A window replacement project can be a smart investment for your home, if done right. When you replace your old windows, you can enhance your home’s curb appeal, while making it more comfortable and energy-efficient. Several factors come into play when you’re planning to get new windows.
Among the key factors necessary to ensuring your project’s success are the following:
- Window Placement – When getting new windows, it’s highly important to consider how each room in your home could benefit from them. Start by identifying the specific needs of each room; maybe your kitchen needs more natural light and ventilation or maybe your living room needs an upgrade in appearance. You should also check if your windows are up to code in terms of local egress requirements.
- Right Design – New windows play a key role in boosting your home’s beauty and function. Top-quality replacement units, with the right customization, can drastically transform your structure inside and out. Fortunately, today’s windows come in a wide array of styles, colors, shapes and sizes to fit just about any architectural design. From traditional double hungs, casements, and bay and bows to contemporary picture, sliding,and specialty windows, you have plenty of options for your needs. For the perfect combination, don’t hesitate to consult your contractor.
- Energy Efficiency – Given today’s rising energy costs, energy efficiency is one of the top priorities of most homeowners when investing in new windows. After all, indoor heating takes up approximately 42% of the average homeowner’s monthly energy consumption,, while air conditioning takes up another 6%, according to the Energy Information Administration. To make sure you’re installing energy-efficient windows, choose replacements with energy-efficient frames and multi-pane, low-emissivity glass. They have the ability to prevent energy loss while helping regulate your interior temperature, with minimal help from utility systems.
- Cleaning and Maintenance – Preserving the beautiful appearance of new windows can be a challenge, especially when it comes to those upper-story units. To address that problem, you need to choose replacements that require little to no maintenance or are designed for easy cleaning, like double hung windows that tilt in for convenient cleaning indoors.
Window replacement is complex, and for the average homeowner, mistakes are easy to make. In Part 3 of this blog series, we’ll discuss some of the common mistakes that plague replacement projects and ways to avoid them.