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DIY Orange County Window Maintenance

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You might have an old window that you’re not quite ready to replace. Your budget might not be able to handle that sort of an investment, or you might simply not have the time to deal with replacing everything. 

Depending on what kind of window you have, there are some different things you can do to increase the life of your windows!

Regular Cleaning

  • Scrub your windows! Dust, dirt, and grime build up on your windows, inside and out. A lot of newer kinds of paint and sealant can help keep your windows cleaner, but they need help from time to time! Leaving dirt and water on your windows and their sills for a long time can wear down the surface and scratch/damage them.
  • Grease and make sure all the parts can freely move from time to time. This helps keep the parts from rusting shut and can help you find/fix a problem before it gets worse.
  • Windex and other cleaners can help keep lime and other deposits from building up on glass windows. This is important if windows are close to sprinkler systems or regularly get doused with water.
  • You can use bleach water on some kinds of windows and their blinds to keep mildew or mold from growing in bathrooms and other wet places. 
  • Reader’s Digest suggests adding a coat of floor wax to outer window sills to keep them clean.

Glass
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  • If your windows have been streaking every time you clean them, try a rubber-tipped squeegee. A good one will make sure your windows dry evenly and don’t have any extra marks!
  • If the glass in your windows breaks or cracks, take masking tape to the pane to keep it from breaking further, and making cleanup easy. 
  • You may not have to replace the whole window if the glass breaks. You can usually take a craft knife or other tool and remove the molding, seal, or other material holding a pane in place. Ace Hardware has a more detailed guide here.
  • If you need to get a new pane of glass, it may be best to contact the window manufacturer or a glass fabricator to get a precisely cut pane for your window!

Wood

  • Wooden windows are prone to warping, rot, and weather damage. The biggest thing you can do for them is to keep a layer of paint or sealant over the surfaces! Don’t let water damage the frame. DoItYourself.com explains the importance of cleaning and keeping your window frames fresh.
  • In older wooden windows, there may be counterweights to help you open a window. These are sometimes recessed into the walls beside the window. You can replace them with smaller, more modern versions that fit along your window’s sash. If you do, you can fill those gaps in with an expanding foam and lower the air moving in and out of your home, saving on heating and cooling costs.
  • Weather stripping can help stop up those little gaps that form over time when wood warps or dries out of shape. You can get weather stripping cheaply or get your own foam or tubular vinyl to cover the gaps!
  • The DIY Network offers some useful tips for fixing stuck windows or rotted pieces. 

Non-Wood Windows (Vinyl, Aluminum, Fiberglass)

  • Gaskets and seals go bad over time! Plastics and polymers don’t last nearly as long as the frame itself does. 
  • In Aluminum windows, make sure all screws stay tight at least once a year. Help protect the wooden core!
  • Caulk any cracks in an aluminum or vinyl frame to keep water out.
  • Try fixing any sash issues with a silicon sealant. 
  • Contact a manufacturer for replacement gaskets and parts you can’t find them in a hardware store.

Other Common Problems

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An old window latch.

If your window is stuck with a broken mechanism:

  • Take the mechanism apart and grease the different pieces. When its reassembled, a little cleaning and TLC can fix a lot of issues. Lithium grease may be helpful.
  • Old caulking can be removed with a craft or putty knife and reapplied if it’s looking worn. It’s a very easy fix for some leaking issues!
  • Latches and motise-plate sections can usually be cleaned, or dug a little deeper into a frame if loose. The above DIY Network article has a nice guide on how to do some of these.

Be careful when dealing with broken glass! You can always use tape to help keep all the pieces together when either removing a pane or keeping it in place while waiting for a professional.

If you find that you don’t want to do all these cumbersome repairs, or would like a quote about getting new windows put in before you go through all the trouble, contact Hardy Windows for a free estimate! 

Wood, Metal or Fiber? Choosing the Right Material for Your Orange County Windows

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When choosing a window, it’s in a buyer’s best interests to know all about what they’re getting into. The composition of a window is critical to how it will fit with a home, business, or other building. While windows are often simply looked through, at first they could be easily overlooked in favor of other, more noticeable furnishings of a building. There are four major types of window-frame materials. They can affect maintenance costs, the visage of a building, as well as environmental impact.

The four main kinds of window materials are: wood, aluminum, vinyl, and fiberglass. Wood and aluminum are natural (if processed) materials. Vinyl (PVC) and fiberglass are man-made materials, with different compositions for each window and batch made. Some of the distinctions are rather obvious just by the nature of the materials. They’ll vary as well based on manufacturer, the materials put into the mixtures, and where everything came from originally. No two windows will be exactly the same.

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A wooden frame.

Wood makes for a traditional window style. The grain can be brought out of a wood window with a stain or varnish on both the inside and the outside of a window, to give it a classy sheen. Wood will always be popular for its looks and unique patterns. However, as a material, it can wear or even rot more easily than other solutions. This is especially true on the outside of a window’s frame where weather and precipitation can damage the structure. Often times, it needs to be maintained and replaced every few years, though it can be freely painted and stained as an owner wishes. It is a decent insulator as far as heat goes, and will not affect heating or cooling bills.

