Are you considering window replacements for your older windows? How do you know if you need new windows? And where can you find the best replacement windows?
Suppose you’re doing a home renovation that involves moving or adding exterior walls, moving windows, or adding new or more oversized windows. In that case, you may want to replace your windows, so they all match from an aesthetic standpoint from the inside and outside. You certainly don’t want new vinyl windows side-by-side with windows with older, worn-out wooden or aluminum frames. By the same token, if your windows meet any of the criteria below, then it’s time to look at replacing your windows.
With 66 years in the home renovation industry, the experts at Tom Adams Windows and Carpets, with their national award-winning service and installation, can help you decide if it’s time for window replacement in your home. Here are a few signs to help you determine whether you may need new windows.
Window Frames Are Falling Apart
As windows age, especially wood frame windows, you’ll notice the frames beginning to deteriorate. No matter how many coats of paint you layer over your window frames, they will not look brand-new again. Installing replacement windows will give your home interior and exterior a fresh new look, especially since windows are visible from the inside and the outside. The more deteriorated the windows, the greater the chance of water or air infiltration, which can cause more severe damage to your home.
By replacing worn-out windows, you’ll also reap the benefits of increased energy efficiency within your home to lower your heating and cooling bills.
You Can See Fog or Condensation in the Glass
If you have double-paned windows, the seals around the glass may fail over time. Moisture can build up between the space of the dual-pane glass. Not only does this make your house look older and uncared for, but it indicates that moisture is also seeping through the windows, which can increase home heating and cooling costs and make your home less comfortable. It can also create mold or mildew in your windows.
Similarly, single-paned windows may fog or form condensation on the inside of the glass.
You Have Single-Pane Windows
While we’re on the topic of single-pane glass, if your home is still sporting windows with single-pane glass, it’s time to get an estimate for new window installation. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends ENERGY STAR-qualified windows with double- or triple-paned glass insulated with inert gases like argon between the panes for greater insulation.
Additionally, today’s energy-efficient windows may include special coatings called “low-E” glass that help keep heat and cold inside or outside of your home. This can reduce home heating bills and help keep your air conditioner from overworking, depending on the year and outside temperature. If your windows aren’t ENERGY STAR rated, it is time for a much-needed upgrade.
Windows Won’t Close or Open Easily
Windows that don’t raise or lower easily or don’t lock properly can be inconvenient. They can also represent a safety hazard and security issue for your home. In most cases, if a window isn’t operating correctly, it’s probably also not insulating as well as it should, and it could be time for window replacement. Whether the balances are broken or the window is painted shut, either way, those windows eliminate you from getting fresh air when you want it. Also, the swelling of wood windows makes windows almost impossible to open. Windows are made for your home to receive fresh air on demand, and if any of the problems exist in your home, it is time to replace those old inefficient windows.
Your Windows Leak Water
Obviously, leaking windows represent a problem that you need to address immediately. Water that leaks into your home for your windows can cause mold and mildew growth within your home, inside walls, and under your flooring. You may not even realize it immediately. Water can travel inside your house and ruin insulation, drywall, studs, and beams and deteriorate your most prized possession….your home.
In most cases, it’s easier and more efficient to replace a leaky window than to try to fix it. Windows that leak water are probably older and will start to experience other problems over time. It’s like a 30-year-old car that starts to experience issues. The engine may run, but the transmission needs to be replaced, or the brakes or steering are on their way out. And, as with windows and cars, older models’ energy efficiency is definitely not what it should be.
It is usually easier to replace the windows and less expensive, too. As with an older car, you don’t want to pay for repairs every year and spend more on your energy bills than you need to.
You Feel Drafts Around the Frame
As with leaks, drafts are another obvious sign that your window frame could be starting to rot. You can purchase thermal leak detectors or airflow detectors on Amazon and at home improvement stores.
You can also measure drafts by standing near the window with a lighted candle. If the flame flickers or even burns out, you’re experiencing a draft through the window. A 1/8″ gap on each window in your home is like leaving your door open for a whole day, every day. That is how much air seeps into the home and cools down your house in the winter. Meanwhile, your heating system is working overtime just to take the chill out of the air.
In the summer, warm air can warm your house while your air conditioning unit works twice as hard, leading to unnecessary wear and tear, which can cause it to burn out sooner.
Sometimes, a draft is so bad you don’t need to check for airflow actively. Just stand in front of your window on a windy day to determine whether you feel a draft or not or see if you see your window treatments moving with the airflow. If you do, it’s probably time to replace your windows.
Outside Noises Seem Louder
Have you noticed that the kids playing outside seem louder lately? Or that passing traffic disrupts conversations in your home a bit more than it used to? This is another sign that your windows could need replacement.
As the seals around windows fail, it’s not just cold air and water that get in. Noise, too, will seep into your home. This is a subtle sign that you may not notice immediately, but it’s a good indication that you should consider window replacements. Whether your replacements are wood or vinyl, these energy-efficient windows will seal the home from the outside and keep water, wind, dust, bugs, and noise out.
You Notice Your Heating or Cooling Bills Rising
If you haven’t paid much attention to your windows and failed to spot the drafts or leaks, you may have noticed your heating or cooling bills rising. When your windows fail to insulate as they should, it requires more heat to warm your home. Likewise, your air conditioner may need to run longer and colder to cool your home. Not only do your monthly energy bills go up, but as your heating and air conditioning units work harder every day, they are cutting their life span in half. Heating and cooling systems could wear out after five to seven years instead of the expected 10 to 20 years they are designed to last.
So, if you’ve noticed a change in your energy bills since last year at the same time, inspect your windows to see if they are showing other signs of wear or age. Vinyl, fiberglass, or aluminum-clad with wood replacement windows represent some of the best residual value investments in your home if they are installed correctly.
Call the Award-Winning Professionals at Tom Adams
Tom Adams Windows and Carpets has been installing new construction windows and replacement style windows of all types, including wood windows, fiberglass windows, composite windows, and vinyl windows. With over 66 years of installation experience and a lifetime warranty for installation, we can give our customers award-winning installation and peace of mind. Our window company can help you update your home with the best replacement windows in the marketplace.Reach out for your free estimate for windows and window installation.
Do you have new windows in your home? Have you noticed any of these signs that your windows need to be replaced? Don’t hesitate to call or click here.
