Fall is typically the season homeowners focus on home renovations and DIY projects that prepare a house for winter. Here are several excellent reasons for installing new doors and windows this fall season.
Curb Appeal
A new entry door and replacement windows now will improve the appearance of your home’s exterior in time for the upcoming holidays. Winter months in the lower mainland can be pretty grey – adding a bold front door or windows with bright trim provides a splash of colour that will make your home appealing and welcoming.
Eco-Friendly and Energy Efficient
If your windows constantly fog up in the winter months or there’s always a draft by the front and back doors, these are common signs that you might be heating the outdoors and not the interior of your house. Compromised functionality of windows and doors increases energy costs and your household’s carbon footprint.
The obvious reason for spending time and money on a new entry door and replacement windows is to be more eco-friendly and to make your home energy efficient all year-round. Products today benefit from improved technological advances and better materials – homeowners have more environmentally-friendly options when it comes to replacing older windows and doors that allow air to penetrate around the trim or through loose glass panes.
Letting in More Light
The windows of older homes can be smaller or narrower than the ones on the market nowadays. Also, windows can appear dirty, cloudy, or hazy even after being washed because as windows age, the surface of the glass panes can become pitted, etched or worn away, reducing the amount of light entering the room. Replacing the windows in the fall of rooms that don’t receive much natural light will eliminate the need to turn on a lamp or an overhead light fixture.
The same thing can be said for a dark entryway. Swapping out an old solid front door with one that includes frosted glass panels, a transom, or stained glass sidelights, allows light to come inside while maintaining the privacy and security of your home.
Reduce Outside Noise
Old, single-pane windows can let in a lot of noise, particularly if you live near the airport, along a Skytrain route, next to a school, or on a busy street. Replacing windows with energy-efficient dual-pane windows or with laminated glass panes can reduce the amount of outside noise entering your home up to 60%. Combine new windows with a new entry door that has thick glass panels, and you’ll be able to decrease the noise level even more.
Security Risk
Older style windows and doors are often a security risk. They typically have wood frames that can warp or aluminum frames that deteriorate (rust), which provides easy entry points for burglars.
Entry doors with tall and/or wide glass panels can be tempting to burglars. Hardware such as door locks, window locks, and door handles might be worn or too old to be effective. New windows and doors have more modern locking mechanisms and thicker glass panes.
Doors and windows that stick also pose a security risk. In the event of a fire or another type of emergency requiring a quick evacuation, you don’t want to be struggling with a window stuck at the half-way point or a door that has to be tugged open all the way.
Scheduling an Appointment
When you have to buy a new front door or purchase replacement windows, you might think you have to wait until spring. But scheduling an appointment with an exterior finishing contractor during the fall is actually easier since they tend to be busier in the summer months.
