Choosing a window for your home can be an overwhelming task. This is especially true because there are hundreds of brands to choose from, all carrying a wide variety of products with different features and offerings. The challenge in this case, however, is knowing what you want and what most fits your needs.
While it may appear impossible to make a selection from the hundreds of options available on the market, the best way to ensure that this problem is solved is to draw up a checklist of the features you want and need in a window. Doing this will significantly reduce the otherwise harrowing experience that comes with making a window selection.
The question to ask now is, what are the most important things that should be on my checklist? Below are some of the important factors you should consider to help you make an informed decision with regards to your new window purchase.
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Styles
One of the important considerations to make when selecting a window for your home is the style of the window and that of the existing structure in your home. Taking into consideration that there are several hundreds of window styles in the market, a great way to begin to narrow down the options is to start first with a realistic budget of how much you intend to spend on the window. As an extension of the budget, you should also consider the space available for the window to be fitted into the existing architectural style of your home and other important factors. If you, however, wish to save yourself from this stress, you can also choose to work with SR Windows & Glass. The team of glass installation and repair experts know what is best for your home and will walk you through all the possible styles and other helpful information that will help you make the final, satisfactory choice.
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Materials
Whether you are settling for a simple style like a casement or horizontal slider window or a more fanciful one like bow windows or double-hung windows, you need to consider the material from which the window of choice is made. There are several material options to choose from, all offering different benefits. When presented with the option to choose material and color options for your window, be sure to look for one that best matches your home’s color. You can also speak to glass and window experts like SR Windows & Glass to better understand how best to choose materials and color options that are most suitable for your home needs.
As part of the considerations for material selection, it is recommended that you should consider the maintenance of the material choice and its aesthetic appeal.
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Glazing
As part of the factors placed into consideration, you should also consider the energy efficiency and energy rating of the window options chosen. Experts at SR Windows & Glass recommend that windows with low emittance coating should be selected. The low-E coating on glazed windows will prevent heat transfer between the exterior and the interior space thus limiting the interaction between both environments. This, in turn, helps homeowners to save more money on heating and cooling.
When looking for the best option in terms of low-E windows, it is recommended that you should choose windows that have been glazed with argon.
Are Your Windows Installed Properly?
After selecting choice windows for your home, it is important to note that the efficiency of the windows not only rests on the material and quality of the window but also the quality of the installation. If your window has been installed improperly, below are some of the common indicators to watch out for.
1. Noisy window:
Your brand new window should not be making a racket or any other strange noises. If you begin to notice strange noises coming from the newly installed window, whether from the frames, glass or insulation, then this may be a major indication of bad workmanship by the installer.
2. Visible Gaps
Your window is expected to close the external away from the interior space. However, if you notice visible spaces or air pockets through which the external environment relates to the internal environment, then you have suffered a bad installation.
3. Watermarks or signs of water damage
Your windows should be installed in such a way that it closes your indoor space away from the weather elements like rainfall. However, if you begin to notice problems like water pools near the base of the window or watermarks on the walls around the edge of the window, this may mean that the seals were not properly installed or that the window was not properly installed in itself.
4. Foggy Windows
When multiple panes are improperly installed, the result is evident in foggy window panes. The fog may be caused by water molecules that have been trapped between the panes and heated up over time by the sun.
Other common problems that indicate a bad window installation job include:
- Improper caulking
- Problems when opening or closing the window
- Problems with internal temperature maintenance
