Replacing your windows every 20 – 25 years is ideal for maintaining your house’s look, energy efficiency, airiness, and health-friendliness.  Usually, this is the average life of windows before they exhibit condensing, molding, creaking, etc.

So, if your house’s windows have been in operation for 20 years or more, consider getting them replaced. Window replacement is a quick way to make the house look better and more comfortable to live in. So how do you choose replacement windows? Here are the things that you have to think about.

The Window Replacement Contractor’s Reputation

The paramount consideration isn’t the window itself but is in the window contractor. Contractors are the ones who will give you the windows and install them for you. Thus, the windows turning great or not after the installation heavily relies on them.

Replacement windows’ quality dramatically differs from the original windows for your house’s construction. Moreover, these replacement windows are sold mostly by window replacement contractors that put more effort into marketing their products rather than providing excellent output to clients.

That being said, most window contractors don’t have a solid reputation on the field, no matter how good they seem to look. So, before you say yes to an agent who says that he or she has the best deal for you, try asking about what they do. For suitable window replacement, a contractor you want to work with makes the windows and doesn’t order them.

Replacement Window’s Size To the Frame

Most jump blindly into buying windows upon seeing their build and design but forget to think about whether the window fits into the existing frame. It could lead to many issues like making the replacement windows impossible to install, paying additional costs to adjust their size, or having shoddy installation work done.

So, before getting the window replacement, think about how big it is for the frame. That’s why right after you’ve seen a window that you want, look at its dimensions. Right replacement windows should always fit on the existing window frame without any modifications.

Insulating Properties 

Window replacements must have better-insulating properties than your current window. They should solve the old windows cause, such as condensation, drafts, and decreased energy efficiency in the house. Window replacement has different insulating properties depending on their type.

Moreover, you’ll want a window with heavy or light insulating properties depending on where you’re living.

As for window replacements with good insulation, none beats fiberglass, vinyl, and wood windows. Fiberglass and wood replacement windows are made with a lot of seals. It makes them very ideal for houses that experience a lot of seasonal changes.

Another trait of replacement windows related to insulation is whether the glass panels for the window are single chamber, double chamber, or triple chamber. When talking about these, the chamber pertains to the layers of glass panels that a window has. In a nutshell, the more layers there are, the better the insulation properties of replacement windows.

Energy Star Rating

Windows affect your house’s energy consumption. They can make the homes warmer, thus making the aircon work harder. They can make the homes colder, thus making the heater work harder.  With that being said, in choosing replacement windows, think about energy efficiency.

In as much as energy efficiency is concerned, windows that have an energy star rating are the aces of the game. These are windows that help regulate your house’s luminescence and temperature. Commonly, replacement windows with energy star ratings come from accredited contractors and window manufacturers.

So how do you determine if the window has an energy star rating? Try looking for a U-Value label on window replacements. U-Value is a number that determines how well windows resist heat flow. The lower the U-Value, the better is its resistance, which means that it’s more energy-efficient.

The Window Replacement’s Weight To The Frame

The window frame, where the existing windows are, deteriorates in structure overtime. Thus, it might not be as strong as it used to be. Therefore, if you’re not planning to replace it together with the windows, don’t put a lot of weight on the window frame as it might collapse.

If you see that the window frame isn’t that durable anymore, consider getting it replaced from the old windows. However, if you don’t have an extra budget for window frame replacement, the next option is to get a window replacement that’s light.

A window replacement company may suggest that you get a vinyl window replacement or fiberglass window replacement.

On the other hand, if the window frame is still strong, go for single-chamber windows or dual-chamber windows. These are heavier than regular window replacements. Nevertheless, there’s no need to worry because if the window frame is still in excellent condition, it won’t have trouble accommodating these.

Warranty

After a few days have passed since the contractor installed the window replacements, you noticed that they’re not as good as you think. Just like your old windows, the new windows condense, creak, and allow the draft to come in. You phone the contractor to go back. However, the contractor stated that you’d have to pay for the return service.

Too bad, the story would’ve been different if you went for a contractor that offers warranties.

Always think about a warranty when looking for a window replacement. A warranty ensures that you can redo everything again if ever the window replacements turn out unsatisfactory. It also protects you against installation that’s poorly executed. Contractors who offer a warranty ensure that their work is foolproof since extra unpaid work isn’t ideal for them.

Conclusion

Don’t rush when choosing window replacements. Take your time and decide based on what you have to think that’s listed here. Out of all discussed, the most crucial factor is insulation property. Our Alexandria window replacement company sees that good insulation stands above good design. After all, good-looking window replacements are useless if they can’t solve the old windows cause.

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