It’s a fact that you can add a new touch of elegance to your home just by replacing your old windows. However, it is also true that most people don’t know much about selecting the most appropriate windows for their sweet home. If you’re in this situation and don’t have any replacement window ideas, you should consider a few important things before starting your search for the best replacement windows.
- Are you changing windows to reduce your energy bills? Yes, many people opt for newly designed replacement windows just to save some money on their energy bills. If this is the case, the best idea would be to find the windows with energy-efficiency rating close to .30 or lower. These windows will keep a larger proportion of heat from entering your home, leaving you with a reduced need to use your cooling systems. But you should also understand that installing these energy-efficient windows alone won’t do much – you need to take some more steps to lower your energy bills by a 10% or more.
- Are you interested in buying replacement windows not only to save on energy bills but also to make your rooms look elegant? When you’ll start your search, you will see that some windows are amazingly beautiful and attractive. The problem is that they may not be energy efficient. However, if you pay attention to their ratings and also consider their materials, you may end up finding the best replacement windows for your home. For instance, the best materials for sashes and frame are fiberglass, wood, vinyl or a combination of the three. Similarly, if you opt for the glass pack, you need to choose the highly efficient, low-E glass.
- How much money you have for your project? It’s another important consideration that will help you to find one of the most suitable replacement window ideas. If money is not the problem, you may want to go for windows made of wood. They look quite attractive, and if you pick them after looking at their ratings, you may find them to be highly efficient. Vinyl replacement windows are also available for those who don’t think they can shell out enough money to install the ones made of wood.
- Are you going to install windows on your own? It’s always a better idea to choose a qualified contractor to handle your project because they come with necessary tools and know how to proceed. However, if you’ll be handling the task all by yourself, you should buy windows considering the time they take for installation. Generally, a window made from wood products is relatively easy to install, as you can order it with trim. Moreover, maintaining these windows is easy – you may only need to repaint them in every 5-7 years.
- Are you on the lookout for low-maintenance options? You’ll be better off going for vinyl-clad windows or aluminum clad windows. These materials are quite thick, so they have the potential to last long.
Leona is content writer and writes on the home improvement niche of this field. she enjoyed writing this article on the concept of replacement window ideas. I emphasized to cover the intriguing trends associated with this concept.