What Do NFRC Ratings Mean?
When shopping for new windows, doors, and skylights, you may come across something called an NFRC rating. While most consumers are familiar with the ENERGY STAR rating, NFRC is entirely different.
The National Fenestration Rating Council
NFRC ratings are given to applicable products by the nonprofit organization the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC). They help builders, architects, homeowners and business owners make better decisions when choosing energy-efficient doors, windows, and skylights.
NFRC ratings cover five categories of efficiency: U-value, solar heat gain coefficient, visible transmittance, air leakage, and condensation resistance.
When you think of energy-efficient upgrades for the home, installing new doors or windows probably isn’t at the top of your list. After all, heating and cooling account for the largest percentage of a typical home’s energy usage. With that said, however, the right windows and doors can certainly reduce your home’s energy usage.
If a door has a low NFRC U-value, it provides greater insulation than a door with a high NFRC U-value (the lower the better). The U-value measures a product or material’s ability to conduct heat. And a window with a low NFRC air leakage rating is also preferred, as it allows less air to escape than its counterpart with a high air leakage rating.
NFRC Rating Lookup
To find NFRC ratings, visit the organization’s official website and click the link under Product Type. Here, you can find NFRC ratings by window, door, skylight or applied film, searching by either product type or manufacturer.
Whether you’re looking for iron entry doors, steel doors or estate gates, we can help. To learn more about our NFRC-rated products contact us today.