These are selected independent internet sources that may help you as you learn more about the features and benefits of installing quality replacement windows, entry doors, and vinyl siding in your home. We would like to thank Soft-Lite Windows, one of our window and patio door manufacturers, for providing us with information to many of these useful website links. U.S. Department of Energy offers a comprehensive guide to the selection process for windows based upon energy efficiency. The Efficient Windows Collaborative offers generic technical comparisons between the different technologies available in windows today. The Vinyl Institute website shares information about the plastics industry, including windows and doors and other building products. The American Architectural Manufacturer's Association sets the rules for testing the performance of building products like windows. For those of you with technical aptitude, this link will reveal one such test that is frequently referenced in the window business as it measures air, water, and structural window performance. Call Soft-Lite for more details. They also have several different classifications of members, with Gold Label the highest designation. This link explains the differences. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy offers little specific information relating to windows, but it does afford a glimpse at the importance of making an effort to fight the waste of energy, which is a key buying appeal of high-performance replacement windows like you can buy from Soft-Lite. The Alliance to Save Energy is another energy-specific site that offers insight to the benefits of replacement windows and other home improvement decisions that can reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources. InstallationMasters - Learn more about how professional installers can earn certification from the same independent agency (AAMA) that certifies our manufactured products. The National Fenestration Rating Council lists all certified results of every manufactured window it tests for Thermal Performance. This includes U-value, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, and Visible Transmittance. Home Energy Saver is the first web-based do-it-yourself energy audit tool. Steel Door Institute is a voluntary, unincorporated, non-profit business association formed to promote the use of steel doors and frames in the construction industry. | 
