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Ten Tips for Selecting Windows for a New Home (WMS) - Is impact-resistant glass worth the investment if I live on the outskirts of a coastal area? How much money can we save long term if I purchase windows meeting Energy Star® performance guidelines? What type of grids best complement our French colonial style of my home? These are just some of the window questions facing consumers constructing a home. From decisions on the type of window framing materials to reviewing manufacturer warranties, homeowners have lots of research to do when deciding which windows to place in their homes. Since the lifespan of windows is generally 20 years, it's worth the investment of time and effort before the home is constructed to make certain you select windows you can happily live with for a long time. "Too many consumers simply agree with whatever window recommendation their builder makes -- and that's a mistake," says Christopher Burk of Simonton Windows® . "Builders may have their favorite brand of window they're familiar with, but that shouldn't mean a homeowner-to-be blindly goes along with the builder's suggestion. Windows are a huge investment and a vital part of the construction of any home. Time and research is needed to match the characteristics of the chosen window with a homeowner's lifestyle, budget and comfort level." The experts at Simonton Windows offer the following tips for people selecting windows for new homes. 1. Analyze your lifestyle. If you want the easiest-to-maintain windows, then select vinyl. If you love the look of wood windows, but don't want the maintenance hassles of caring for them, research your options of having wood grain laminate over vinyl. Also, consider tilt-in windows for easy cleaning of the glass. 2. Research window manufacturers. Select reputable nationwide companies that offer solid, comprehensive warranties to provide you with long term peace-of-mind in case something ever happens to your windows. Make sure the company's warranty covers the frame, sash and insulating glass units of the window. 3. Educate yourself on energy efficiency. Select windows meeting Energy Star guidelines for where you live. Thicker glass, gas-filled units and double-paned windows will help cut down on heating and cooling costs from the first day you move into the home. 4. Consider glass options. Not all glass is the same. Just as you have choices on Low E or gas-filled glass to maximize energy efficiency in your home, you also have choices on the type of glass. Selections include clear, tempered, tinted (generally available in bronze or gray) or obscure glass. 5. Look at your geography. If you live in an area prone to severe storms, near a golf course or in a noisy or high-traffic area, then impact-resistant glass is a smart investment. Windows with this glass are extremely difficult to penetrate, and the glass helps reduce noise infiltration by more than 40 percent. This glass is also a sensible way to enhance the security of a home and to reduce the penetration of damaging ultraviolet rays. 6. Review grid options. Many builders suggest standard white colonial grid patterns. However, window manufacturers offer everything from bevel-cut glass to brass to dark zinc as grid options. Also look at grid styles to complement your home. A perimeter grid style ideally suits an arts-and-crafts or prairie-style home, whereas a no-grid style might be best for capturing mountain or lakefront views. 7. Consider privacy issues. If your home is close to neighbors or if you want more privacy in the bathroom, ask your builder about acrylic block window inserts that obscure views into the home but allow in natural sunlight. Simonton Windows offers acrylic block inserts from Hy-Lite® Products in their standard window frames in the Simonton ProFinish® Series new construction windows. 8. "Test drive" a window. Before you have an entire house filled with a specific window, go to a dealer showroom or model home to take a closer look at it. Make certain the unit opens and closes easily. See if the hardware is easy to operate and makes you feel secure. Look for windows that you can easily imagine yourself operating for the next 20 years. 9. Look at the construction of the windows. While you're "test driving" the window, look carefully at the construction. Quality windows should not appear sloppy or carelessly made. Select window manufacturers that show pride in the construction of the window and then you can proudly display the window in your own home. 10. Project into the future. Forty-five-year-old homeowners will be in their 60s before their windows need to be replaced. While it may be easy to open double-hung windows now, easy-to-operate crank casement windows may be gentler on the body as it ages. For more information on window selections, call (800) SIMONTON or visit www.simonton.com |
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