Storm Window Replacement

Some of us might not be familiar with the importance of Storm Window Replacement but when one of your dependable storm windows begins to leak, watch out! It’s hard to overestimate exactly how important these extra protective barriers are to the warmth and comfort of our homes. However, one thing is certain: effective storm windows drastically improve our homes by keeping warm in the house during the winter and warm air out of the house in the summer. Some tell-tale signs that a storm window replacement is necessary include the ominous leaking or whistling sound you will hear as cold air begins to penetrate around the window’s edges. Moisture buildup between your home’s primary window and the storm window is also a good indication that the window is no longer serving its protective purpose.

In any case, storm window replacement is exactly what your home needs to rejuvenate the insulating barrier between you and the elements. Begin by removing the old storm window – usually it has been screwed to the exterior of your home and sealed with caulking to make an air-tight and water-tight barrier. Once the window is disconnected, it should gently slip from the window frame it was attached to. If it feels stuck, your storm window is probably experiencing season expansion that comes with moisture and the elements making the window frame slightly larger than normal. Gently pry your storm window from where it rests in the window frame. Once loose, you’re ready to install another storm window. New storm windows are often made form metal and come with two-tracks or three-tracks that include a sliding screen to keep insects out. No matter what quality of window you choose, a new storm window replacement will continue to protect your home and is a sound investment.

Window Pain Replacement

Window pain replacement (we know that it actually spelled window pane replacement, but we think that this spelling is more appropriate) is a basic maintenance task that helps guarantee that your windows remain a good barrier to the elements. One particularly popular option in the past years is for home owners to preserve their old windows, but replace the window panes in favor of dual-paned glass that insulates much better than the single-paned variety. Another very valid reason to undertake window pain replacement involves simply trying to replace a broken window pane. For now the focus is on dual-paned glass and in this case replacement is more complicated because your window needs to be prepared to fit a dual-pane of glass that is much bigger than the previous single-pane version.

Your window pain replacement really begins by removing window and placing it on a flat surface, usually a cloth to protect the window from scratches. If your window pane is broken – remove the pieces. If it is simply cracked, break it by covering it with masking tape, then a towel and then cracking the glass with a hammer. Wear safety glasses! Once broken, you can wiggle the pieces of glass out while wearing gloves. The next step involves removing the glazing and finally and glazier’s points – those small pieces of metal that keep the pane in place during glazing. Quickly sand the surface after removing all remaining glazing. Now window pain replacement continues by simply cover the surfaces where you will glaze with a fast-drying primer to seal the wood. With a piece of replacement glass about 2-3mm smaller than the opening, first lay a thin layer of linseed oil putty, or clear caulking around the opening where the window will sit. Place the window pain onto this cushioning barrier and secure it in place with new glazier’s points. Finally, glaze the window into place with glazier’s putty and smooth at an angle with your putty knife! If any of this sounds like a foreign language to you, then make sure to contact an experienced window pain replacement professional to answer any questions you might have.

New Windows Home

New Windows for your Home 

If your thinking about undertaking a new windows home project, congratulations! You’re about to take the next major step towards reducing your energy bills and increasing your home’s curb appeal and value. Your own comfort in your home will greatly increase considering that you will be improving your home’s thermodynamic properties for keeping heat in during the winter and keeping heat our during the summer months. Cost may be a factor for you and you should write down a few responses to questions like: “what is my budget?” and “what do I want to achieve with my new windows home project?” Identifying what you would like to achieve with the project is important. If you simply want to replace a damaged or weather-worn window and aren’t concerned about increasing your home’s weather readiness, then a single-paned window will be more economical.

However, if your goal is to reduce your energy bills, protect your home’s interior from light damage or otherwise really get one of the best window’s on the market, then you’ll need to look for dual-pane windows, and better still: windows with a good rating from the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) which rates windows according to how well they protect against heat in the summer and keep heat tapped in your home without escaping in the winter. Most new windows that you might consider using during your next new windows home project have a NFRC rating. The lower the NFRC number the better the widow’s energy rating. Finally, another good recommendation is to look at Energy-Star windows that have the Energy-Star rating system applied to them. Usually Energy-Star windows are a top choice for your new windows home project because they guarantee 2-3 times better energy effectiveness which can reduce your energy bills by 20-30% annually.

Replacement Storm Windows

The good news is that replacement storm windows might be just what you need to insulate your home from the elements at a fraction of the cost of replacing your entire window. Storm windows are often considered an economical “middle ground” to replacing the entire window because they can be placed over the exterior (or interior) of your existing window to create an additional weather-proof barrier to the elements. The pocket of air created between your existing window and your replacement storm windows acts like a double pane of glass, boosting your home’s insulating capabilities.

Storm windows generally come in two types, called “two-channel” or “three-channel” windows. For instance, a three-channel replacement storm window will have two panes of glass with an additional screen sandwiched in between them. All three of these elements can be slid up or down to close the window, let the air in (and keep the bugs out!). Two-channel windows simply lack the screen and have two sliding panes of glass. Interestingly, the installation of storm windows also saves on time and money and unlike installing an entire window which can involve quite a bit of labor and technical expertise, installing storm windows is a manageable task that you can complete yourself or with the supervision of an experienced window technician. Some requirements for installing your storm windows will apply. For instance, most models work best with traditionally square or rectangular windows. Other manufacturers advertise that they can supply these windows in formats that fit different geometric shapes. However, for the most part finding replacement storm windows is as easy as calling your local window technician and inquiring about how much money you will save on your energy bills!