How can you know when to replace windows in your house? When a smacked baseball hits a home run through a couple of window panes? When your newest energy bill from PG&E arrives? Or when a mother-in-law comments on the run-down look of your Sacramento home? Here are five signals saying you need replacement windows.
#5 — Single
We don’t mean you are single; we mean your window panes are single panes. Step up to double-pane, energy-efficient windows with inert gas between the panes. Without double-pane glass, you get no insulation value and no soundproofing.
Every noise from the street telegraphs into your home. Every sound in your home echoes out into the neighborhood. It is a question of both serenity and privacy with single-pane windows.
Worse, the treated interior air from your furnace, boiler, heat pump, or central air conditioner is degraded, since the single-pane glass offers no insulation value. In summer, heat from outside conducts through old glass, making your home hotter. In winter, expensively heated air conducts indoor heat out into the cold.
The answer to the poorly insulated, noisy windows is as close as your neighborhood exterior services contractor. Working with your window replacement specialist, you can select durable, attractive double-pane windows and shut out the noise. Quality replacement windows also offer huge gains in energy savings, simply by being better made and better insulated than your old windows.
#4 — Leaky
If your windows are more than two decades old, replacement is a wise idea and an excellent investment. You are investing in savings which will return to you every month for at least 20 years. Older windows are leaky windows, letting in all sorts of unpleasantness:
- Rain
- Snow
- Cold air
- Hot air
Many older window installations did not include the robust insulation around the window frame typical with replacement windows. Water and air can move freely through ill-fitting window frames, misaligned sashes, and worn-out trim.
Leaky windows drive up your energy bills all year long. They can contribute to poor indoor air quality, make your family sick, and create hot and cold spots in your home.
#3 — Balky
Windows which fog up, will not easily open or close, or are drafty even when closed should be replaced. If you cannot easily clean your windows inside and out, or if your family members have trouble effortlessly opening and closing the windows, you will be delighted with new replacement windows.
Today’s replacement windows include features which allow the sashes to tip inside so you can clean the outside of even those high attic dormer windows with ease. New replacement windows have strong locks for peace of mind, insulated glass to prevent fogging, and no drafts thanks to sturdy construction and plenty of insulation.
#2 — Broken
Look at every window of your home. Are panes broken? Are mullions, muntins, or grilles split? Do insect screens for summer breezes slide up and down easily? Outside, is the brick mold in good shape? Inside, are the sill, apron, and casing intact?
“Broken” windows can be broken in many places for many reasons. Older windows may still have sash weights in their frames; if the weight or pulley is defective, the window may not open at all!
The sure answer for every broken window: beautiful, energy-efficient replacement windows expertly installed by a neighborhood service.
#1 — Ghastly
We need to face a harsh reality: people judge your home by its outward appearance. When selling, it is called curb value. When just living in your home, your home’s handsome looks keep you in good graces with neighbors and nearby friends.
Visible damage to your windows, or obvious deterioration of those old, drafty windows, sends a clear signal to your friends, visitors, family, and neighbors: you do not care how your home looks. Is that what you want? Nobody wants to be known as the “folks living in that house.”
We are not just talking about your darling, dear mother-in-law, either. Broken brick mold, cracked panes, missing grilles, and other ailments are clearly visible from the street. The shabby windows can invite prowlers who sense easy entry. Show everyone you care by selecting a local, reliable contractor for complete window replacement.
Out of all the ways you can boost your curb appeal and home value, window replacement (vinyl or wood) ranks fourth and fifth-best in costs recouped at sale on Cost Versus Value’s 2021 report for the Pacific region. You enjoy beautiful windows and get back more than 75 percent of your investment!
Please contact us today at Straight Line Construction, so we can help protect your home and family with high-quality, attractive replacement windows. Remember, we not only provide residential roofing; we also offer complete exterior services.
