Windows can greatly affect the appearance of your home from both the inside and out, and they can make just as great an effect on your home’s functionality and energy efficiency. Before you decide to buy replacement windows, we want you to be aware of the basic window elements you should keep in mind.
Appearance
When you are replacing windows in a house, you will want to be certain that the style you are looking at will continue to look beautiful within and from the outside of your home. You may love a certain style in the store, but once it’s paired with your home’s architecture, you may not love it as much. Test the look of new windows by Photoshopping them onto a picture of your home.
Energy Efficiency
It is best to maximize your replacement window installation‘s energy efficiency while you are going through the process of getting new windows. We encourage you to find windows with low U-values, insulated glass, a low solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) and so forth. The best way to do this is to start with Energy Star-rated windows and look at specifications from there.
Function
Before you buy anything, be sure to test how the window style functions. Can it be opened easily? Is it smooth to open? Will it still be easy to open over a sink or another hard-to-reach spot? Does it provide a large enough opening to function as an emergency exit according to local building codes?
Maintenance
Your windows will need periodic maintenance over the years, but the intensity of that maintenance is entirely up to you. We encourage our clients to avoid windows that will need painting due to exposure and instead recommend that you pick a virtually maintenance-free option like aluminum clad wood, vinyl, or composite PVC..
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We also remind you that windows will need cleaning from time to time, so pick windows that are easy to clean from inside and out.
