Window replacement is one of the home improvements that add the most value to your house. Replacing the existing windows improves the overall curb appeal, enhances the energy efficiency, improves the interior comfort, as well as improves the security of the house. It is undoubtedly one of the best home improvements you can carry out to increase the value of your property.
However, if you are planning a window replacement project, it’ll help if you carry it out at the right time of the year. Since window replacement involves removing the existing windows before fixing replacement windows, it is crucial to consider the weather before deciding to replace your windows.
When considering what time of the year to replace your windows, your decision will be determined by many factors:
1. The urgency of the need for replacement
If your windows get damaged and need to be replaced immediately, waiting for a more suitable time of the year will expose you to discomfort in the home, such as extreme heat or cold, drafts, and security risks.
2. Cost of Waiting
Another factor that determines when to replace your windows is the ‘waiting’ factor. The summer is the busiest time of the year for window replacement. As a result, many homeowners have to wait for weeks before they can have their windows replaced. However, you can have your windows replaced almost immediately in the fall or winter because the demand is usually low during that time of the year.
What Time of Year Is Best To Replace Windows?
Summer or spring is the best time of the year for window replacement. The reason is that the weather is warm but not hot, which makes it easy to keep unwanted cold drafts out of the house. However, nothing stops you from replacing your windows any time of the year, depending on your preference.
The decision ultimately comes down to what is most convenient to you. Whether you choose to replace your windows in the summer or winter, make sure that you decide what will work best for you. Although, it may take a little longer in the winter, with a bit of planning, window replacement can take place any time of the year.
Why is it important to replace your windows?
Windows are an extremely important component of any home, beyond providing an aesthetic benefit and a view of your exterior environment, they also serve several functional purposes including regulating temperature and light within your home. Unfortunately, many home owners either ignore the fact that their windows require routine maintenance or are unsure how or what to do to maintain their windows. This leads to windows suffering from early damage and deterioration, ultimately leading to drafts, higher energy consumption and unattractive windows.
Below we highlight five reasons why a window replacement is important.
1. Reduce Your Energy Consumption
Energy efficient replacement windows offer a great return on investment for a home improvement project. Not only do energy efficient windows help you conserve energy by reducing air leaks and heat loss/gain, by doing so they also help you save on the cost of your electricity/utility bills. This means, over time your window replacement will help pay for itself by saving you monthly on your energy bills.
2. Improved Home Security
Replacing your worn, older windows, will eliminate any potential easy access points to your home. Replacement windows utilize new, stronger materials for the window itself, as well as new and improved locking systems, helping to keep your home secure. New windows act as a deterrent to would be burglars and intruders, whereas older windows can attract those looking to gain unauthorised access to your home.
3. Increased Curb Appeal
It’s no secret that new replacement windows can help increase your home’s aesthetic appeal or curb appeal. As one of the only home improvement projects that affects the look and feel of both the inside and outside of your home, a window replacement plays a big role in your home’s ambiance. Older, damaged windows take away from your home’s beauty, new windows go a long way to refresh the exterior aesthetics of your home.
4. Property Value
Most home improvement projects, no matter how small or minor they may seem, will directly affect your property value. A larger project, such as a whole home window replacement can go a long way in increasing your property’s value, especially if you are planning on putting your home on the market in the near future. Potential home buyers will pay a premium for the convenience of not having to deal with a replacement themselves.
5. Living Comfortably
Above all else, replacing your windows is important for your very own comfort. Damaged windows allow air to pass through or around the window frames and get into your home, creating potential cold spots in your home. Replacement windows will eliminate any drafts and help keep your home at a consistent temperature, as well new windows will block exterior noise leading to less interruptions while relaxing at home.
A window replacement project offers more than just a clearer view or prettier windows to your home. They help improve your standard of living and will increase the overall property value of your home.
What are the benefits of replacing old windows?
