Is it worth it to get new windows in your home
To see or not to see?
I need new windows for my home…or do I?
Historic home owners will often stick with their beautiful old inefficient windows simply because the modern replacements are so lacking in character. You can’t get much closer to period-appropriate than new with the new diamond panes from the old days. They match the sash to the surrounding frame, and also avoid the telltale plastic ?hardware? with a wide range of metal options. People in new tract houses face another dilemma…builder grade windows in a young home. In Colorado both types of window owner can be in for a rough winter or a terribly uncomfortable summer. At least there is hope.
Windows are the most visible, yet most commonly under-appreciated, components of older and historic homes and buildings.
In addition to adding beauty and character, original windows serve a great purpose ? they connect the outside of the building to the inside and, as an integral part of the architecture, offer invaluable clues to a building’s history.
Despite this value, however, historic windows often get the blame for a building’s energy loss. Most often, people jump to replace their older windows because a) companies promise that their replacement windows will save clients time and money, and b) it’s promoted as the ?green? thing to do. In fact, a thriving industry has grown around this perceived need to replace rather than restore. But there are times when restoration will not suffice?sometimes it is time to move on.
Are my windows an important architectural or defining feature of my building?
Are there ways I can retrofit my windows to achieve greater energy efficiency?
Will replacement windows last as long as my originals?
Are there more cost-effective approaches available other than replacement windows?
Will replacement windows fit the character of my property or detract from it?
Windows represent a major energy sink in the average home, with up to 30 percent of heated or cooled air lost through windows, according to the California Energy Commission. Low-emissivity coatings, which were first developed in the 1970s, promise to keep solar heat energy out of the home to improve the interior comfort and keep energy bills in check. Since these coatings were first introduced, glass manufacturers have added low-E coatings to multiple panes of glass within a single window to further improve energy efficiency. Low-emissivity coatings consist of ultra-thin layers of tin dioxide, silver or other metals applied to a pane of glass. Low-E windows are designed to reflect solar heat energy outdoors rather than allowing it to enter the home and introduce unwanted heat. These coatings, which are invisible to the naked eye, became fairly standard throughout the 1980s; by the 1990s, window makers were adding a second metallic coating to create low-E2 ? or low-E squared ? windows. In 2010, manufacturers introduced low-E3 ? or low-E cubed ? windows, which feature three coats of metal to further reduce solar heat transfer through the glass.
Modern homes usually have energy efficient glass coating but the window unit itself is usually suspect. That is why most windows for a new construction home are installed by framers. It is always an afterthought of a new homeowner. As long as the appliances are stainless steel and the floors are hardwood people usually never notice their windows, until they are uncomfortable.
Whatever questions you ask yourself window replacement is not meant to be painful. If your home has character and charm look at architectural windows. If your home is newer but the windows are failing look at upgrading to something better than builder grade. It all comes down to if it is worth it to you.
What windows do I choose?
Here is what I choose…Andersen Windows. This is not meant to sell windows it is meant to educate. I partnered with Andersen 12 years ago. They have been around 110 years and will be around for many more. I believe in energy efficient windows and other products for the home. Andersen has been helping families make their homes brighter, more comfortable and more beautiful. They do it by making windows and doors that are different and better than any others%u2026by setting the bar high and raising it day after day, year after year. With all those windows out there someone needs to know about them. And that some one is TR Window Services
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