Sizzling Summer and Soaring Energy Prices Strengthen Call For Replacement Windows
Can we say “HEAT WAVE”? Throughout much of the country this week, temperatures have sky-rocketed, sending the mercury soaring. Eighty degrees, ninety degrees, even one hundred degrees! Summer is here, and it’s here with a vengence!
At the same time, energy prices are continuing to rise. Optimistic reports that we’d hit a peak are apparently incorrect — you need go no further than your nearest gas station to check the numbers! Yet salaries aren’t growing as rapidly: every dollar has to go further.
That’s why replacement windows are looking particularly attractive for the summer! Soaring temperatures mean it’s time to run the air conditioner. If you’ve lucked at your electricity bill lately, you know that’s not an inexpensive proposition. It costs a lot of money to keep your home cool — and if you have leaky windows that allow all of that expensive cooled air to escape into the great outdoors, the situation becomes even more costly! Energy experts tell us that a home could lose up to 40% of the cooled interior air — an inexcusable waste, particularly in this economy.
Luckily, there is a solution. Replacement windows — vinyl replacement windows, such as the Alside Excalibur line, fiberglass replacement windows, and wood replacement windows — eliminate the wasteful loss of cooled air. With triple-pane glass, rigid frame construction, and insulating gas pockets, Alside Excalibur replacement windows can be your secret ally in the battle against the summer sun!
What if you’re not a fan of air conditioners? Funny you should say that. Replacement windows might be your best friend as well. Look around your home. How many of your windows open? Do they open easily, or do you have to struggle and strain to lift the sash? Do they stay open in the desired position, or do you have to prop them open? In many older homes, the existing windows are in poor repair, and do not function properly. In many newer homes, particularly those built during the late 80’s and early 90’s, builders used original construction windows. These windows were designed to be cheap — and they were! Leaving homeowners with windows that fail to perform as promised. You can’t open these windows to catch a passing breeze or let some of that summer sunshine in. Replacement windows, on the other hand, open easily, stay open in the desired position, and close safely and securely when you’re done enjoying the great outdoors.
Installing Replacement Windows Increases Comfort, Enhances Pest Control
The quality of education received at an institute of higher learning is dependent upon many things. One of those things is the comfort of the faculty, staff and students. Windows can play a pivotal role in comfot according to a recent article in The News Gazette.
With old, single pane leaky and in some cases broken windows, the University of Illinois has had difficulty maintaining consistent interior temperatures. Additionally, the poor repair of the windows allows pests to come into the building — namely bees, which aren’t anyone’s favorite visitor!
This situation is not unfamiliar to many homeowners, who find themselves with less than adequate windows. They may have single pane leaky or damaged windows, such as those the University of Illinois has, or newer original construction windows, selected by the builder to save money, and offering shoddy construction and limited functionality.
Replacing inadequate windows with high quality vinyl replacement windows, such as Alside Excalibur, can change the picture entirely. Because replacement windows are very highly energy efficient, it becomes possible to maintain a consistent interior temperature. No longer do homeowners have to worry about being too cold one moment, far too hot the next: by preventing the loss of heated or cooled air, replacement windows allow homeowners to have the ambient interior temperature of their choosing!
As a nice bonus, replacement windows save you money: retaining the heated or cooled air means you don’t have to generate any more. This means you run your furnace or your air conditioner less: good for the earth, good for your wallet. Replacement windows are ‘green friendly’ on many levels!
Obviously, replacement windows — whether they’re vinyl replacement windows, wood replacement windows, or fiberglass replacement windows — come with two or three intact panes of glass. There are no cracks or breaks allowing pests to come in. When properly installed, not only do replacement windows keep bugs out, they can also significantly reduce or even eliminate entry by air and moisture. This adds years to the life of your home
Understanding Payback: How Vinyl Replacement Windows Pay for Themselves
“Home replacement windows pay for themselves!” It’s a common phrase you’ll hear time and again while shopping for replacement windows. But how true is it? How does payback work? How much money will you save, and how quickly can you recoup the cost of having replacement windows installed?