Aluminum is a lightweight, yet strong metal choice for window frames. Windows made with this metal as a frame will not need much maintenance. They can be painted or ordered with a hard finish that will stay for years. The best reason to have them, visually, is that the aluminum is stronger than other materials. There is less of it needed to frame the glass, and as such, viewable area is maximized. The downside to aluminum windows is that they are not as thermally protected as other materials. As a metal, aluminum conducts heat and cold easily – this means that heated or cooled air will try to equalize with the outside temperature. Current designs combat this more than in the past, but it can still be an issue. Heating and cooling costs for your home or building may be affected as a result.

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A simple Vinyl frame.

Vinyl, or PVC windows are made up of a common polymer often found in commercial use. They can be made relatively cheaply compared to many window types. This form of window is thermally-stable, and can possibly save money on heating and cooling costs. Threaded and heat-welded polymers are popular because the processes can strengthen and thermally insulate the material, respectively. Quality varies depending on the manufacturer and the batch of vinyl that the frame was made from. It cannot be painted, however, it is low-maintenance and the poured color goes all the way through the material. This is beneficial to buildings or homes in places where they may see outside wear and tear. Scratches, dings, and dents will not be seen as easily.

Fiberglass is a plastic polymer laced with a net or webbing of glass strands. Most people know fiberglass as insulation for houses, hulls for boats, and many other uses. As a window frame material, fiberglass is a little on the expensive side. However, it is extremely low maintenance. It can be finished, painted, or have a veneer added for multiple looks and styles perfect for any building. It isn’t affected by weather, wear and tear, or time quite the same way as other materials. This is best for people who want a customizable, versatile surface for their window frames.

Whatever material you choose for your windows, there are some beneficial qualities to each and every type. Choose wisely to best match your budget, where you live, how much maintenance you care for, or the overall look of your building. 

If you’d like to learn more about options to best suit your Orange County window needs in your home or business, consult one of our professional staff to help you make efficient and affordable decisions for your custom needs and budget. The best part? The estimate is free! 
 

Transparent Investments: How Home Value is Affected by Windows in Orange County Homes

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A lot of home improvement shows, blogs, and professionals will talk about why replacing your windows can be a big booster in your home’s energy costs. But what about the overall value of your property? Obviously, there are benefits in getting a window properly fitted, with new materials that prevent air from coming in or going out when it shouldn’t. Insulation and air conditioning retention in California is a must during the summer months. But is it worth the cost to buy and install new windows? 

Remodeling Magazine did a wonderful study of the topic, in which case they found that the cost of new windows is not readily apparent. The yearly saving on energy costs would seem negligible against the cost of buying new windows. However, homeowners would find that they got that investment back worth about 80% of their original cost. So not only are you making quite a large amount of the investment back, but your property will look better and be far more environmentally friendly with newer, more energy-efficient windows.

How do new windows affect the value of your home?living-room-389264_640

  • Appearance – New windows, especially vinyl, can look sleek and fresh. They’re one of the highlights of a home, and vinyl windows can be ordered in many different varieties and shapes, colors and designs that can fit your property. People looking to buy may find that your building is worth more than one with repainted, older windows. They’re one of the first things people see about your property, don’t ignore them!
  • Energy Costs – Newer windows are double or triple glazed. This can be advertised as a benefit, or simply be for the good of your home and the environment! They are very good at keeping the temperature steady inside of a home, up to 30% of a home’s temperature leakage comes from the windows. Save power, save money, do your part to help reduce your carbon footprint! 
  • Maintenance – A lot of newer window designs are easier to clean and maintain than older ones. Instead of simple, sliding windows that open upward, you can get windows that tilt back to open. Many of the newer materials and glass formulations are also easier to keep clean. They’re scratch resistant and resist the effects of weathering better. This is critically important when the wind starts to blow that ever-present CA dust around! With many materials, you won’t even have to bother painting the frame every few years. 
  • Security – Not often talked about, your home’s windows can be one of the easier ways to break in. You can upgrade to a design that is more easily locked closed than what you originally have. Harder glass also means that it’s harder to break into, and anyone daring to try will make a lot more noise in the process. 

It is important that you consider replacing your home’s windows, especially if that home or building is more than a few decades old. Wooden frames can warp and shrink with time, caulking and seals can wear out, and your glass can become scratched and pitted with age and weathering. It shows, even if not immediately. Limescale buildup, small scratches, and cracks can make your windows look old and worn. Even if you take great care of your property, time can catch up with you and cause your home’s value to drop. Consider replacing the eyes of your home with something newer and better fitting.

Don’t sit around and let your home go! Whether you intend to sell or not, replacing your windows may be beneficial to you, your property, and your environment. We here at Hardy Windows want to help you make the best choice for your home, that’s why we offer a free estimate of replacement and upgrade work! Contact us today to get an expert opinion from your Orange County window experts!