When To Replace Your Home Windows

Our homes have a way of speaking to us, particularly when something’s just not right.  At times it’s merely a whisper and other times it’s more like a howl or a shriek, pretty difficult to ignore.  Your windows and doors are amongst the things that will waste no time letting you know it’s time for a replacement.  Homeowners have a never ending list of things to do around the home, things that need fixing, replacing, maintenance, and more.  It seems the list just keeps growing and growing, but it comes with the territory of keeping your home well-maintained and functioning at it’s best.

When the time comes where you start seeing or feeling those indications that your windows may need replacing, perhaps you’re feeling a draft or your windows are getting jammed too often.  There may still be that part of you that’s telling you that you can make this work, that you can hold off on the cost for replacement windows, and it’s really not that bad.  Most homeowners will delay the renovation job and live in denial that new windows is not really a necessity.  That is until your energy bills beg to differ and the wall around the window is starting to suffer from water damage.  These are just some of the warning signs to look out for and they shouldn’t be ignored.  Here are 10 warning signs it’s time to replace your home windows:

• Your windows being difficult to open and close.  Wear and tear over time can cause the gears and hardware of your windows to fail.  Opening your windows should be easy, not a work out.

• There is visible damage around the frame, the wall, or the window itself.  Look out for deterioration, chipping, water stains, etc.  Over time, the seals in windows start to wear down allowing air to leak in and out, in some cases this leads to windows with humidity between the panes.If you’re windows are beginning to appear warped or you’re seeing an accumulation of fog or condensation between the panes, that’s your window telling you it’s time for a replacement.  

• You’re feeling a draft coming through the window.  A drafty window can actually cost you between 10% to 25% more on your energy bills according to energy.gov.  When cold air infiltrates and heat pours out through the same weak seals, your money is flying right out the window.

• The outside noise is becoming increasingly loud.  Living in an urban setting is convenient with great restaurants, shopping centres, and entertainment close by, but that doesn’t mean that it has to feel like all that traffic is right outside your home.  New replacement windows are the first solution to outside noise pollution seeping into your home.  Understandably, it would be pretty difficult to put a baby to sleep when you can hear every single person that passes by. A lot of older homes were built on quiet streets back in the day, but the neighbourhood may of changed during the years and become much more populated. Replacing your single pane window for a double or triple pane window is your solution.

• There is an apparent increase on your energy bills.

• Your windows are too hard to clean.  Consider vinyl windows are not only cost effective but require little maintenance and can last for up to 20-25 years.

• Your windows are over a decade old.

• If you plan on selling your home, new windows are a major selling point.  Think of it as a worthwhile investment.
• You need to up the security level of your home.  If your current windows aren’t shutting or locking properly, your home is vulnerable to break ins. Not only that, if you have little ones in the home and you still have single hung windows on the second floor, it may be unsafe to ever have them open.  By installing double-hung windows, where the top sash operates up and down as well as the bottom, you will still be able to open the window and let air in from the top without creating a safety hazard.  Also bear in mind that windows which are close to the ground floor are required to have tempered glass, and older windows may no longer be up to code.
• Your home needs a makeover.  It’s simple, besides the actual structure of a home, the windows are clearly the more prominent feature.  

The decision to replace all the windows in your home is a big one because the cost is not cheap however, one thing you do need to consider is if you are going to go through with the effort to replace your windows, you might as well get high-quality ones.  Ask anyone who has ever had new windows installed on their home, they’ll tell you the love their new windows and it was a great decision to move forward with the renovation job.  Here’s the thing, if you’re going to buy new windows, don’t try to cut corners because it will still cost you but it may jeopardize the quality.  To install a low-quality double-pane window doesn’t make sense from a financial point of view and will only solve only about half of the ten of the reasons listed earlier  to replace your windows.  Bear in mind, that triple pane windows will offer the greater benefits in terms of comfort, security, and noise reduction.  

A truly accurate assessment of whether or not you need your windows replaced is to get a consultation or quote from a window expert in your area.    There may the possibility of repairing or remodelling your existing ones without even the need for a full replacement.   To simplify it, if you’re going to buy new windows, get the good ones.  Windows are not all created equal, choosing the right ones and a proper installation will have a huge impact on how they perform and how long they last.