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| Windows have a tremendous environmental influence on a house, affecting the light, ventilation, and temperature of the interior and the comfort of the occupants. In addition, windows are part of a home’s architectural identity, immediately conveying period and style. When you are choosing new windows, make sure the styles you select will suit your home both practically and aesthetically. - There are several criteria to consider: your budget, your home’s style, and your needs for a given window’s performance. Think about the relative importance of ventilation and security and consider what you need in terms of ease of maintenance. Decide whether you want to emphasize the window as an architectural focal point or simply have it serve in a predominantly practical manner.
MATERIALS - Windows are made from wood, aluminum, vinyl, or fiberglass—or from a combination of these materials. In general, those that offer better weather protection cost more, but they pay off in low maintenance and energy savings. - Wood Windows - Wood tends to be the most popular window material, particularly for the parts of a window seen from indoors. Wood does not conduct cold or allow condensation as much as other materials do. However, wood is subject to shrinkage and swelling, so it will warp and rot over time—especially on the exterior—unless it is protected. Wood windows typically come unfinished unless you order them otherwise. If you intend to paint them, you can save work by purchasing them already primed on the exterior and/or interior surfaces of the frame and sash. Or you may be able to eliminate painting altogether—some manufacturers offer pre-painted windows in a number of standard colors.
- Clad-Wood Windows - You will find that many of today’s windows have wood inside and a tough, attractive exterior jacket of extruded aluminum on the outside. The cladding, available in a few stock colors, covers both the sash and frame. It will keep windows virtually maintenance-free for years. The clad exterior and wood interior fuses the best of both worlds: maintenance-free exterior with the warmth of wood to match your interior style needs.
- Vinyl Windows - Vinyl windows are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and have hollow spaces inside that make them resistant to heat loss and condensation. Inexpensive vinyl windows have a tendency to distort when exposed to extremes of heat and cold, making them harder to operate and allowing air leakage. Vinyl windows cannot be painted, and darker shades may fade over time. Vinyl windows are becoming more common because of the inexpensive option to homeowners and their maintenance-free exterior.
Other things to consider when purchasing:
The more the company spends on advertising, the higher the price is for the customer. If a company spends a tremendous amount of money on advertising, they have to apply a 400-500% mark-up to cover their overhead. Their advertising costs get passed directly on to the consumer.
Be careful of tricky window promotions or sale specials. Some promotions are a way of pushing the customer into something they might not be ready to do. The windows business is unregulated. It is simple for a company to arbitrarily mark up their price 30% above normal, so they can offer you a 20% discount for "acting now."
- Be sure the company has quality installers. If you purchase windows and siding that should last on your home for many years, you need to have the work done properly. If you spend the extra money to purchase a quality product, your investment will be wasted if it is not installed properly.
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