What Is a Complete Thermal Enclosure System?

A complete thermal enclosure system is the combination of key home features that lead to maximum energy efficiency. Exterior doors and windows play critical roles in giving your home the thermal barrier it needs to preserve your desired indoor climate.

 

Learn about the elements of a complete thermal enclosure system below and know how windows and glazed doors contribute:

Air Sealing

Sealing every gap in your home traps the conditioned air inside and blocks the unwanted heat outside. Sturdy windows and doors are key to prevent drafts.

Not all fenestration products are built to be weathertight for a long period. Perennial temperature changes can cause building materials to expand and contract. Weak ones, like vinyl, crack and develop gaps after just a few years. Needless to say, select a material that’s rigid and stable enough to stay in good shape, season after season.

Also, pay attention to the way your windows open and close to keep air infiltration to a minimum. All operating units allow a certain amount of air in and out, but casement windows deliver the tightest seal.

Reduced Thermal Bridging

A thermal bridge is literally the pathway the heat uses to move from one place to another. Thermal bridging is often mentioned when walls are in question, but it happens to windows and doors, too. Since the inside of these fixtures can’t be totally hollow to stay durable, they must have thermal breaks to disrupt the transfer of heat.

For instance, our sliding patio doors feature two distinct thermal breaks in the threshold. In turn, they help prevent the outside world from interfering with your indoor climate.

High-Performance Glass

As far as glazed units, put your money on products with spectrally selective, low-emissivity (Low-E) coating. Unlike the average Low-E coating, it has more layers of coating to block more infrared and ultraviolet rays while letting in more sunlight.

Our bay, sliding, picture and double hung windows don’t just have a spectrally selective, multi-layer Low-E glass, they’re also reinforced by argon gas filling. Plus, we use a stainless steel spacer to conduct even less energy and increase thermal performance.

Give your home the complete thermal enclosure system it needs, starting with windows and patio doors by Dreamstyle Remodeling. Call us today at (877) 721-1590 to schedule your free, no-pressure, in-home consultation in Albuquerque at your convenience to talk about your project in detail.