We're committed to offering our customers professional advice and industry-leading information to make their window and door purchases easier, and to support our products long after the sale. We're proud to offer the following resources.
Also see our Window Test Results, Glossary and Downloads & Links Page!
Some common window and door questions and answers
How can I select an energy-efficient window, door or skylight?
Choose a window or door that is ENERGY STAR® qualified. ENERGY STAR qualified windows, doors and skylights will save you money by reducing your energy costs up to 12 percent. They will also help keep your home comfortable all year-round, reduce outside noise, and, depending on the amount of humidity in your home, will have a lot less condensation in cold weather.
Listen now as Peter Turkstra discusses independent ENERGY STAR window evaluations.
Turkstra Windows is proud to be a participating ENERGY STAR manufacturer. The products we manufacture are rated on Canada's ENERGY STAR website, so you can learn about the efficiency of every product you require before you purchase. View our Windows test results here.
Canada is divided into four general climate zones, as shown at right. The ENERGY STAR climate zone rating for a window, door or skylight is indicated either on its label or supporting literature. Select a model that is qualified for the climate zone where you live. To enhance your energy savings, select a model that qualifies for a colder zone than where the product will be installed.
Glossary >
What is Low E glass and what does it do?
Turkstra Windows Low E and Argon windows have been designed for our climate, where the heating season dominates the cooling season. There are two general types of Low E glass which can be supplied by any window manufacture and they are generally known as Hard-Coat Low E or Soft-Coat Low E.
The primary difference between these types of Low E glass is that Soft-Coat Low E blocks more heat from the sun (generally they have a lower Solar Heat Gain Coefficient than Hard Coat). Hard-Coat Low E generally allows more free energy to enter your home in the cold winter months. The Canadian Government's ENERGY STAR program reflects the benefits of Hard-Coat Low E in its Energy Rating of all windows. There is no doubt that Hard-Coat Low E is the best product for our climate. Which is why Turkstra Windows is proud to supply our windows with Pilkington Energy Advantage Low E glass.
Many manufacturers using Soft-Coat Low E believe that the higher R value that Soft-Coat products generally provide is more important in our climate. They are wrong, and the ENERGY STAR program reflects this. The benefits of the high solar heat gain coefficient that Hard-Coat low E products generally give you far out way the slightly higher R values that soft coat low E products provide.
Please click here for further details on this great source of free energy to your home and be sure that you don’t get fooled by slick sales-people claiming that R values are more important in our climate than ER values! Remember that ENERGY STAR is administered by an unbiased government body whose only purpose is to ensure that Canadians are buying the most energy-efficient products..
Glossary >
What is argon gas, and what does it do?
Argon is a colourless odorless gas that can be used to fill the airspace between panes of insulating glass. It is an inert, non-toxic gas. Adding argon between two panes of glass greatly increases the thermal performance of a window by minimizing heat transfer.
Glossary >
Combined, low E glass and argon gas can be a source of free energy in your home!
In winter, the sun's lower position in the sky lets windows take full advantage of this source of free energy. In summer. energy advantage glass helps block the transfer of heat to your homes interior to keep it cooler and easier to air condition.
Low Emissivity Argon (LEA) Technology
Turkstra windows keep the cold out in winter, the heat out in summer. Thanks to LEA technology, a Turkstra window will retain 33% more heat inside your home than windows made with clear glass. What’s more, a Turkstra window will also generate heat in your home. In tests, our windows are proven to contribute more than 200% more heat to a house than ordinary windows. So, in effect, with a Turkstra window, you’re not just installing a window, you’re also installing a source of free heating energy (a non-polluting source). What exactly is Low Emissivity Argon Technology? It’s a combination of a thin metallic coating on the glass and a harmless, environmentally-safe argon gas injected into the air space for maximum energy efficiency. Plus, there’s added benefits - argon also significantly cuts ultraviolet light to decrease fading, reduces condensation, and reduces that drafty feeling you can have near the windows.
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Performance Comparison |
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| Energy Advantage Low E Window |
Uncoated Double-Glazed Window |
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| UV Transmittance (%) | 53 | 64 |
| Winter Nighttime R-Value U-Value |
2.86 .35 |
2.04 .49 |
| Argon Gass Filled R-Value U-Value |
3.33 .30 |
2.17 .46 |
| Inside Glass Temperature | 55 degrees F | 45 degrees F |
| Condensation Resistance Factor (CRF) | 75 | 64 |
| Shading Coefficient | .85 | .89 |
Are my windows causing condensation on the inside of the glass?
The Canadian Standards Associatino (CSA) notes many variables that can influence the formation of condensation, including:
- air leakage, through the window and around its perimeter;
- relative humidity of the interior air (the higher the humidity the greater the potential for condensation);
- where the window is installed in the wall (windows installed farther to the outside of the wall tend to exhibit more condensation);
- curtains, drapes, or blinds, which tend to restrict air movement on the window and thus promote condensation;
- the presence (or absence) of convection heaters below the window;
- placing objects (plants, photographs, books, and so on) on the windowsill, which tends to restrict air movement on the window and thus promote condensation.
(Courtesy CSA website)
Glossary >
What is a transom?
A transom is a small, typically rectangular or fanlight window above a door - or occassionally over another window. Some transoms may open to allow cross-ventillation, while others are strictly decorative. Glossary >
What is the difference between a French door, a garden door and a patio door?
Different door styles fit different applications in your home.
A French door is a door with multiple glass panes extending for most or all of its length. They are often installed as a pair - or in multiple pairs - where one of the pair may be fixed indefinitely with locks or posts.They are most frequently used at the back of a home leading to a deck, garden or patio, but may also be used as a single interior door. Glossary >
A Garden door is usually installed in a pair or in a group of three panels. One panel operates as a regular door while the other panel opens window-style and comes complete with screen. On three-wide Garden door units the third panel remains fixed.
A Patio door is sliding door made of two large panes of glass set in sashes, with one pane stationary and one operable. The glass in a patio door may extend from top to bottom, or the bottom of the door may include a decorative panel. Patio doors are available in a wide range of widths.
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Many people ask us about increasing the R-value of their windows by adding a third pane of glass to the usual double-glass sealed units. Discover the truth about triple-glazed windows and learn the best way to evaluate the overall performance of a window... |
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