Is It Worth It to Replace Your Home Windows? | Tips from Your Trusted Colleyville, TX Window Installers
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For Texas residents, you may find your home to be heating up too quickly in the summer, or maybe it’s not getting enough natural light. For whatever reason, you’ve decided to contact your local window installers and replace the windows in your home, and like most things in life, it’s better to measure twice, than to buy twice. Your Colleyville, TX home may have a lot of things to consider that other people don’t, such as noise, high winds, and other factors that may fit your window shopping criteria. This blog will show the various types of windows, frames, and accoutrements that will help you decide what windows are perfect for your home.
Frames
The materials that go into your frames will not only decide how your windows open and close, but also how they’ll match with your home’s aesthetics.
Wood
For interior, wood is a popular installation feature for window installers. Wood is good for insulating against hotter and colder temperatures as well as inhibiting condensation for multiple pane windows. Wood also takes paint well, and can come in multiple varnishes and colors. The exterior is usually covered in another material, but exterior wood frames are fine when they’re maintained regularly. They’re also the more costly option compared to aluminum or vinyl.
Aluminum
Aluminum is the economical option for window frames. They’re durable for their weight, and are usually quick to install and maintain for what little maintenance they require. Aluminum frames are famous for also being corrosion resistant. On the other hand, Aluminum isn’t good for insulation, and you’ll have to adjust them, or add additional insulation materials to your window. Window installers typically suggest aluminum for smaller, or thinner windows to maintain a slim, narrow profile.
Vinyl
Of all the window frame materials, vinyl is the most affordable, and energy efficient when paired with an insulating foam. It’s also inexpensive for window installers to repair, as it’s corrosion and sunlight resistant. Properly installed vinyl is welded in such a way that it prevents air and water from entering your home, making this a great option for a more durable window. On the other hand, Vinyl cannot be stained or painted, so you’ll find it harder for vinyl to match your decor. Vinyl can also warp during intense seasonal changes, so watching out for cracking on your window is imperative.
Composite
Made of fiberglass or a combination of other materials, composite frames are durable, easy for window installers to maintain, and are great for insulation in your home. Similar to wood, however, they’re more costly than vinyl and aluminum, unlike wood, they can’t be painted and stained, so installing them may make matching your home’s style more difficult.
Types of Windows
With frames out of the way, the type of window you want window installers to recreate in your home is ideally the next thing you’re going to decide.
Double-hung windows
One of the most popular types of windows for Colleyville, TX residents. This window consists of two windows, with one sliding up vertically. Because it relies on a spring and counterweight, it usually doesn’t get stuck due to dirt and debris, so it’s easy to clean and maintain. On the other hand, the spring in the window does need to be taken care of from time to time, and may need to be replaced by window installers. The window itself isn’t very secure the larger they are, so they’re ideal for bedrooms and kitchens in easy to access locations.
Slider Windows
Another popular type of window, slider windows are basically double-hung windows, but oriented horizontally. They slide along a track and don’t require any simple mechanical devices like springs, so they’re easy to maintain as long as the track is clean. That being said, the track does tend to get dirty, so making sure to clean the dust and debris from time to time is something you’ll have to keep in mind. While this type of window is popular for window installers, the style tends to be somewhat dated, so there aren’t many styles and colors commercially available compared to double-hung windows.
Hopper vs Awning Windows
Awning windows are hinged at the top and open outward, whereas hopper windows are hinged at the top and open inward. Awning windows let you open the window even when its raining as the window keeps the rain out, but lets fresh air in. Hopper windows, while not keeping rain out, let more light and air in. Both models are fairly secure against infiltration, and are usually designed for lower levels where burglars can get in. Opening them can be done with either a mechanical crank, or by hand with a latch to hold it open, in either case, the larger the window, the more difficult to open, so typically these are only ideal in cases where the window isn’t too big, and you don’t need a lot of insulation.
Fixed Windows
The advantage these windows provide is in insulation. While fixed windows can’t be open, they’re air tight, and keep the heat and light in well. Additionally, some varieties of fixed window such as glass block windows are affixed by window installers with mortar, and don’t require frames except for decorative purposes. The downside, a serious one in Colleyville, TX residents, is while it can keep heat out, if it’s subjected to direct sunlight, the glass can prevent heat from getting out, causing the room to get hot enough to require ventilation, which a fixed window doesn’t provide.
To Wrap It Up
If you’re a Colleyville, TX resident who values efficiently insulating your home without compromising how it looks, having a window with the right look and feel for your home is a valid concern, and a great one to take up with your local window installers at Energy Window Solutions.