Dummies Guide To New Home Windows

We all saw these books as kids sitting on a shelf in a library or in the book store. They usually had a yellow cover with black letters. Shakespeare for Dummies, or Photography for Dummies, these were just a few I remember from high school. I’d thought I’d apply this concept to this next article. It seems like when I worked in a leasing office renting apartments out to individuals it was always overwhelming for them. They never knew which were the right questions to ask when shopping around for apartments. I found myself asking a lot of the wrong questions myself when looking for a home. This can be true too when shopping around for windows. So let’s go over the commonly overlooked items when shopping for replacement windows, what questions to ask, and really which windows will fit best with your home.

So what is the single most important question to ask when looking for new windows? For me it would be what kind of glass the company you are looking at installs. Where is the glass manufactured, where is it distributed from, and what kind of properties does this type of glass hold? Just a small list of good items to ask when looking for new windows are:

• How energy efficient is the glass in the windows they are selling? How low of a U-Factor do the windows they are selling have?

• U-factor is the rate at which a window, door, or skylight conducts non-solar heat flow. It's usually expressed in units of Btu/hr-ft2-oF. The lower the U-factor, the more energy-efficient the window, door, or skylight.

•  Is there a gas fill between the windows to keep the UV rays out?

• Non-Toxic, odorless, insulating Argon gas blend enhances total window U value performance by as much as 12% versus traditional air fill. We are one of the few business' out there that sell ours with both gases to make your home the most energy efficient it can be. 

• What types of windows are they selling?

• Double Hung

• Single Hung

• Egress

• Bow

• Garden are just a few

• Are the windows installed with new Easy Clean Glass Technology?

• Easy Clean Glass, which harnesses the power of the sun’s UV rays to loosen dirt so water can rinse it away, leaving your window or door glass virtually spotless.

• What kind of spacers are they using in the windows?

• Good spacers are what keep the gas inside the window which keeps the window energy efficient for the life of the glass. Make sure the spacers in your windows are high quality to avoid seal breakage early on.

Again, these terms may sound technical but any window manufacturer selling windows in the business should have the answers to these simple questions about the glass they are selling, if they don’t, don’t walk, run in the other direction. Other great questions to ask when wanting to replace your existing windows with new are:

• What kind of frame are they using to secure the window? This is critical because it's one of the largest factors in keeping moisture out.

• flange (also known as a nailing fin) that attaches to the house. It's great for keeping water and moisture outside of your home. Once the flange is firmly fastened, there is no need to anchor the window jamb.

• How customize able are the windows they sell?

• To what of an inch can the windows be customized to?

• What sill track are they using in their windows?

• Can the track lift out for ease of cleaning?

• Is there reinforced metal in the track to keep it strong for its life?

• What is the ease of maintenance for the window?

• How does the window move?

• Does it open different directions for ease of cleaning?

• What kind of locks are they using to reinforce the window?

• Is it easy to unlock and will it stay this way over the life of the window?

• How sturdy are locks to ensure safety for your home?

Lastly be upfront and honest with how you want your installation to go. Is the company you are working for customer service oriented? Are they going to take care of you for the life of the window? Lifetime warranties are also a plus when shopping around in case anything goes wrong with the window. Ask step by step how their process works. What do they do first and how do they assure accuracy with measurements and installation so that everything is level and square? What options do they have for windows frames as far as colors and type of wood? All of these are amazing questions to ask when looking for new windows.

So remember what new windows are like nowadays. They don’t include rough openings, nail holes or ugly beads of caulk. Good windows have a new age, revolutionary, better quality manufactured window. They have everything I’ve listed above and more. Windows are more advanced and technologically sound. They are beautiful and will add a face lift to any home bringing brightness into your life. They may even put a smile on your face, and who doesn’t love that?

I hope this article has helped you navigate through these confusing waters of window installation, and what questions to ask a professional when shopping around for new windows.

For more insight into window performance, read our blog, Do New Home Windows Block UV Rays?, to learn how modern windows help protect your home’s interior from sun damage.

At Conservation Construction we want everything from the top of the window to the side of the window, to the frame of the window, right down to the detailing of the trim to be perfect for you. That’s why we include all of the things above in our home windows plus the added benefit of customer care and consideration. Know that we do offer limited lifetime warranties to make sure you are happy for years and years to come. Visit are website if you want to learn more about the special windows we offer at conservationconstruction.com. This has been a dummies guide to new home windows. I’ve hoped you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Until next time . . .