Insulating Gas: An Upgrade You Can See Through?

Home replacement windows are a great upgrade.  They enhance your home’s overall energy efficiency, saving you money.  That’s a critical consideration in this tight economy — but that same economy has homeowners who are considering home replacement window installation looking carefully at the process.  They want to make sure that home replacement windows deliver top value: they want the energy saving bang for the buck.

At the same time, many homeowners are leery of spending money needlessly.  When they’re looking at vinyl replacement windows, they often easily convinced of vinyl replacement windows value. Few replacement window options match the easy maintenance vinyl replacement windows offer: you never need to paint them, and they tilt in to clean. 

The rigid construction and double or triple pane glass featured in many vinyl replacement windows makes sense to home owners too.  They can ’see’ the value.  But when it comes to insulating gas, there’s a tendency to balk.  Can something you can’t see, smell, or feel really make a difference in how your replacement windows work?

The answer is a definitive yes.  Insulating gas, such as Argon, can raise the R value of a window by as much as half a point: that’s a considerable difference.  Remember, the higher the R value, the better the  job that the replacement window does at keeping the cold air out and the warm air in.  The insulating gas pockets act as a buffer, sandwiched between panes of glass, standing guard to keep your family comfortable. 

It’s worth noting that many manufacturers of high-quality replacement windows, including vinyl replacement windows, fiberglass replacement windows, and wood replacement windows now use argon-filled glass as the standard. If you’re determined to forgo insulating gas pockets in your windows, you may have to pay an additional charge, which is just counterintuitive: why shell out MORE money for less protection? 

Sunrooms Enhance The Value of Your Home

Sunrooms are attractive: many homeowners are drawn to the open, airy feel of a sunroom.  A sunroom offers the perfect compromise between outdoor living and indoor comfort: a critical consideration in the Northeast, particularly Massachusetts, where US Home Improvement is located! 

But are sunrooms a wise investment?  How does installing a sunroom impact the value of your home?  Will a sunroom increase the value of your home when it’s time to sell?

 There are three primary benefits to installing a sunroom.  Sunroom fans will rejoice, as they all enhance the value of the residence and make installing a sunroom more than a pleasure — they’re almost a necessity!

Sunrooms make your house larger.

Sunrooms can enhance the value of a home by increasing the amount of square footage that is considered living space. This is so obvious that many potential sunroom owners almost overlook it!Due to the low cost and quick installation of sunrooms, they are a cost effective way to add square footage to a small home.They are also an excellent way of bringing natural light into the entire house, making existing rooms appear larger and more open.

Sunrooms let in natural light.

Almost every day, a new study is released touting the benefits of natural light. From improving mood to helping with vitamin absorption, there are a number of reasons why home owners want the maximum amount of natural light possible.  This is also attractive to would-be buyers: real estate agents across the nation agree that an open, welcoming, gracious space with natural lighting helps a home sell itself!

Sunrooms can lower energy bills

The advances in replacement window technology have made sunrooms surprisingly energy efficient. Of particular interest here, sunrooms can be warmed naturally during the winter, a benefit that is considerable in colder climates. Modern sunrooms can be added that include special insulation and ventilation systems, making them energy efficient and usable year-round.

Replacement Windows and the Stimulus Package: Win, Win, Win!

After a long series of negotiations, the economic stimulus package has gone through.  There’s a great deal of excitement about this in the blogosphere, particularly when it comes to replacement windows, replacement window installation, energy efficiency, and reducing the nation’s carbon footprint.

Replacement windows can play a pivotal role in improving the nation’s economy.   The first thing to look at is how installing replacement windows, whether they are vinyl replacement windows, fiberglass replacement windows, or wood replacement windows, reduces our energy consumption. It’s a sad truth that Americans use nearly twice as much energy as the Japanese or Western Europeans — we’re using two times as much resources to enjoy the same standard of living.

Green building has a lot to do with the difference.  The past decade or so has seen a tremendous amount of building across the nation.  Much of this building was done quickly, with a focus on the bottom line and taking advantage of articially inflated housing prices.  Homeowners who purchased these buildings soon discovered that not everything was at it seems.  Building on the cheap can cost a lot in the long run.

Let’s look at windows, for example.  Many builders used what are referred to as original construction windows.  These are low-end, inferior quality windows.  Many times, they lack basic functionality: they don’t open, for example, much less tilt in for easy cleaning.

Worse, they aren’t as energy efficient as replacement windows are.  Modern vinyl replacement windows feature superior energy efficiency.  With double or triple pane glass, insulating gas pockets, insulated frames, high quality construction and more, replacement windows can combat the energy loss endemic in original construction windows.  Experts tell us that as much as 40% of a home’s energy can be lost through leaky windows and doors — that’s something the Europeans and Japanese would never tolerate in their homes. 

Choosing a Replacement Window Company During the Recession: What You Need To Know

Choosing the right replacement window and door company can be difficult during the best of times — and if you’ve glanced at the financial pages lately, you know that these are not the best of times.  The economy’s tanking, and newspaper pages are full of stories of replacement window dealers and manufacturers going bankrupt, restructuring, or failing to honor their warranties.

This is troubling news, particularly for homeowners who are trying to do everything possible to cut energy costs and save money.  In Baltimore, for example, energy costs have skyrocketed, leaving homeowners with four digit electric bills.  That’s something no one can afford.

 The question then becomes how do you select a replacement window company that’s dependable, that’s reputable, that’s going to stand by its word and fix it if you have a problem?  There are steps a homeowner can take to ensure that they’re picking the best replacement window company possible, and avoid becoming another sad newspaper story.

ONE: You find the replacement window company.  The replacement window company does not find you!

High pressure telemarketers, aggressive door to door sales people, and flyers left on the windshield of your car while you’re grabbing the week’s groceries are not confidence inspiring signs. You are the homeowner — you are the one to decide when it is time for replacement windows, and what your needs are!

TWO: Do Your Research

When considering a replacement window company, do your research!  Go online — and not just to the replacement window company’s website.  Google the company name + complaints.  Check rating sites like Angie’s List.  Call the Better Business Bureau for your location and find out if the company has a good reputation: if there are a number of outstanding complaints, you’ll want to back away.

Three: Consider Every Party

When you’re buying replacement windows, you’re dealing both with a replacement window specialist and the manufacturers they represent.  Make sure you know who makes the windows you’re buying, and take the time to research the financial health of that company.  You want to know that they’re still going to be around if you have trouble down the road!