Print this page

Here’s how to choose new windows when remodeling a home

Written by Posted On Wednesday, 20 May 2020 08:28
@fanfandyuen on unsplash @fanfandyuen on unsplash

Windows completely transform a home. The right windows look stunning on the outside while allowing tons of natural light inside. They can accentuate great views from the living room and allow fresh, outdoor air into the kitchen. Windows are simultaneously a stylistic statement and an important ventilation, efficiency, and safety feature of your home. If you’re in the process of remodeling, or are planning your remodel, you probably are planning on replacing the home’s current windows. In this article, we’ll review the main decisions you’ll need to make for your window replacement and installation. 

If you’re not sure where to start, we recommend you connect with a local window installer in your area and get individualized advice tailored to your home.

Decide on an aesthetic style for your windows

When it comes to windows, there are many different styles and forms that come with specialized functionality. If you’re replacing the home’s windows as part of a remodel, it might not be a matter of just getting new versions of the windows you already had, but instead upgrading to a new style that better fits the space or home. A home with single-hung windows in the living room might instead be better suited by casement windows that open to the side and offer an unobstructed view of the yard or surrounding property. Alternatively, this might be your opportunity to put in a beautiful bay window as a centerpiece for the home.

Function matters just as much as form. Glass block gives bathrooms and bedrooms privacy while still allowing natural light in. Double-hung windows open even more than single-hung ones, allowing for greater airflow and ventilation into the home. Many casement and awning style windows use a hand crank mechanism, making them easier for everyone in the home to open or close.

Be mindful of your budget. Single-hung windows are less expensive than double-hung windows, which in turn are less pricey than specialized forms such as bay windows, arched windows, or custom designs. You may decide that your money is better spent on the glass rather than the frame.

Upgrade single-pane windows to dual-pane ones

Glass windows are a highly effective heat conduit. In the summer, they allow heat energy into your home. In the winter, they allow heat energy produced by your furnace to escape. All-in-all, this process can lead to high energy bills, an imbalanced indoor temperature, and an uncomfortable home. 

Single-pane windows are the least-efficient style of window. In the summer, sunlight hits the glass, heating its surface. This heat energy conveys through the other side and heats the air in your home. In warmer climates, the effect is like being in an oven. Many homes built in the 50s, 60s, and 70s were generally not built for energy-efficiency: at that time, cheap electricity meant air conditioners could compensate for this heat intake. However, combine single-pane windows from then with today’s energy prices, and you could be in for an expensive summer.

One of the best ways to curb this heat transfer is by upgrading to dual-pane windows. This style features two panes of glass with a thin air pocket between them. This air pocket acts as an insulating barrier, heating much slower than the glass and abating the heat transfer process. In some dual-pane windows, this air pocket is actually filled with argon or krypton gas, harmless and invisible gases that are even better than air at resisting heat transfer. Dual-pane windows also help block out sound coming in from outside, giving you greater privacy in your home. 

Triple-pane glass takes what dual-pane glass does and makes it even more efficient. While dual- or triple-pane glass will cost more upfront, much of the cost of upgrading will eventually come back to you in the form of lower energy bills in the years ahead.

Talk with a local professional in your area

If you’re considering upgrading your home’s windows, don’t go it alone. Talk to an expert. A professional window installer will be able to provide you with insight into what type and style of windows will fit best in your home, as well as what will fit into your budget. You’ll want to work with a licensed, experienced contractor for all new window installation: given their cost and relative importance to your home, windows are something you want installed right the first time around.

Rate this item
(0 votes)
Brittany Hughes

Brittany Hughes is the communications specialist and content creater at Residential Glass, a leading window replacement and glass repair company in Pittsburgh, PA.

https://www.residentialglass.net/

Joomla! Debug Console

Session

Profile Information

Memory Usage

Database Queries