Replacement Windows with Argon Gas

You know you need replacement windows and you are looking forward to the changes in you heating bill. But it can get confusing with all the different options available for increasing the energy efficiency of replacement windows.  One of the options available is argon gas but what is it and how does it work to increase the energy efficiency of replacement windows.

Technically speaking argon gas is a chemical element represent by the symbol Ar.  Argon is the third most common gas in the Earth's atmosphere making it more common than carbon dioxide.  The name "argon" is derived from the Greek word αργον meaning "lazy" or "the inactive one", a reference to the fact that the element undergoes almost no chemical reactions.  Argon is colorless, odorless, and nontoxic as a solid, liquid and gas.

Argon gas in relationship to replacement windows is used to improve the thermal insulation of the window unit.  Thermal insulation is referring to the reduction of transference of heat from one side of the glass unit to the other.  In other words, the argon gas provides a region of insulation in which heat flow is reduced, keeping the more heat inside the house in the winter and the hot air outside in the summer.  This thermal insulation is measured quantitatively by its thermal capabilities and is assigned a measurement called the R-Value.  The higher the R-Value the better the thermal insulation is.

Argon gas in replacement windows becomes more important based on the climate in which you live.  The farther North you live the more significant the option of argon gas in your replacement windows becomes.  Buying replacement windows is an investment in your home, choosing the right energy efficient options is an investment in the comfort of your family.