Windows & Doors Replacement Archives

September 15, 2017

How to Cut Down Fall and Winter Energy Costs

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It’s nice to thoroughly enjoy the little bit of summer we have left before the breeze starts biting. As the days get shorter though, you should start preparing your house for the cold seasons.

Fall and winter are prime times for energy bills that soar through the roof. But there are ways you can cut down on those costs. Here are some pointers:

Batten down the house

The first thing you want to do is fortify the weather-proofing around the house. That includes taking out the window air conditioner and checking on your windows and doors. If they need replacing, choose a solid door that’s suitable for the climate of your area and install double-pane windows.

Swap out the ragged weather strips on all your windows with new ones. If they’re still in fairly good condition, you can reinforce the window edges with caulking or plastic tape for good measure. Remember to also cover up any air leaks around electrical sockets, pipe cut-outs, and unfinished rooms.

The attic and the basement are prone to much heat loss in the house. Carefully shore up the insulation in both areas. If you’re not sure what insulation options are available, check out this article.

Hang up insulating blinds

There are window blinds with a honeycomb design that create an air barrier as extra insulation. Make sure that they’re measured out exactly so that they hug the window frame.

Seal the fireplace

If you don’t use the fireplace very often even in the wintertime, it’s best to just seal up the chimney flue completely. If you do want to keep the fireplace option open though, install tempered glass doors over the mouth and use an exchange system to circulate the heated air directly into the room. That way, the fireplace is at least heating your home a little more efficiently.

Don’t forget about the small details

It’s the little things in your everyday life that add up! Something as trivial as leaving the oven door ajar after baking to let out the residual heat still helps. Also, experiment with what’s the lowest temperature you can handle. Rather than immediately turning up the thermostat when you’re cold, fill your wintry days with wool! Wear wool socks around the house and snuggle up with wool blankets at night. Of course, if the cold is too unbearable, turn up the thermostat little by little until you’re more comfortable.

Something else you can do is installing a smart thermostat. Program the thermostat to wind down the temperature when you leave for work and to start it back up again as soon as you’re off work. Some smart thermostats can even be controlled remotely on your phone so you can turn it on when you’re almost home.

Switch to LED lightbulbs

LED lightbulbs may have a higher price tag, but they last a lot longer. Where you’ll recoup your costs is on the electricity bill because LED lightbulbs are the most energy-efficient in the industry. Consider replacing all the bulbs in your house with LEDs – even for the Christmas lights!

Set a window covering protocol

Make a habit of opening and closing the curtains or blinds to take advantage of the sun’s heat. During the day, open them up – especially the ones on the south-facing windows – so that the sunshine can heat up the house. In the evening, close them to keep the heat in the house from escaping.

After you’ve done all you can to winterize your home and the days are still warm, go outside and BBQ on!

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August 13, 2017

5 House Projects to Do in the Summer

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The summer air is always filled with endless possibilities. School’s out. Work at the office is slowing down. Everyone is either in vacation or party mode. It’s the season where people are actively seeking to enjoy and improve themselves. For many, upgrading their homes is a combination of both.

If you’ve been itching to embark on an ambitious home improvement journey, ’tis the season! There are certain house projects that are just meant to be done in the summer. Here they are:

Home additions

Let’s start with the big stuff first. Building an addition to your house means exposing part of it to the elements. So make sure they’re the warm elements! With such a complex project though, you have to plan for it months in advance. Get a contractor lined up and nail down a start date. Have all the materials you need ordered and stored in safe, dry place. All this will ensure the project is finished as quickly as possible long before the cool weather of fall sets in.

Replace roof

The same goes for replacing the roof. Bring down the risk of inviting the wet weather into your house by doing as much prep work as you can to help move things along. Also, summer is ideal for roof replacements and home additions because they translate to cost-savings for you in the end. You save money by not having to compensate with higher heat while the house is opened up. Plus, the long summer days mean longer working hours that lead to a faster completion time.

Upgrade front door and windows

A lot of winterizing projects are best done in the dry, summer season. Take front door and window upgrades, for instance. Since you’re making these upgrades with better insulation in mind, it’d be counterproductive to end up sealing in moisture around the frames. For the greatest energy efficiency, stick with dual-pane windows. The space between the two panes will provide extra insulation and even improved soundproofing.

