In today's "green" economy, so many people are looking at ways to save money and energy at the same time.
Windows and doors are two of the biggest culprits when it comes to home energy loss. And replacing them is an easy to way to help the environment as well as put a little extra cash in your pockets.
There are several things to know before shopping for windows. Many of the big box home improvement retailers have knowledgeable and helpful associates, however, they may throw you a curve ball when you are pricing windows.
First of all, the only standard thing about windows is that you can see through them. There is no standardized size like doors. Windows come in all shapes and sizes. Secondly, who is going to install these new windows? Will you be doing the job yourself, or an independent contractor, a friend, or will you use the installations services offered by the home improvement retailer?
Generally it is a good idea to get a couple of estimates from contractors or friends and compare the pricing. A lot of the big box retailers offer installation, however, they do require a down payment before you buy. Many are now switching to a free in-home service estimate. They will schedule an appointment with you and give you a complete estimate of the total job, including the price of the windows.
If you decide to tackle this job on your own, you may consider trying one or two windows first, just to get a feel for the task at hand. Based on that, you can budget out the rest of your project.
There are several of excellent brands of windows on the market. Many people do not realize the variety and are usually thrown for a loop when a sales associate starts spouting off unfamiliar brand names. Brands like Andersen, Jeld-Wen, Silverline, American Craftsman, Peach Tree, Pella, and Crestline offer excellent products at a variety of prices and styles.
Your next step will be deciding which type of window you want to replace the old ones with. There are wood windows, vinyl clad wood windows, aluminum clad wood windows and vinyl windows.
Vinyl windows, it should be noted, will have the same exterior and interior color. Vinyl clad wood, and aluminum clad wood come with an exterior color and either an unfinished wood or prefinished wood interior. Aluminum clad is the same as the vinyl clad.
Clad means, that on the exterior of the window, the wood frame is wrapped up by either a vinyl or aluminum material.
Windows also come in a variety of styles. Included are double-hung, single-hung, casement, awning, hopper, slider, or fixed. Double-hung windows are ones that both panes of glass slide up and down. In a single-hung, only the bottom pane slides up and down. Casement windows are hinged on the sides and crank out away from the house. Awning windows are hinged at the top and crank out also. A hopper, or basement, window, is hinged at the bottom and tilts in. Sliders are just that, the slide from left to right. Finally, fixed windows just don't open at all.
Now that you made it this far, are just going to go with replacement windows or new construction? Replacement windows are ones that can be ordered to specific sizes and are designed to replace the old windows. New construction are just that, new construction. You have a blank wall to work with.
While new construction can be used in a replacement setting, it can be a bit more tricky. New construction windows usually cannot be ordered in specific sizes. There are a predetermined size range for these types of windows. So your measurements need to be precise. Also be prepared to do a little siding work on the outside and drywall work on the inside.
Once you have made that decision, you may hear some unfamiliar words "LoE" and "Argon Gas." LoE is a technical term for Low Energy loss. It is a metallic coating put on the glass that is designed to reflect heat back to its source. So it will keep winter heat in and summer heat out. Argon Gas is a colorless, orderless gas that is injected between the panes in the panels. It too reduces heat loss and solar heat gain. A window with both will save you lots of money on energy bills.
Finally, before you start shopping, you need to know your size. Like I said earlier, windows come in all shapes and sizes. Many people don't know where to measure to find out the size of their windows.
Most big box retailers deal with rough opening size. That is the size of the hole the window will be going in. Sometimes, they will use the frame size, which is the exact size of the window itself.
To get your rough opening size, you need to measure from jamb to jamb. That is the wood frame holding the window in the wall. To get your rough opening width, you need to measure in three places inside the track of the current window. Measure at the top, middle and bottom and go by your smallest measurement. Going by the smallest measurement will ensure a proper fit.
To find the rough opening height, you will need to measure from inside the tracks at the top of the window down to where the sill begins to slope outside. The highest point of you sill. Once again take three measurements: left, middle, and right, going by the smallest measurement.
Knowing this information, will be a big help when deciding to get rid of those old drafty windows. One other thing to look for is the Energy Star logo. Energy star windows are certified to help reduce energy loss in your home. Plus the federal government has been giving tax breaks to those who use Energy Star products.
For more information about energy ratings and overall consumer satisfaction, visit the website, www.nfrc.org. It is a consumer advocate website that tests every window ever made and will give you an unbiased look at which one is the best and worst. They are a government funded website and hold no affiliation with any manufacturer or big box retailer.
How do I know so much? Well, I used to be a Millwork supervisor for The Home Depot. They were great at teaching me everything I needed to know to help sell windows and doors.
