Window Tech

According to figures published by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), during the winter months, heated indoor air escaping your home through improperly insulated or maintained windows can account for between 10 and 25 percent of your heating bill.

Want to make your home look AND feel better? A great door can do that. The style will make your home look more polished, but the quality of the door means that you won’t have to worry about energy efficiency.

When you’re looking for a quick, quality way to improve your home, choosing a new door or doors may offer you just the option that you’re looking for, and the project is one that can usually be done by a typical do it yourselfer.

Do your windows have screens on them? Are they in disarray and do they need to be repaired? Consider repairing them instead of replacing them, as repairing them usually is cheaper than replacing them.

In most cases, replacing an exterior door includes also replacing the doorframe and threshold. This is the easiest way to make sure a new door will fit securely. It is also one of the best ways to avoid future problems with the installation.

You probably already know fiberglass is strong and durable, but do you know what it's made of? If you guessed fiberglass is a plastic composite material reinforced with glass fibers, you're right.

Wood is the timeless, traditional window frame material found in old and new houses. Its warm, solid wood grains, paintability, and superb insulating qualities make it a popular choice even with today’s modern, technologic options for windows.

You can plane the edges of a wooden exterior door to adjust it and keep it from sticking. This is one of the advantages of using a natural material. Steel, aluminum and fiberglass doors can't be adjusted this way.

Want to lower your heating bills? It’s entirely possible that your old doors might be leaking more of your heat than you imagined. Why not consider a new door to help fix that? It’s a simple process to install one, and it can be a huge savings.

Of steel, aluminum, fiberglass and wood, which entry door material requires the highest maintenance? If you guessed wood, you're right. Wood doors can last decades, but require protection from sun and weather through the regular application of finishing treatment products.

Fiberglass doors can mimic the look of other materials like wood. Are fiberglass doors hollow inside? If you guessed no, you're right. Fiberglass doors typically contain a foam core that helps provide stability, insulation and soundproofing.

Vinyl windows are considered to be an energy efficient replacement window option. They offer high R-values, meaning they are resistant to heat loss, and they also provide excellent UV protection that in turn reduces fading.

If you've just purchased a new window, read the manufacturer's recommendations before you start a maintenance regimen. Some new style window coatings can be irreparably damaged by ammonia, a common ingredient in window cleaner.