The front door, on the other hand, is more than just about the insulation. You also have to balance that with durability and security. Start looking at the top front door materials and decide which type best suits your needs. You can recoup the costs of these upgrades many times over with your supercharged energy bill savings afterward.

Paint exterior

There’s nothing like a fresh coat of exterior paint to give your house a facelift. Whether it’s making the original shade pop again or doing a complete colour makeover, the summer heat helps you do the job much quicker. For a smooth and long-lasting finish, make sure you thoroughly clean and prime the surface first before applying the paint. It can be a daunting task to take on yourself though so don’t be shy to call for professional painting services.

Re-pave asphalt driveway

Again, this is about taking advantage of the hot summer sun. Asphalt usually needs to have a temperature of at least 135°C for it to stay soft enough to be laid down. It cools off very quickly though so the hotter the weather is, the more time the crew has to spread it around evenly and create a level surface. An uneven driveway will really grate on your nerves after the fiftieth or so bumpy parking.

Done all these and looking for more? Fear not, home improvement fan! Read on for five more summer house projects later on this week.

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April 15, 2017

Unlocking the Front Door Materials

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We tend to focus a lot on sprucing up the interior. It’s natural because we spend most of our time at home indoors anyway. Once we’ve got every room remodeled the way we like it though, it’s time to turn our attention to the house exterior.

The front door is great place to start so that you can upgrade the entrance security of your home as well as let your individuality shine through. Here are the three classic and dependable materials that people often swear by for their front doors:

Wood

Wood doors are divided into two different groups: solid core wood and solid wood. Some solid core wood doors have an insulating polyurethane core clad with hardwood and plywood. The whole frame is then finished with laminate or thinner pieces of plywood. Other styles use engineered wood as the core with a furniture-grade wood veneer on top. The main problem is that they don’t last for long when exposed to the elements as both heat and moisture can cause the plywood and laminate layers to warp. Damages to the surface are hard to fix, too, because you can’t refinish laminate layers. Even if the door uses a plywood finish, they’re often so thin that you can only sand and refinish them so many times. These are run-of-the-mill doors that are designed to be affordable. So if you’re just looking for a basic front door, solid core wood doors will give you that.

On the other end of the spectrum are solid wood doors. Solid wood is the most expensive of all the front door materials. Although it’s still at the mercy of the elements, it’s usually sourced from higher-quality wood that can withstand weathering much longer. Whenever solid wood doors does start to look weathered, you can always sand and refinish them to give another boost of life. With their natural heavy strength, rest assured that solid wood doors will keep your entrance secure. Plus, you’re guaranteed to have a door that’s unique with one-of-a-kind grain patterns.

Steel

When you think of steel doors, you associate them with high-security. And that’s true, to a point. The quality really depends on the gauge of the steel though: the lower the gauge number, the thicker and higher-quality the steel. If you want a solid door, try to get at least a 22-gauge steel door for a sturdy build that doesn’t flex like big-box-store 24-gauge doors. When steel flexes, it chips off the protective paint layer and exposes itself to rust. Another reason to invest in a higher-quality steel is that it minimises dents from blunt forces. Minor dents in steel doors can be pulled out with auto-body repair kits. Larger dents that can’t be repaired that way means you end up having to replace the whole door. The cost of steel doors again depends on the gauge, but they generally cost less than solid wood doors. Something else to keep in mind about steel doors is that they’re not the best at insulation. Although most steel doors have a good insulation core, you can’t change the fact that the metal itself conducts heat. But if you live in a moderate climate and top security is your only concern, then steel doors are a formidable choice.

Fibreglass

Fibreglass doors are the ones you can rely on in harsh climates. Because they don’t warp from moisture and don’t conduct heat, they last a lot longer and are better at insulation. They’re also a great alternative to mimic the look of wood at a much lower price. There are special coating techniques that layer the finishing with similar patterns and depth as natural wood grains. The trade-off with fibreglass doors though is they’re not as secure as the heavy-duty steel or solid wood doors. Fibreglass doors crack easily under heavy impact. If you live in a safe neighbourhood where security’s not an issue and you want an affordable door that can weather the elements for a long time, fibreglass doors are the way to go.

In the end, choose the material that’s best suited for your climate and lifestyle. Then, find ways to put your own personal stamp on it like custom hardware or personality-matching paint so that you can stand out from the crowd.

Category : Windows & Doors Replacement