There are two main reasons for homeowners to complete upgrades in their home, the first is to update the design or the convenience of an item or area and the second is because there is an issue or a malfunction. Window replacement for the most part falls under the second reason. Most homeowners do not consider replacing their windows unless they are damaged, are difficult to operate or are allowing air to flow through. However, replacing your windows has many benefits, some that you may not have even thought of.
Below we highlight some of the key benefits related to replacing old windows.
1. Increased Security
Windows and doors are the key entry point for burglars and intruders, so ensuring they are secure also ensures your home, family and property are also well protected. If you have old, damaged windows, they can attract unsavory individuals, as they may view them as an easy entry point. By replacing your windows, you eliminate the temptation of the easy entry point and also get the advantage of new locking mechanisms ensuring your home is secure.
2. Improved Comfort
Replacement windows will help improve your comfort within your own home in multiple ways. First, replacement windows will reduce the amount of external noise that penetrates the inside of your home, meaning you will be interrupted less by barking dogs and screeching brakes versus your older windows and second, they help maintain a constant interior home temperature eliminating hot and cold spots within your home.
3. Better Energy Efficiency
New windows will incorporate new energy saving features such as gas filled and Low-E coatings, they will also have a tighter seal ensuring that air isn’t able to pass through and helping to keep heat loss/gain at a minimum. All of these features will help keep the temperature in your home more consistent, meaning that your heating and cooling systems will not need to work as hard to keep your home’s internal temperature consistent.
4. Increased Aesthetics and Curb Appeal
New windows not only improve the look and feel of your home’s interior, they also increase the aesthetic appeal of your home’s exterior design helping to increase your home’s curb appeal. New windows will help highlight the architecture of your home and your overall design.
5. Boost Property Value
Everything you do to your home is reflected in the real estate market value and that’s why it is important to consider the return on investment of any home improvement project. New windows offer a great ROI as potential home buyers are willing to pay a premium for a home where the windows and doors have been replaced, as this is a project that they will not have to look after themselves. Taking both the cost of purchasing the replacement window and the cost of installation into consideration, your property value is sure to reflect a positive return on your home’s value.
Choosing to replace your windows for your next home improvement project has many benefits, including making your home more comfortable, increasing your home’s curb appeal and boosting your home’s value.
5 tips on choosing the right window installer
Making the decision to get a window replacement is a great step towards home improvement. But, as important as it is to choose the right type of window, the most essential part of the process is the installer. Without the right window installer, all your time, effort, and money towards getting a window replacement for your home may go to waste. Ready to get your new windows installed? Here are five tips on choosing the right window installer for the project:
1. Experience
The experience that the contractor has goes a long way in validating the outcome of their work. A contractor who has not gotten a lot of firsthand experience may be incompetent when it comes to handling replacement projects. With experienced replacement window contractors, you can also get expert consultation. They may offer services such as helping you pick the perfect window material and frame to fit your replacement purposes and the structure of your home.
2. Reviews and Testimonials
Any contractor can claim to be experienced but only reviews and feedback from their clients will help you confirm the quality of their services. If you can, get reviews and testimonials from any project they have previously worked on and use that as a form of insurance to ensure that they do a proper job for your window installation. Licenses and permits are other documents that the contractor must have to verify their validity.
3. Guarantee
You can ask your potential window installers to provide a customer satisfaction guarantee for the installation project. The most common guarantees are for weeks or months after the installation is done to ensure that the windows are fitted in properly without damage.
4. Communication
Another thing that can help you know when you are choosing the right window installer is the communication you have with them. A good installer should be able to provide you with ample information about the installation process, requirements that you have to fulfill to make the job seamless, and they should be able to answer your questions promptly and professionally.
5. Insurance
Window installation, like most general contractor projects, has its risks, however minimal. Any reputable windows and doors company should have insurance to cover for any damages that occur during the project.
Inexperienced window installers may improperly install the replacement windows, cause damage to the structure of the house, and leave you with more expenses than you started out with.
