At Airtight Vinyl Siding & Windows of Santa Cruz County, California, we want you to have the most up to date and essential information that you will need to purchase and install a new window for your home or business. As a home and business owner, it’s absolutely critical that you are aware of many facts so you can make the right decision when you make the big choice about replacing windows. Airtight is a premier window and door replacement company and contractor in the area and we want to help the community. We have compiled 10 facts that will put you on the right path to making the best decision concerning renovations to your property because Airtight makes it a principle to educate our customers. So, here goes:
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Options, Options, Options – just like the weather, your windows can come in all shapes and sizes; however, you have to know how to look at the countless number of options. You can narrow your options based on just a few of these criteria:
– Price
– Product Lines
– Warranties
– Quality & Durability
– Appearance & Products & Design
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Check for Screen Functionality – You will definitely still want screens even on the best quality and best installed storm windows. Many windows that are currently installed, especially on high-end properties, will tilt in for a fresh breeze. This is great, however you will certainly want durable screens to protect your home or business from insects and outdoor critters.
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Check for Energy Efficiency – Any great window will have a label stating it’s energy efficient attributes. At Airtight, we pride ourselves in our customer service and one of our salesmen would be more than happy to take a deep dive into the specifics of each window’s energy efficient qualities. You can also educate yourself beforehand on energy rating lingo with our link.
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Follow Glass Safety Codes – Dangerous glass shards can injure your family, your guests and you. Glass shards can be avoided though if you use tempered glass which, if shattered, will shatter into tiny blunt pieces that cause much less damage than shards. Having tempered glass is especially important for glass that is installed next to a door or inside a bathroom where there is likely to be more activity close to your window or glass.
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Check the Shims – Installing shims can be very technical and is better a task taken on by a professional. Nevertheless, Airtight wants ensure that you are well educated on all facets of the window installation process. Basically, in order for a window to open and close properly, it needs to perfectly fit into its open space. Shims need to be double checked (usually with a 2-foot level) to make sure that no bulges exist in the middle which could allow air leaks. Some brands like Pella and Marvin come with a full box set which can aid in this process. Marvin has a product that can fit into your existing window frame –Insert replacement windows are installed into an existing window frame. The exterior and interior trim of your house are then not disturbed. The image below illustrates this idea:
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Consider New Trim – The money spent on new trim will not go to waste. Older trim has a very good chance of being water or weather damaged. Also, lest we forget that your old trim might not be up to par from an aesthetic standpoint when compared to your beautiful new windows. Your new trim also has to be durable enough to support the weight and structure of your new windows.
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Get an Exact Fit – When your new windows are replaced, it is absolutely necessary that there is just a tiny little room around the perimeter of your window to allow for insulation and shimming. Our installers fill every crevice with either foam that expands to fill the extra space or fiberglass. To make sure that every and each crevice is insulated, we usually hold a candle to the new window to check for even the smallest drafts and see if the candle flickers.
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Use the Right Flashing – Your new windows can be very quickly ruined if time is not taken to properly flash them with a drip cap. We install those drip caps and then fit your window siding over it. Years ago, drip caps were made out of wood and if they did not have metal above (usually copper or aluminum ), they would rot. Nowadays, there are products like AZEK Integrated Drip Edge which does not need metal protection, and is designed to assist with water management efforts around windows.
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Use Low-Emissive Glass Windows – Low-emissive glass (also known as Low-E Glass) is glass that has been treated with an invisible metal oxide coating which blocks the ultraviolet rays from the Sun to keep cold air in and warm air out and; heat transfer does not occur and vice versa. These types of glass windows will also protect your furniture because of the windows capacity to block the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Upgrading to Low-E glass windows will provide even greater energy efficiency for your home.
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Hire a Professional – Know your professional – make sure they have the proper licenses and referrals to avoid any major disasters installing new windows. Airtight Vinyl Siding & Windows definitely fits the bid.
Contact Us For A Free Estimate
At Airtight Windows & Vinyl Siding, our customers come first because we want you to be prepared for any season and any time. We also want your home and business to look great with brand new updated windows. We also realize the technical nature of installing windows so please give us a call at (831) 462-9695 for a free estimate and consultation.