Your energy bill has skyrocketed. Your home is drafty. No matter what repairs you make, it seems that you just can’t get ahead when it comes to efficient windows. Why?
The answer is because you thought repairing was the answer when, in fact, your windows are probably due for a window replacement. Installing windows can be a daunting task, but here’s the first three steps you should take when looking to upgrade your home windows.
Step One: Consider Why Your Windows Need Replacement
It can be easy to believe that windows last forever. They’re just glass, right? People live in hundred-year-old Victorian homes and the windows are just fine—or, they just appear that way. High quality windows that receive regular, proper maintenance only last for around 20 years at minimum, so if your home was built around 1995 or earlier, the life of your windows is cause for concern.
Glass doesn’t last forever! Windows are prone to slight warping and disfiguring over time, especially in areas where the climate experiences extreme temperature changes from season to season. This gradual disfigurement causes drafty windows that will allow your climate-controlled—and expensive—air in your home to escape, which will result in your energy bills climbing by 10 to 25%.
Are your windows dual-paned or single-paned? Single-paned windows are only half as effective at keeping heated and air conditioned air within the home, compared to double-paned ones. Single-paned glass was popular when installing windows in older homes, which may be a culprit behind your mountainous energy bill.
Step Two: Weigh the Money Gained and the Money Lost
Installing windows isn’t cheap, which is why many homeowners put residential window replacement on the backburner. While replacing a single window can cost between $300 and $700, your return on investment will be substantial. The National Association of Realtors estimates that homeowners who install new windows receive an 80% return on investment.
Almost half of the average American energy bill goes toward heating and cooling, according to the Department of Energy. Installing windows in your home that are energy-efficient with low-E coatings will sizably reduce your monthly heating and cooling expenses.
Step Three: Ask Your Neighbors
Really. In 2012, almost half of renovation jobs that year were related to window or door replacement, and nearly two-thirds of homeowners in the US are planning on renovating their windows, which comes at no surprise when the money saved begins to line your pockets. People in your community who have experience with installing windows can refer you to a reliable professional that can get your home equipped with the best windows to benefit you the most in the long run.