House Windows RI

Home Maintenance 101
Not everyone is naturally handy. In fact, most people really aren’t. Knowing how to fix, repair, and maintain a home takes a lot of practice and learning, and it never really stops. There’s always something new and different to tackle as our homes change and become more efficient and, sometimes at the same time, complex.

But there are some basic bits of home maintenance nearly anyone can do, and those tasks are great “starters” for people who want to be handier but just don’t quite know where to start. One of the easiest places to start for beginners looking to learn how to maintain a house: windows. RI homes’ windows are put to the test every winter, and window caulking can really take a beating when our heating systems dry it out. Periodically, we all need to re-caulk our house windows. RI homeowners need to pay extra attention to window caulk, as this small element has a big impact on energy consumption and home heating costs.

Getting Started
Walk around your house and stop at each window. Check for glass damage such as cracks or discoloration. Inspect the frame for warping, bending, bowing, cracking, blistering, or peeling. Make sure the window opens and closes smoothly and completely. Look around the entire window and inspect the caulking. Is it dried out? Cracked? If so, you’ll need to replace it.

To replace caulk on a house window, RI residents should start with a putty knife, bucket to catch old caulk, and caulk gun. Carefully scrape away the old caulk and drop it in the bucket. Once it’s all been removed, along with any debris, wipe down the frame (not too wet, just to get rid of any residue), dry thoroughly, and then apply a new bead of caulk around the edges at a 45-degree angle. You may want a small tub of water and a rag handy, as you’re likely to get some caulk on your fingers when smoothing it, and it’s hard to keep going as the caulk builds up on your hands.

With older windows, you may find that you encounter small “window pins” (top and bottom at center, and two on the sides) and that some may come loose when you scrape the old caulk. You will need to replace these when you’re done by pushing in new pins (called “points,” and available at your hardware store) with a screwdriver tip after re-caulking the windows.

Looking for some other DIY Tips And Tricks? Check out the latest Moonworks blog posts for interesting articles and How-To’s. For more information on maintaining your home or to learn more about caring for your house windows, RI homeowners can contact us at 800-975-6666 or fill out the form on the right side of this page for a free in-home estimate.

Home Windows RI

Although Rhode Island (RI) is still in the chill of winter, spring is right around the corner. That means now is the time to take out your home maintenance calendar and plan your service appointments for spring. Not sure where to start? No problem.

Home Maintenance Calendars
First off, if you don’t have a home maintenance calendar, there’s no time like the present for creating one. You can do this in any number of ways: on your computer, using a paper calendar, in a spiral notebook. Just work with a system that actually works for you. The point is to jot down all of the home maintenance tasks you perform and then flip forward further into the year and make notes for yourself so you know when to perform those tasks again. It saves you from wondering, “When did I last have the dryer vent cleared out?” and “When did I last caulk our home windows?” RI homeowners who have all of these tasks clearly mapped out for the year will find that fewer tasks fall through the cracks, and fewer cracks go unnoticed.

Spring Home Maintenance
In the spring, it’s important to inspect those systems that get the biggest workout or are exposed to the most potentially damaging environments during the winter. Your roof, gutters, heating system, chimneys, and fireplaces are all exposed to excess use or severe weather during the winter, as are your home windows. RI houses get snowed in, iced over, and hailed on during the winter, so it only makes sense to have the exterior of your home and the systems that keep it warm tested and inspected come spring. Several of these systems should be inspected and maintained by professionals, and they’re in high demand once the ground thaws. So plan ahead and make appointments for March or April in February.

DIY Spring Maintenance
Once the snow has all melted, you’ll be able to do a thorough home inspection, inside and out, to take stock of how your home fared during the winter. Some tasks, such as re-caulking your home windows, RI homeowners can typically do themselves. Check to ensure that your windows haven’t bowed, cracked, warped, or become stuck over the winter months. Do the frames need to be scraped and repainted? Are there any cracks in the glass?

Once it warms up enough to stop using the heat regularly, it’s time to flip your ceiling fan switches so you’re no longer pushing warm air down into your rooms but up and away. That’s a great time to dust and change bulbs as well. Finally, clean air vents and change your air filters. And if you haven’t done it lately, while you’ve got the ladder out, check those smoke detectors.

For more information on performing spring home maintenance or on maintaining your home windows, RI homeowners can contact us at 800-975-6666 or fill out the form on the right side of this page for a free in-home estimate.

House Windows Rhode Island

Even in a newer house, windows, Rhode Island homeowners know, are often among the weakest points. A slight bow to a frame, a crack in the wood, or a combination of the two caused by the highly variant weather in the northeast, can allow significant amounts of heat transfer: warm air entering during the summer and exiting in the winter. This small amount of damage results in higher energy costs all year round, and it increases your carbon footprint through higher energy consumption.

Fortunately, there are ways to improve the energy efficiency of your house windows. Rhode Island homeowners who replace standard dual-pane windows with energy-efficient models and high-efficiency frames can reduce or eliminate heat transfer around their windows, saving themselves money and decreasing energy consumption all at the same time.

Choosing New Windows
When choosing new windows for your house, Rhode Island homeowners need to consider not only the glass but also the frame. Energy-efficient window glass options such as Low E4® Glass and High-Performance Low-E4® SmartSun® Glass are approximately 70% more energy efficient in the winter months. In the summer, they offer just under a 50% increase in efficiency. Over the course of a year, that adds up to around a 25% decrease in energy costs. They also reduce UV ray intrusion by 80-95%, which is not only better for your skin and health, but also for your home furnishings. Floors, wall coverings, and furniture all last longer when protected from the fading effects of UV rays, which means UV blocking protects your health and saves you money by extending the life of your furnishings.

But there’s more to windows than glass. Window frames are an essential part of keeping your home’s environment more stable. Window frames made of composite materials, such as Fibrex®, are resistant to warping, cracking, and the expansion and contraction inherent in wood frames from weather variations. As a side benefit, Fibrex® is so much stronger than wood that Fibrex® frames can be much narrower than wood frames, providing for a larger glass area in each window and a more beautiful home. Additionally, the lack of flaking, blistering, rusting, peeling, or cracking with Fibrex® means there is far less maintenance than with wood frame windows.

Reduced maintenance and a longer life span with high-efficiency frames help lower your carbon footprint by vastly decreasing the amount of paint, primer, and other products you use, all of which are necessary to maintain wood window frames. In addition, the longer life span of the frames decreases landfill waste while also saving you money.

If you are interested in installing new windows for your Rhode Island home, contact us at 800-975-6666 or fill out the form on the right side of this page for a free in-home estimate.

Buy Home Windows RI

If you’ve made a New Year’s Resolution to save money or reduce your carbon footprint, it may be time to buy home windows. RI homeowners who replace their existing windows with new, high-efficiency windows will see significant savings on energy costs all year round while also greatly decreasing their energy use and therefore their carbon footprints.

How Do I Know If I Need New Windows?
If you have standard, old-fashioned dual-pane glass windows, you’ll save a tremendous amount of money if you upgrade to high-efficiency products when you buy home windows. RI and the surrounding areas experience such varying weather throughout the year – from bitter cold to humid and hot – that heating and cooling costs can be a major burden. Not sure what kind of windows you have? Check for manufacturers’ markings on the frames (look inside) and glass, and then look up the model numbers online. This should give you a pretty good idea of what you’re working with. But as a general rule of thumb, if your windows are more than 10 years old, you are very likely to benefit from installing energy-efficient replacement windows.

What Kind of Widows Do I Need?
When you buy home windows, RI homeowners, and those throughout the northeast, really need to look at a few main characteristics, as not all energy-efficient windows are created alike. First, however, you need to ensure that your window openings are up to current code standards. If not, you’ll be looking at a bigger job when embarking on a replacement project. If your window openings are too small, they’ll have to be enlarged before high-efficiency windows can be installed. On the flip side, if your windows are properly sized, you may be in the fortunate position of being able to retain your existing frames and sills while still having new glass installed.

Even if your frames and sills are in good shape, there are energy efficiency benefits and long-term maintenance cost and labor benefits to upgrading your frames to a high-efficiency material such as Fibrex®. Fibrex® is a composite material that doesn’t warp, expand, or contract with age and temperature variations the way wood does. This keeps your windows seated properly and prevents the heat transfer caused by bowed or worn frames.

