Let's play a Twin Cities weatherman for a moment. The average normal lows, November through March in Minneapolis-St. Paul, are as follows (all temperatures listed in Fahrenheit):
November: 25
December: 11
January: 4
February: 12
March: 23
Now how about the record lows?
November: -25
December: -39
January: -41
February: -33
March: -32
Let's segue from there to talk window replacement in Minneapolis for just a minute. Those average lows for the winter months are pretty cold, and to be honest, those record lows for the same time period are downright scary. Sounds more like Alaska than the lower 48. What's that mean for your window situation in the Twin Cities? It means that unless you've got some top-quality windows protecting and insulating your home from those kinds of bitter winter temperatures, you're paying a pretty penny to keep things comfortable inside your abode.
Of course, any plan regarding the improvement of your home's overall energy efficiency should ideally be a holistic one, including not only window replacement, but improved insulation, high-efficiency furnaces and hot water heaters, and other upgrades; you can run a search for "energy audits" for more information on the subject. However, windows are as good a place as any to start. With modern advances in window technology, the single act of replacing old windows with new ones can have a dramatic effect on your home's ability to fight off the cold and save you money year round.
Minneapolis Window Replacement Options
What exactly do we mean by "modern advances in window technology" when we talk about replacement windows? Here's a quick primer to catch you up on what's out there.
Multiple Glazings—Multiple glazings refer to windows that are made from more than one pane of glass. Double glazings are the most popular, though in a climate like Minneapolis-St. Paul's, triple is a smart investment. Multiple glazings create an insulating effect between the panes of glass, reducing the ability of cold air to work through the glass and into your home. Add a gas fill between the panes, which is usually an inert gas such as argon, and you can raise the efficiency of the window even more.
Low E-Coatings—These coatings are the talk of the town when it comes to modern window design. They consist of microscopic metallic oxides that let in varying amounts of regular, infrared, and UV spectrum light into your home, depending on your specifications. In a climate like Minneapolis', low E coatings let in the infrared, heating portion of sunlight, and then reflect that light back into your residence to trap heat indoors. The result: a major reduction in your heating costs over the winter months. Surprisingly, they can do the opposite in summertime: reducing the amount of heat-causing infrared light that gets into your home, and your cooling costs along with it. And, since they block damaging UV light spectrums, low e-coatings also protect your furniture, carpet, and interior paint and wallpaper from fading.
Frame Material—The final advancement in window technology has to do with frames. Older, aluminum-based frames serve as conductors of heat and cold, efficiently transferring it from outside to inside, and vice-versa. Vinyl window frames, wood window frames, and combinations of the two, which are known as wood clad frames, drastically reduce the heat and cooling loss attributed to the window frames in your household. In a climate like the Twin Cities', you might also consider insulated vinyl window frames, which add an extra layer of protection in the form of foam, or fiberglass insulation inserted within the frame itself.
How Much Can New Windows Increase the Energy Efficiency of Your Home?
If you pull out all the stops, an energy-efficient window outfitted with insulated vinyl frames, multiple glazings, gas fill, and a low-e coating, can reduce your energy bills during the winter by up to 40 percent. Sure the initial cost isn't cheap, our records indicate that the average cost for a multiple window replacement in Minneapolis runs about $7,000, but when you consider energy savings of 40 percent coupled with the obvious improvement in looks and value that your home will incur from having new windows installed, then this decision becomes an easy one. If you're looking to improve the overall appearance, the total value, and the energy efficiency of your home, you can't go wrong with a Minneapolis window replacement (or multiple ones) for you Minneapolis-St. Paul home. 
Matt Goering, formerly a carpenter and house painter, is a freelance writer for the home improvement industry who has published over 600 articles.
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