardware for crank-out windows such as casements and awnings -- specifically, collapsible or low-profile handles that don't interfere with blinds or other window coverings. Others offer a variety of style options for latches and locks. To be safe, ask about these and any other convenience features before the units end up in your walls. Also, try the hardware in the showroom. Does the window lock, unlock, and open easily? This test gives you a feel for the window's usability and its overall quality as well.


Cost guidelines
Broadly, vinyl and wood are the least expensive, fiberglass costs more, and clad windows are even more. That said, a general price range for an average size (30-inch by 48-inch) window is $100 to $200, which will be higher in urban areas.


More features—like tilting versions and higher E-ratings—increase the cost, although sometimes as the price and quality increase, more options are included. Differences in the up-front purchase price of a window may eventually be offset by other factors. Energy efficiency and a no-maintenance exterior will offset the up-front cost difference over time. Second, installation and labor costs could actually be higher for an "economy-grade" all-wood window, if you factor in charges for painting, and how much sooner you may have to replace it than a window made from more durable material.


One way to keep your window costs from rising is to avoid special orders. Try to work with standard sizes from a manufacturer, and select from the standard styles and features that your local retailer stocks.