Knowing When To Replace Your Windows

Replacement vinyl windows are an incredible investment.  They provide: increased performance, low maintenance, energy efficiency, and added beauty. Consumers buy replacement windows for multiple reasons. Performance reasons are often the most compelling—stuck windows can be annoying, inconvenient, inefficient, and unsafe.  Others opt for vinyl replacement windows to be free of the high maintenance required of their older windows. Maintenance on old windows includes scraping, painting, and caulking, but new vinyl windows are low maintenance or maintenance free and often include tilt features for easy cleaning of the exterior glass from inside the house. Old windows are often drafty and waste energy. New vinyl windows can considerably lower heating and cooling costs. Aesthetically, replacement vinyl windows improve the look of a property and add incredible resale value.

Perhaps you are unsure if it is, in fact, time for those old windows to go.  To save on heating and cooling bills and make your home more energy efficient, it is recommended to replace old windows if there are any of the following signs: warm spots near the inside of the window on hot days and cool spots on cold days; peeling paint on the frame or house exterior from improper sealing of the windows; frost or ice on the windows due to inadequate insulation; and deteriorated insulation around the window, which permits unwanted sounds and drafts inside. Also, there are tests that can indicate the need for new windows, including: holding a lit candle in front of the window edge to see if there are any flickers caused by drafts; tapping the window frames carefully to test for softness in the wood, which indicates decay; opening and closing windows to see if they are swollen shut or need to be propped to stay open; and shining a flashlight around the window frame to see if light comes through to the inside.

Window installation specialists also recommend replacing windows if there are problems such as cracked or broken glass, rotting, split, missing, or loose wooden parts, missing or brittle putty, or excessive water infiltration. The window experts at Advanced Window Products can help you decide if it is time to replace your old and inefficient windows and will help you decide on the perfect replacement windows for your home.