How can replacement windows improve comfort and security?

I recently spoke with a woman who for 2 years spent her time in very cold living rooms. Throughout the 2 years she would say on occasion “I don’t know what is going on with this room, it’s always cold”. In March of this year she finally replaced the windows in her living room. By April she said the room felt like a different house.

As the window is slowly losing its ability to perform its intended function, it may remain unnoticed for quite some time. Slow deterioration of a window over extended periods of time is typically considered to be insignificant and therefore often completely overlooked by homeowners. However, window failures have the potential to severely affect other elements of the home and, therefore, should not be left unaddressed for extended periods of time.

How do you know your windows are the actual problem?

Most people do not realize that problems with windows in homes can be mistaken for other problems. For instance, people will try to seal the leaks in their home by sealing the doors and cracks in the house. They will also attempt to solve the problem of their high utility bills by trying to get more efficiency out of their heating and cooling systems. In reality, problems with windows are often the root cause of these issues. This is because windows are right in front of people on a daily basis, so most people are not even aware that the windows in their home are eroding slowly. They do not realize the problem exists until it has long been solved.

Some of the obvious signs of failing windows include drafts, condensation between panes, broken glass, stuck windows, loud operation when opening and closing, and uneven temperature. Many of these problems can cause more subtle issues, however, and only

• You feel a noticeable chill or warmth radiating near the window glass, even when it’s closed
• Condensation forms between the panes (that’s a failed seal, and no amount of cleaning fixes it)
• The window frame is soft, warped, or showing visible daylight around the edges
• Your heating and cooling bills have quietly climbed over the past few years without any obvious explanation
• Opening or closing the window feels like a negotiation

Even if only a couple of the points above are present it does not mean that there is nothing wrong with your windows. It is only when 2 or more of the points above start to appear that you can safely assume that your windows are nearing the end of their life.

What modern windows actually do differently

New windows can be equipped with double or triple panes which are filled with an inert gas such as argon to prevent heat from escaping. As mentioned earlier, the special coating on the glass is called Low-E, which stands for “Low Emissivity” and it “reflects” heat in the form of infrared light. This coating can be set up to reflect heat in the form of infrared light in the winter to keep heat from escaping in the form of heat that would make a home feel like a “greenhouse” in the summer. In terms of frame material, the aluminum used in old windows acts as a “cold conductor” within the wall of a home and transfers the cold from outside of the home to the inside of the home. Most modern windows use a frame made from a variety of materials including vinyl, fiberglass, and composite. As you can see from the list above, all of the above materials are far better insulators than old aluminum windows and provide a host of other benefits as well.

A variety of benefits are offered by replacement windows Allentown. In terms of winter weather, they are able to keep the cold air from entering your home. In the warmer weather of summer, they are able to prevent heat from entering your home. Both of these will have the effect of helping you to maintain a comfortable temperature inside of your home. As a result, you are likely to have to use your heating and cooling systems less. This can help to save you a great deal of money over time. In addition to helping to save you money, your home is likely to be more comfortable. You are less likely to notice cold spots. Each room is likely to have a more even temperature.

Homeowners have no idea how much noise penetrates through single pane windows. In fact, they don’t even know how quiet a home can be until they actually experience it. HomeGenius replacement windows are built to provide the maximum amount of sound blocking. Many of our customers have reported that they can no longer hear traffic from outside their home after HomeGenius replaced their single pane windows. They will tell you that it was not something that they thought about when it came to selecting replacement windows. It was not on their list of things that they wanted for their home. It is only after HomeGenius provides them with the sound blocking they desire that they realize that they had been missing it all along.

The security angle, which people consistently underestimate

Most people focus on the home security systems that are available for homes today. They have many different types of alarm systems and many different types of locks for doors. But there is a very simple way to secure a home and that is to fix up the windows of the home. Modern replacement windows have many physical security features that were not available in old single-pane windows.

Modern replacement windows can also provide a great deal of security. First of all, most modern window units are installed directly into the wall, within the home to prevent anyone from entering from the outside.

• Laminated or tempered glass is significantly harder to break and, when it does break, doesn’t shatter into easy entry points
• Multi-point locking systems on newer window hardware are meaningfully more resistant than old single-latch mechanisms
• Reinforced frames reduce the weak-point flex that older wood or worn vinyl can develop over decades

First, fix the weak point in your home that someone can easily break into. Then, and only then, consider the various home security systems available for purchase. Stacking a lot of alarms and locks on top of a weak point in a home is pointless. Modern replacement windows and doors are designed with security features into them. They are a better starting point.

A brief detour worth taking

The feeling or sense of a house that just doesn’t feel right. Sometimes that is described as being able to be warm or cool in rooms that otherwise would not. Sometimes that is described as the ability not to have to open and close a sticking window. And sometimes that is described as no longer noticing the normal and familiar sounds of the street penetrating into the home of the owner (or renter). My neighbor got a house that stopped fighting her.

What the replacement process actually looks like

For homeowners in colder climates, it is best to have your windows replaced in late spring through early fall, when installers have the best working conditions and homeowners have less cold-air to deal with when coming and going from their home through newly installed windows. Homeowners in the mid-Atlantic climate, with cold winters and very humid summers, would get the most out of their new home improvement by scheduling the replacement of their windows prior to the heating season.

1. Measure and order (lead times vary, usually two to six weeks depending on custom sizing)
2. Prep the space — move furniture, clear the sills, accept that your living room will briefly look like you’re moving out
3. Remove old windows and inspect the rough opening for rot or damage before anything new goes in
4. Install new windows with proper flashing and air sealing
5. Inspect from inside and outside before the crew leaves — don’t skip this

A typical window installation can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to complete. A single window can be installed within a few hours, while a full house of windows can take a few days. However, the long-term benefits of having energy efficient windows far outweighs the temporary disruption to your home.

The mistake that costs people the most

Buying windows on price is the biggest mistake that most homeowners make. The cost of the window is only a part of the overall cost of the product. The installation is the other part and it is the biggest variable in the cost of windows. Homeowners need to do their homework and find out as much as possible about the installation before they select a window. In addition to asking for references, homeowners should also ask the contractor to show them examples of past work, specifically work that is similar to what they are looking to have done. The homeowner should also specifically ask how the contractor handles flashing and air sealing at the rough opening. This is typically where problems occur and can be very expensive to fix.

A poorly installed expensive window can underperform a well installed average cost window. Don’t be blinded by cost. Get references. Look at their past work. Make sure they properly flash and air-seal the rough opening. This is where most trouble starts.

There is no shortcut to making an informed decision, but once you know what to look for and are aware of the true costs and tradeoffs, then you can make a more informed decision on the basis of cost between different windows rather than on the basis of their sticker price.

Old vs. new: a side-by-side look

The greatest upgrades to a house are the things that stop being problems. In other words, upgrades that cease to draw attention in a negative way. New windows are the greatest house upgrade.

Home improvements can affect people’s lives in drastically different ways. Knowing the extent to which a home improvement can affect a home owner is crucial to decide whether or not to make the change and to prepare oneself for the consequences.