All parts of the home, interior and exterior, should be in good repair and doing their jobs well, from the windows to the insulation in the walls to the roof and the plumbing. Not only will a functioning house be a comfortable place in which to live, but it will also minimize wastes of money and excessive utility bills. Leaking pipes waste water, and a leaking roof can cause water damage. Meanwhile, if a home’s windows are loose or drafty, or not protected with drapes or window blinds, they may disrupt the home’s interior climate control, and this will lead to a lot of wasted electricity per year and overwork the home’s air conditioning and heating unit. Not to mention, old and loose windows are easier for burglars to break, and they may be unattractive anyway. For these reasons and more, a homeowner is urged to have any old or damaged windows replaced with newer ones that are not drafty or insecure. Wood windows are a strong option, and can be secure and very attractive in the home. Vinyl windows are another option for those interested, and the doors may also be tinkered with so that drafts and burglars do not become issues. Many places that work with wood windows and more can also offer door replacement; residential window replacement can go hand in hand with door replacement, especially if a storm damaged both. How long do windows last? Is a replacement job going to be expensive? Answers may not be far away.
Hazards of Windows and Doors
Why is it so important to replace wood windows or vinyl windows in the home, and when is it time to contact commercial window replacement crews? For one thing, drafty windows will disrupt the home’s climate control; that is, interior heating and cooling in summer and winter. A loose, drafty window, or even a secure window that lacks blinds or drapes, can easily leak warm or cool air and force the air conditioning or heating unit to work overtime to constantly make up for this, and that uses up a lot of power. Nearly half of the electricity in a modern American home goes straight toward the heating and cooling, and if that unit is being overworked, that translates to a lot of wasted power. Just how much? It has been determined that drafty windows may increase the home’s energy bills as much as 10-25%, and the reverse is true if someone replaces old wood windows with new ones. The Environmental Protection Agency believes that if standard windows and doors are replaced with modern, efficient models, then energy bills may be lowered by as much as 7-15% from their normal amounts.
What is more, loose and old windows and doors can be security issues, as stated earlier. Old, worn out windows can more easily be broken or pried open by burglars, and an old, badly fitting door may be easy for a home intruder to kick open. On top of that, old windows are simply unattractive and will not impress prospective home buyers when a particular house goes on the market. A homeowner is urged to figure out the best time to replace windows, such as wood windows, and get the job done.
Repairs
A homeowner can contact local window and door replacement crews, which may be found via an Internet search, as well as getting names and phone numbers from the staff at a local hardware store. A homeowner looking for such a crew may enter “Window repair Fullerton” or “window replacement Boston MA” to find local crews, then visit their websites and call them to learn more. A contractor crew’s website should have articles and videos explaining their work, as well as their fees and availability. A customer can compare and contrast several different crews to find which is best, and hire them to replace old windows and doors with new ones, for safety, energy efficiency, and aesthetics alike. What is more, this is a sort of home renovation, and this will make the house more attractive on the real estate market, and a homeowner could ask for a slightly higher price. This makes window replacement a good return on investments.