Replacement windows pay for themselves by saving you money on other expenses — namely heating and cooling. Much of a home’s energy can be completely lost through leaky windows and doors — if you have single pane glass windows, you can have as much as 40% of your home’s heat escaping to the great outdoors without ever noticing it!
Modern replacement windows, particularly highly efficient vinyl replacement windows, such as Alside Excalibur, keep that heated, expensive air inside where it belongs. This allows you to maintain a more comfortable living environment without continually running your heat. If you look at the money saved by running your heating system less often, and compare it to the costs of having replacement windows installed, it’s pretty easy to extrapolate the rate of payback. Realistic estimates (which are dependent upon home size and the type of windows being replaced, as well as the type of replacement windows you’re installing) for payback range between 8-15 years. If you’re planning on staying in your home, that’s the blink of an eye. If you’re planning on selling your home before the payback period plays out, you should know that home replacement windows are one of the most attractive, appealing upgrades buyers are looking for.
Bear in mind that heating and cooling costs are not the only savings associated with home replacement windows. Let’s look at some of the other ways replacement windows can save you money.
By preventing or minimizing air and moisture intrusion, replacement windows can make it easier to control the humidity within your home — a major contributing factor in controlling the growth of mold and mildew, including the dreaded toxic black mold. Reclaiming a home from black mold growth can easily cost thousands of dollars.
The same air and moisture penetration that facilitates mold and mildew growth within your home also brings in environmental allergens and irritants. How much do you spend on over the counter allergy remedies? How about doctor’s visits, co-pays, testing? How much time do you miss from work, bringing children with stuffy heads and runny eyes to see the pediatrician? These costs add up: compare them to the cost of installing replacement windows. While replacement windows can’t eliminate all exposure to environmental allergies, they can certainly help you control and minimize the effect pollen, dander, and chemicals have on your life.
Finally, can you put a price on peace of mind and security? Broken, weak, and sub-standard windows present two security hazards to your family: bad guys can get in, and if there’s a fire or other emergency, these windows can slow your ability to get out! Fully functional, working, secure replacement windows offer safety and security: a priceless commodity that’s hard to value.
Factor in the health benefits, safety and security, and energy savings, and it’s clear how replacement windows pay for themselves!
Installing Replacement Windows: A Do It Yourself Job?
Considering home replacement windows? There are many reasons to do so. Home replacement windows offer the homeowner enhanced energy efficiency, which means more affordable heating and cooling bills. The insulated frames and rigid construction of high quality replacement windows, such as the Alside Excalibur Vinyl replacement windows, help reduce air and moisture penetration, which can positively impact your health, and make your family more secure.
High quality replacement windows are an investment: most homeowners can reasonable expect to spend several thousand dollars on the job. With economic circumstances tighter than ever, many homeowners are looking for ways to save money. This raises the immediate question: is installing replacement windows a do it yourself job?
Most construction and home renovation experts say “No!” even if the homeowner possesses better than average remodeling skills. Here’s why:
Look at the Time
If you’ve never installed home replacement windows before, you’re going to be learning ‘on the job’. This, in and of itself, adds a considerable amount of time to the job. Where is this time coming from? Are you taking hours off from work? Losing precious weekend time with your family or friends? Trying to squeeze extra hours in an already packed day? A home replacement window installation team already knows how to do the job and can get the task done in a minimal amount of time.
Look At the Logistics
Replacement windows — vinyl replacement windows, wood replacement windows, and fiberglass replacement windows — are heavy. They’re awkward to move around — not to mention lifting up into place on a second or third floor! Add sliding glass doors, patio doors, or French doors into the mix, and you compound the problem. A home replacement window installation team has the manpower and training to make moving multiple heavy windows a snap.
Look at the Legal-ese
Check out the fine print on the contract and guarantees for your home replacement windows. Many times, the protections offered in these documents are dependent upon having the windows installed by a qualified, approved team. You’re not considered a member of that team — so opting to install your windows yourself can void that guarantee. If something goes wrong, you’ll be on your own.