It’s springtime in the valley and that means that summer is approaching quickly, unbearable heat is imminent, and ensuring that your home is properly insulated is of vital importance. Your windows are an important factor to consider while evaluating the energy efficiency of your household. Old and deteriorated windows leak heat in your home, causing you to leave your air conditioning on longer than necessary. Here are some common problems that you should watch out for while assessing the quality of your home windows.
Poor Insulation
Windows that have deteriorated seals can be the result of old or deteriorated windows or an incomplete window seal caused by poor weather stripping. Some problems that you may come across:
Moisture build-up – Condensation build-up is a certain sign that your window seals have failed. If you notice moisture gathering in between the panes of your windows, they are probably in need of replacement.
Heat leakage/wind drafts –To reduce the expense of cooling your home in the summertime, ensure that your windows are properly sealed by replacing any old or worn-out weather stripping. Thermal efficiency relies on windows that are sealed properly.
Noise pollution – When the volume of your neighbor’s dog is equivalent to the volume of your television, you can make a decent assumption that your windows aren’t properly sealed.
Deterioration
If your windows are older than 10 years, you should have them serviced to see what your windows are in need of. Window technology has come a long way in the last few decades and modern windows will last significantly longer than their older counterparts. Common problems caused by old windows include deterioration of weather stripping and deterioration of seals applied during the installation process.
Deterioration – Rotting window frames are typically caused by moisture leaking through poor sealing for an extended period of time. Regardless of how well they are maintained, wooden windows decay over time and must eventually be replaced.
Energy Inefficiency
A significant amount of the heat you feel lounging around your house this summer could be reduced by evaluating your home for energy inefficiencies. For Arizona residents interested in optimizing their energy usage during a hot summer, windows should be a primary concern.
Increased Energy Bill – It’s estimated that 10-25% of your utility costs are leaked out through ill-maintained windows. This is an enlightening observation that should motivate you to evaluate the quality of those old windows that are beginning to take a toll on your pocketbook.
Estimating the cost of replacing your problematic windows can be a tedious task when there are so many variables to consider. The quality, size, and type are all factors that must be considered when preparing to purchase a new set of windows that can be difficult to quantify yourself. Lucky for you, XO Windows provides free estimates.
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