If you have been shopping for replacement windows for your home or business, you have undoubtedly encountered the phrase “energy efficient windows.” It is obvious that these windows are designed to save energy—and money—but just how do they accomplish this?

There are several ways windows today are made to be energy efficient and when they are all combined together, they can create an exceptionally energy efficient window that can substantially decrease your heating and cooling costs.

Thermal windows are a type of window with energy efficient features. Thermal replacement windows, sometimes called thermal pane windows, are windows that are made up of multiple panes of high-performance energy efficient glass—making them more energy efficient than standard single pane windows.

Washing your windows, especially your exterior windows, can be a daunting task. Not only are windows sometimes difficult to reach, but too often when you are finished, you find that your windows are streaky—leaving you to think the results were hardly worth the effort.

Are you looking for replacement windows for your home or business, but unsure what is on the market? If this is your first time shopping for windows or you haven’t shopped for windows in many years, the replacement window market is a lot more diverse than many people think. There are hundreds of window selections out there, so we’d like to help you out. Below are four of the most commonly installed types of replacement windows on the market: