Storm Windows Boston
One of the main concerns with a window is insulation from cold or energy efficiency as proper insulation results in less consumption o electricity. One option of doing this is to go for windows with good insulation properties. However there is a solution which is more efficient and less expensive and that is storm windows. You also do not have to remove the old windows if you are installing storm windows. This way you can save on a lot of expenses. Storm windows provide an inexpensive compromise over window replacement by increasing the energy performance of a home inexpensively. In historic and other homes or homes where the windows cannot be uninstalled for some reason storm windows are great things to use. Storm windows also are good for sound insulation and they reduce noise from outside significantly. They also reduce window condensation and lets in fewer UV rays in this way protecting furnishings.
Storm windows can be installed on the exterior as well as the interior of the primary windows. They can also be removed when necessary like in warmer parts of the year when ventilation is necessary. Interior storm windows are usually better. Interior storm windows get scratched and damaged less s they are not exposed to the climate and they are fitted more tightly. Interior storm windows are also less expensive.
There are different types of materials that are use to make storm windows. Glass is one of them. Glass offers the most visibility and looks the best. It is also the most durable. However, it is more prone to damage and can easily get broken. However the risk of damage is not that much when you are installing inside. If you are installing outside it is usually better to go for another material or the new expensive insulated windows instead of storm windows as external fitting is as much costly. Other storm windows may be built from plastic panels, or special plastic sheets that have specific optical qualities. Plastic panels like Plexiglas and acrylics are lighter than glass. They may turn yellow over time and may significantly reduce visibility and degrade over time when exposed to sunlight. Thus they do not look as good as glass storm windows.
There are three types of storm windows which are two-track, triple-track and two-track slider storm windows. Two-track storm windows have its elements placed on two tracks as the name suggests. The half-screen and the outer pane or sash is placed in the outside track. The inside pane is placed on a separate track. The inside pane can be raised for ventilation. A triple-track storm window every pane and the half-screen rest on a separate track. They all can be moved to let in air. As a result it offers more cross ventilation. To take advantage of it move both glass panes to the bottom of the window and the half-screen to the top. Two-track slider storm windows are two-track storm windows that open horizontally instead of vertically. Two-track sliders are usually used with slider windows.
Ensure Tax Savings By Buying The Right Replacement Windows!
Energy efficiency has gained national importance. Window replacement is recognized as one stellar way to aid in energy independence and the reduction of harmful global emissions. Choosing the right replacement windows is a way to save money and the environment.
Choosing replacement windows with energy-saving benefits is simple and the federal government also made it less expensive for homeowners with the signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The bill includes the opportunity for homeowners to claim a tax credit of 30 percent of the cost of eligible energy-efficient products to a maximum of $1,500 per household for 2009 and 2010 combined when used for remodeling and replacement. According to the IRS, a tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in your tax liability and can be deducted directly from your taxes owed.
While energy efficient replacement windows are included in this tax credit, not all replacement windows will qualify. Now is the best time to replace your leaky, worn-out windows. However, before you go running off after replacement windows, you want to do your homework to make sure the windows you purchase will qualify for the tax credit.
To qualify for the tax credit, windows must provide high levels of energy efficiency in two categories. They must offer reduced heat loss and reduced heat gain. The measurement for heat loss is called U-Factor and the measurement for heat gain is called Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, or SHGC. To meet the performance requirements, the window or door must have both a U-Factor and SHGC rating equal to or less than 0.30 in all climate zones in the U.S. When you work with your replacement window specialist, ask specifically about the U-Factor and the SHGC: if the windows they’re offering don’t meet these standards, you need different windows!
When comparing windows for energy performance — and the 2009/2010 tax credit — be sure to check the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) label that is displayed on the product. This label displays the U-Factor and SHGC ratings for the window or patio door. If the product does not have this label, then the unit does not have a certified NFRC value. Again, windows that don’t have this label are not going to qualify for the tax credit: this is imperative. It’s important to note that vinyl replacement windows, fiberglass replacement windows, and wood replacement windows are all available in the appropriate rating.
Qualifying replacement windows must be purchased and installed in a primary residence between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010. While quality installation is a critical component of any successful window replacement project, installation costs are not included in the 2009/2010 tax credit. Your sales receipt should break out qualifying product costs separately. Bear in mind that many replacement window manufacturer’s warranties are dependent upon having the installation performed by an approved contractor or replacement window installation team. Make sure to read your replacement window warranty and make your replacement window installation choices appropriately.
In addition to your sales receipt, you will also need to save the NFRC label from each window or the Manufacturer’s Certification Statement with your tax documents. Consult with your accountant or tax preparer for further information. In addition, many reputable replacement window specialists can provide you with more insight.
Now I Have Home Replacement Windows: What Do I Do With My Storm Windows?
Now I Have Home Replacement Windows: What Do I Do With My Storm Windows?
After having vinyl home replacement windows, fiberglass home replacement windows or wood home replacement windows installed, many homeowners find themselves asking: what in the world do I do with all of these storm windows?
Storm windows — a temporary, exterior window, designed to be fitted over existing windows during inclement weather — were once a necessity. Most homeowners are familiar with the routine of installing storm windows every fall and pulling them all down again once warm weather arrives. They provided that extra layer of insulation needed to keep the cold out and the warm in. Yet storm windows cannot conserve energy as well as modern replacement windows.
More than one home owner has pondered installing their storm windows over their new replacement windows, as a way to gild the lily. After all, if storm windows are good, and replacement windows are good, shouldn’t replacement windows and storm windows together be good?
The answer is not necessarily. There are a number of problems installing storm windows over new replacement windows. The first problem is the obvious issue of fit: your replacement windows may not be the same size, exactly, of the windows you replaced, which means your storms won’t fit. Installing storm windows annually will now be a bigger chore than it was before.
Storm windows are not designed to work with replacement windows. They trap heat and moisture between the panes of glass. This can result in fogging, obscuring your view and adding unwanted moisture. Additionally, the heat trapped by storm windows can actually damage your replacement windows, if you’re in a very warm region.
Meanwhile, you’ve doubled the number of surfaces you need to clean. While home replacement windows feature easy tilt-in cleaning, storm windows do not. You’ll be back on the ladder with the soap and water — or enjoying dirty, cloudy windows by the end of the winter!
At the same time, one has to consider how much benefit one is realizing by installing storm windows over thermal replacement windows. The answer to that question is “Not very much”. Adding another layer of glass to a double-pane or triple-pane thermal window does add mass to the entire unit, but it does not markedly increase the insulating capabilities of the window.
When one weighs the inconvenience, unsightly appearance (for many storm windows are far from attractive!), extra work, and difficulty maintaining storm windows against the minimal benefit gained by installing them, the choice becomes clear. There’s no reason to install storm windows over vinyl replacement windows, fiberglass replacement windows, or wood replacement windows.
Still, it’s a shame to see all of the still-perfectly good storm windows you have go to waste. Consider donating these windows to Habitat for Humanity or other local housing-oriented charity. They can certainly use the materials, particularly to upgrade homes that don’t have storm windows and don’t have the budget available for home window replacement. You’ll be doing real good in your community and you’ll enjoy a charitable tax deduction.
Home Replacement Windows & Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: What You Need To Know
Home Replacement Windows and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: What You Need To Know
We’ve got to admit it: this one took us by surprise. Is there a relationship between home replacement windows and carbon monoxide poisoning? The answer may be yes — but the relationship’s not necessarily a bad one.
Every year, as winter approaches, the news is filled with stories about carbon monoxide poisoning. Fifteen hundred people die annually due to carbon monoxide poisoning, and several thousand more seek medical attention for the condition. Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when individuals are exposed to high levels of carbon monoxide — a colorless, odorless gas put off when heat sources are improperly vented.
In homes with older, leaky windows, some of this carbon monoxide could escape to the outdoors through the windows — along with much of the home’s heating energy. Newer homes and homes that feature replacement windows are more airtight. Warmed air remains indoors. This is of course a benefit. Home replacement windows help you save energy and enjoy greater comfort in the home.
