Windows
When you are building or remodeling your home one of the big things you want to think about is the window selection you choose for your home. Of the hundreds of parts that make up a house, windows affect our lives the most. How is that so? Well, think of it this way, on the outside, they reflect the architectural style of a home. They must be properly sized and placed to give a sense of balance and scale to the home. Improperly sized windows can make a home look "funny". Inside, they provide natural light and frame our view of the world. Both of which are important. A window, especially a decorative window, can also set the mood and tone of a room. Often times windows transform a room and determine how we see it. What does this mean? Well, think about it, often the colors, textures, and furnishings we choose for the room and the activities we do within that room often are based on how much light windows let in.
What else can windows do for our homes? Windows give the exterior of your home added dimension. In fact, you could gain more light and dramatically increase your views by replacing a flat pane window with an elegant bay window. Unlike a flat window, a bay reaches out to capture light and views from three angles. And a bay window offers another advantage, it has a deep seat board, which acts as a seat and provides a cozy place for reading the paper, a book, or simply for watching the world go by. As you can see, your window choice makes a big difference in your comfort, and in what a window provides for your home. So consider these tips when selecting windows for your home:
1. If you want the easiest-to-maintain windows, select vinyl. Also, consider tilt-in windows for easy cleaning of the glass.
2. If you love the look of wood windows, but don't want the maintenance hassles of caring for them, have a woodgrain laminate put over vinyl.
3. Choose reputable nationwide window companies that offer comprehensive warranties that cover the frame, sash and insulating glass units of the window in case something ever happens to it.
4. Buy Energy efficient windows. These are windows that meet the Energy Star guidelines for where you live.
5. Consider glass options based on where you live. Choices include things like Low E or gas-filled glass to maximize energy efficiency in your home, clear, tempered, tinted (generally available in bronze or grey) or obscure glass, impact-resistant glass that is extremely difficult to penetrate, and helps reduce noise infiltration by more than 40 percent, etc.
6. Get the best grid option for your home. A perimeter grid style ideally suits an arts-and-crafts or prairie-style home, whereas a no-grid style might be best for capturing mountain or lakefront views.
7. Consider privacy. If you want more privacy in the bathroom, use acrylic block window inserts that obscure views into the home but allow in natural sunlight.
8. Make sure the windows you are considering open and close easily. See if the hardware is easy to operate and makes you feel secure. Look for windows that you can easily imagine yourself operating for the next 20 years.
9. Get high quality windows for your home. You do not want sloppily made, or poorly built windows.
10. Get what you like. You have to live with it, so make sure it is something you like, and will be able to use in the future. Think of your body as you age, will a crank open system for a window still be easy for you when you have arthritis in your hands, or should you consider something else?
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