Moving into a new home is one of the most exciting times of your life. Whether you are moving into your first home or upgrading to a home big enough for your entire family, a new space is a blank slate that is full of promise and hope. When you look at a home you’re likely paying more attention to the space and the size rather than whether or not the windows glide open or what material they are made out of. Once you sign the papers, though, the house is yours, windows and all, so make sure to take a look at the condition of the windows of your future home. Here are a few things to look for.
Windows Painted Shut
If you’re buying an older home, more times than not, you can expect some of the windows to no longer be functional. Wood windows in older homes have to be maintained or else they’ll eventually rot away. Typically, at one time or another they were painted. The painter probably did a good job and the windows were likely functional after the paint job. As time went by and the windows sat closed the wood expanded and contracted and eventually got to the point where they just wouldn’t open anymore. This can cause serious ventilation and safety issues and might even cause a home to fail inspection. The ability to open a window can save your life during a fire. Older homes are typically designed to stay cool in the summer with properly functioning windows, so ventilation is vital in an older home.
Cracks
You probably wouldn’t overlook cracks in a window while you’re looking at a house, but it would be human nature to look past the cracks if the house is otherwise okay and simply fix them when you move in or add it to the fixes the homeowner has to make before the sale completes. Fixing cracks in a single pane window that doesn’t operate properly is like putting a band aid on a wound that needs stitches. You should put some thought into how you want to proceed if you notice cracked windows, it’d likely be worth the added expense to replace the windows altogether.
Drafts
Pay attention to whether or not the windows are allowing outside air into the home. If that is the case there is a problem with the sealing around the window. Caulk or weatherstrip can help, but if the window isn’t quality, to begin with, it will only help temporarily and not to the level that you’d likely prefer.
Single Panes
It’s common to still find single-pane windows in lower grade windows during a house hunt. The problem with them is that they are the culprit of roughly 25 percent of energy costs found in older homes. If you’re looking at two, roughly identical houses, one with single-pane windows and one with double-pane, the double-paned windows should be a huge selling point. With the added security that double pane windows provide, the energy efficiency and noise reduction, there are really only pros and no cons to having double-paned windows throughout your new home.
North Georgia Replacement Windows replaces windows for life. We sell the best product available for the price point that you feel comfortable with. Whether you’re replacing your doors or windows for aesthetics, energy efficiency or your current windows just aren’t functional anymore, NG Windows has your solution. Come by and visit us at our showroom at 1210 Warsaw Rd., Suite 1000, Roswell, GA 30076 and add that last detail to your remodel job.