However, if carbon monoxide levels are rising in a home, that gas will not leak through a double pane or triple pane glass replacement window the way it will through a faulty, single pane older window.
The primary way to protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning is to ensure that all of your heating systems are properly vented and that your home has adequate air exchange with the outdoors. Fresh air needs to circulate through your home regularly for optimum health for the homeowners.
Home replacement windows can play a critical role in providing adequate air exchange. Unlike older, faulty windows that were often painted shut, had broken weights or faulty mechanisms, modern home replacement windows open and close easily. Because you do not need storm windows, much less the ugly, thick plastic some homeowners had to staple over their windows as soon as the leaves started changing color, you can take advantage of warmer winter days by opening your home replacement windows easily and letting fresh air in.
Every home should have a CO monitor. This monitor will sound an alarm if elevated carbon monoxide levels are detected. If this occurs, the experts recommend opening all of the windows in your home — far easier if you have replacement windows that open easily and stay open — and exit the residence. Call in the appropriate emergency response teams to address the problem.
Modern home replacement windows do play a critical role in creating a more airtight home. Whether you opt for vinyl home replacement windows, fiberglass home replacement windows, or wood home replacement windows, advances in replacement window technology makes it possible to virtually eliminate unwanted air penetration. This improves the home’s energy efficiency. However, it does point to the need to have adequate ventilation for the home’s heating system and the need to have one’s heating system maintained and inspected regularly. Carbon monoxide poisoning never has to happen. Prepare now to protect yourself as winter weather approaches.
Replacement Windows, Storm Windows, and You
It’s that time of year again: fall leaves are crimson and gold, temperatures are dropping, and home owners around the region are getting their storm windows out.
Storm windows are multi-layered glass windows applied over a home’s existing windows to protect an extra layer of protection during inclement weather. Storm windows are a necessity if you live in an area that has severe storms and hurricanes — every layer of protection between you and the worst weather is a good idea!
But what is the relationship between replacement windows and storm windows? Can one replace the other? Do replacement windows require storm windows? Can you use storm windows with replacement windows? Do you need replacement windows at all, or can storm windows do the job?
These are all great questions, and speak to the common confusion surrounding replacement windows and storm windows.
Let’s look at the last question first: can storm windows do the job of replacement windows?
The short answer is “No.” Storm windows in and of themselves cannot match the energy efficiency offered by vinyl home replacement windows, fiberglass home replacement windows, or wood home replacement windows. While some storm windows feature double pane glass, few offer the triple pane glass and insulating gas pockets available in the best home replacement windows. Storm windows do not stand a chance of meeting modern home replacement window’s energy efficiency, style, or quality of construction.
That being said, if your budget doesn’t currently allow for full window replacement, a high quality storm window can increase your home’s energy efficiency. When installed over a single pane, leaky window, a quality storm window can reduce air penetration, increase the retention of warm interior air, and repel a certain amount of moisture. All of this will increase the comfort and livability of your home, helping to eliminate chilly drafts.
The many benefits of storm windows is why top quality window manufacturers like Harvey and Champion pride themselves on their storm windows. These are well-built high quality storm windows, the pinnacle of modern window technology. If you’re only familiar with the flimsy storm windows of yesteryear, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the quality construction and structural integrity of modern storm windows.
Many times, replacement window dealers will tell you that after having full window replacement done, storm windows are no longer required. It’s also true that installing storm windows after having replacement windows installed can be problematic: wider window frames may no longer fit your existing storms.
However, modern storm windows can accommodate modern replacement windows. You’ll want to select storm windows with impact resistant glass — these windows can stand up to high water pressure and the extreme stresses that occur during weather events. Pay attention to the frames and sashes — while the majority of any storm window is of course the glass, you want quality frames and sashes to provide additional protection and stop leaks. Experts recommend matching framing materials to your existing or replacement windows– if you’ve got vinyl home replacement windows, you’ll want vinyl framed storm windows.