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If you have old, single pane windows with damaged wood frames in your New Jersey or New York home, you probably already know that updating your home with modern, double-pane replacement windows will improve your comfort, increase your home’s energy-efficiency, and reduce your overall heating and cooling bills. You may not know whether you should get new wood windows or select a modern frame material like Fibrex to eliminate the annual maintenance of resurfacing and repairing the your wood windows frames and trim.
Most of the time, modern ENERGY-STAR certified double-pane windows are preferable. Naturally, we hope you allow Renewal by Andersen of New Jersey & New York Metro replacement window specialist to help you update your home. Here are a few things to consider before deciding.
Double-pane, gas-between-the-glass windows dramatically improve condensation control and heat transfer management. Higher insulating properties mean many homeowners will see reduced monthly heating and cooling expenses. There are other advantages, too.
Since Fibrex frames never fade or degrade in harsh winter weather or scorching direct sunlight, you’ll never have to invest time resurfacing your frames or repairing damage caused by moisture, like rot or mildew. Plus, you’ll enjoy the same beautiful color decades down the road as you chose the day you designed your new windows.
Unless there is a major incident that damages your window units, you won’t have to worry about updating your replacement windows and patio doors because they aren’t performing for as long as you live in your home.
Whether you want to maintain the original appearance by replacing double-hung windows with the same style, or you want to remove a fixed window to make room for a view-expanding sliding window that provides ventilation, you can choose the styles and glazing options that fit your lifestyle and your preferences. You can also add standard or custom grilles to all windows and transoms, or only add those features to those windows you want to highlight.
We’ve listed three reasons you may want to update aging wood windows, but there are some reasons custom-built wood windows may be in order. Ask yourself the following questions to decide which is right for you.
Some states and municipalities offer residents incentives or advice on replacement window design. To find out if you are eligible for financial benefits, consult your local code enforcement official for information about restrictions and eligibility guidelines. When you schedule your home consultation, you can also ask your representative if he or she is aware of any other local energy-upgrade incentives in our area.
Homeowner associations may have strict by-laws and restrictions about the appearance and building envelope materials. Before updating the color, construction materials or exterior fixtures, refer to your homeowner documents or call your board representative before designing modern, high-performance replacement windows to make sure there are not any guidelines for frame width, color or other features that should be considered.
When you live in a home that is considered a “national treasure,” there are advantages to keeping the appearance as close to the original design as possible. Whether you already have recognition as a historic home, or you are considering applying for the recognition, you should check with the National Park Service (NPS) or local historic society to ensure you don’t negatively impact your status. The NPS has rigorous requirements. You will find a comprehensive FAQ on their website to help you decide if you should renovate or modify the existing structure and fixtures on your historic place or property.
Choosing high-performance frame materials impacts your indoor comfort, condensation levels and appearance. If you have special reasons – such as homeowner association restrictions – to repair or replace wood frames with wood frames, that is the way you should go. For most New Jersey & New York Metro homeowners, updating your home with modern, ENERGY-STAR labeled windows is the right solution.
It is important to consider the impact of lot orientation, window location and landscaping that could shade your windowa as you think about styles and design features. Energy savings depends on glazing type, our mixed climate and overall insulating performance, including the frames. Wood and Fibrex have similar durability and strength ratings. Wood requires lots of maintenance, while Fibrex is virtually zero-maintenance.
If you still have questions about whether wood or Fibrex is the best solution for your New Jersey or metropolitan New York home, give us a call at (866) 609-5033. You can also fill in the short form on this page and we will call you at your convenience.
Check out this post for more information on about window frames.
Learn Everything You Need to Know BEFORE Buying Replacement Windows