Richmond, VA: Climate Zone, Risk and Window Requirements
Local risk and climate data for Richmond, VA are below, translated into plain terms for a window buyer rather than left as raw codes. Use it to check a proposed spec before you sign, not just to browse.
Licenses checked · Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for Contractors
4AIECC climate zone · ENERGY STAR North-Central zone
What zone 4A means for a Richmond window
Richmond, VA runs a January average near 38°F and climbs to about 79°F by July, a swing that adds up to roughly 3,736 heating degree days most winters, with 1,561 on the summer cooling side of the ledger.
That load is the actual argument for paying up for a better U-factor in Richmond, separate from anything a brochure claims.
Zone 4A's requirement is the floor; Richmond's specific load is what tells you whether beating that floor is worth the extra cost.
Data: U.S. EPA / DOE, ENERGY STAR, ENERGY STAR Version 7.0 Climate Zones by County/ZIP (Windows, Doors, and Skylights) (V7.0); Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (DOE Building America), Guide to Determining Climate Zone by County: Building America and IECC 2021 Updates (PNNL-33270) (2021 IECC), from the nearest NOAA station 8.7 mi away.
Storm and weather risk around Richmond
Richmond city's hail risk sits at Relatively Low and its wildfire risk at Very Low, according to FEMA's National Risk Index.
Hail risk matters for glass and screen durability in Richmond; wildfire risk matters more for the frame material and nearby vegetation than for the glass itself.
Either way, it's a reasonable question to bring to a Richmond installer before you settle on a product line.
- Hurricane
- Relatively Low
- Strong wind
- Relatively Low
- Winter weather
- Relatively Low
Data: FEMA, National Risk Index for Natural Hazards - County-level table, v1.20 (v1.20, December 2025).
Guides to finish before Richmond window bids come in
- How to Read an NFRC Window Label Four numbers on one sticker decide most of a window's real-world performance. Here's what each one means.
- ENERGY STAR Window Criteria by Climate Zone ENERGY STAR splits the country into four zones, each with its own numbers. Here they are, and why the Northern zone works backward from the other three.
- Impact Windows vs. Shutters in Florida's Hurricane Zones Florida gives homeowners two paths to a protected opening. Here's how each one is tested, and where the HVHZ raises the bar further.
Window installers with the longest license records in Richmond
Oldest license first, newest last, pulled directly from the state's file. This list isn't for sale.
- Richmond Window CorpVerify license
- Virginia Window & Remodeling Company INCVerify license
- Colonial Window & Remodeling CO INCVerify license
- Python Windows INCVerify license
- Old House Authority Windows LLCVerify license