Second, take a look at the kind of glass you want. High-efficiency glass reduces ambient noise levels in the home, blocks the majority of UV rays, and prevents heat transfer so well that it can reduce your home energy costs by over 50% during some parts of the year.

Not sure if it’s time to buy home windows? RI homeowners can contact us at 800-975-6666 or fill out the form on the right side of this page for a free in-home estimate."

Windows For The Home Massachusetts

Building or remodeling a home can be as fun as it is challenging. With a seemingly endless list of decisions to make and options to choose from, when it finally comes time to select windows for the home, Massachusetts homeowners may find themselves simply picking a general style and asking their contractor to find something that works. However, when choosing windows for the home, Massachusetts is no place to just “wing it.” With such varying weather and severe storms every year, homeowners throughout the northeast owe it to themselves to take the time to find energy-efficient, high quality windows that will enhance the beauty of their home(s), decrease their energy costs, and withstand the test of time.

Frames and glass are the two main components to consider when choosing windows for the home. Massachusetts homeowners in particular need to be aware of the dramatic differences in the overall performance and lifespan of the various products on the market. It’s also important to note that contractors do not all carry the same manufacturers’ lines, so this can be an issue as well, limiting your choices.

Traditional wood frames are still available in home improvement stores and through various contractors, but the simple truth is that buying a wood-frame window is a bit like buying a TV with a dial that only goes up to channel 13. Sure, you’ve got a TV, and it works, but you are most definitely missing out. Window frames are the same. With wood, the window glass will be held in place, but the wood will not withstand the test of time the way today’s composite materials will. Neither will the wood frame tolerate changes in temperature, fluctuating humidity, or constant use the way newer, more efficient materials will.

When selecting windows for the home, Massachusetts homeowners who opt for high quality composite frames, such as those made of Fibrex®, not only save money on energy costs by reducing heat transfer, they also virtually eliminate the need to spend time and money on repainting and other maintenance. Ultimately, this is all better for the pocketbook and better for the environment because these window frames are partially made from recycled materials, do not need to be replaced nearly as often, and reduce your energy consumption.

Along with high-efficiency window frames comes high-efficiency glass. There are many outstanding high-efficiency glass options available, nearly all of which are superior to old-fashioned dual-pane glass. The window glass you choose should be specially manufactured to reduce the amount of outside noise you can hear from inside your home, and it should block UV rays that can damage your skin and fade your furniture as well as wall and floor coverings. 

For more information on selecting and installing optimal windows for the home, Massachusetts homeowners can contact us at 800-975-6666 or fill out the form on the right side of this page for a free in-home estimate.

Home Windows MA

Living in the northeast in fall and winter means a lot of things: snow angels, leaf piles, you-pick apple orchards, and warm cups of cocoa by the fireplace. It also means lots and lots of home maintenance. One often neglected area of the average home: Windows. MA homeowners often forget that these integral, seemingly permanent parts of their homes do indeed need upkeep and occasional replacement. But, aside from incidents of obvious damage, how is a homeowner to know when to replace their home windows? MA residents are often so busy dealing with their homes’ more apparent upkeep requirements and winter prep tasks that they don’t think much about windows. Fortunately, there are a few simple things to remember and consider that will help New England residents determine whether their windows need service or replacement.

First, walk around your home. Windows, MA homeowners know all too well, are prime sources of chilly drafts as the temperatures drop. But drafts are not just an annoyance; they’re a significant challenge to your heating system. When drafts enter a home, they lower the temperature. This means your heating system has to work even harder to maintain a comfortable temperature in the house, and ultimately this increases your energy usage and costs. So it’s a good idea to walk around your home and check for drafts around your windows.

Fun Tip: Get a partner. Use a blow dryer on one side of a window and a candle or stick of incense on the other, and you’ll typically be able to tell if there’s a draft coming through the window frame, even if there’s no wind when you’re doing your testing.

By testing their home windows, MA homeowners can detect drafts and repair them with caulking and weather stripping. However, drafts aren’t the only challenge. