Benefits of Quality Replacement Windows Homeowners Need to Know
Windows have a huge impact on the comfort of your home, given the fact that they do much to retain conditioned air inside the home and keep out unwanted colder or hotter air, as well as humidity. Windows also allow natural light from the outside to brighten up the interior of your home and make it a more cheerful space to live in. Because windows play such a key role in the everyday functioning of your household, it makes good sense for you to be well-informed about all the benefits provided by specific replacement windows when you’re looking to replace your current ones.
Protection from weather elements
If every day was sunny and warm, you probably wouldn’t need much protection from your windows other than screening out harmful ultraviolet rays. In most areas of the world however, there are plenty of times when the weather can get downright nasty, with strong winds, heavy rains, and sometimes scorching rays of the sun.
Windows which have been rendered less effective by years of exposure and wear and tear can develop leaks around the framework, and this can lead to the growth of mold or mildew. Even excessive sunshine can cause damage to your carpeting, furniture, and draperies, if not filtered out by good windows. Drafts and leaks can be eliminated by good replacement windows, and specialized coating or tinting can eliminate most of the ultraviolet rays that would otherwise penetrate to the interior.
Reduction of noise
For those occasions where you want to simply keep the outside world shut out of your present situation, it’s always great to be able to simply close your windows and enjoy the resulting quiet around the household. This might be especially important if you live in a busy neighborhood, if there’s a school nearby, or if you live close to a construction site.
Most single-pane glass windows won’t do much to prevent exterior noises from penetrating into your household. However, double-pane or triple-pane glass windows can significantly cut down on any noise which reaches your interior. The more barriers you have between yourself and the outside noise, the less of that noise you will tend to hear inside your home.
Energy savings
If you have windows in your home which are worn out, leaky, or drafty, you might be surprised to learn how much that’s costing you in lost energy. When conditioned air can easily leak outside, your HVAC systems have to work that much harder to produce more conditioned air. In the wintertime for instance, when your warm air is allowed to leak out through drafty windows, your furnace will be obliged to work harder to maintain the interior temperature.
The US Department of Energy tells us that there is a potential energy savings of between 10% and 20% in any given year, which can be achieved simply by reducing drafts and leaks around windows and doors. Many of the most modern windows available today have much higher energy efficiency than those of the past, and the new insulating features can provide major savings on heating and cooling cost.
Better curb appeal
Curb appeal can have a big impact on a buyer’s impression of your home, if you’re ever in the situation where you’re considering the sale of your home. When you do reach this point, you’ll need to do everything possible to increase the appeal of your home to potential buyers, and having newly installed energy-efficient windows is one great way to enhance curb appeal. You don’t need to have huge bay windows which are eye-catching in their own way, but it definitely helps to have attractive framework around new windows, with no obvious leaks or drafts that would degrade the interior.
Security and safety
If your windows can’t be secured by strong latching mechanisms, it will be very easy for a criminal-minded person to break into your home. Conversely, if you have a window which is stuck in position and can’t be opened, that could create a hazard for someone trying to escape in the event of a fire. You might not think often about the safety and security provided by your home’s windows, but there are certain situations where it can come into play in a major way.
You can prevent shattering glass from causing injuries by installing tempered or laminated windows. You can have bolt mechanisms installed on your windows to deter break-ins, and you can even have privacy films installed on your windows to prevent easy viewing from the outside, which might invite thieves. All these things can improve the security and safety provided by your windows.
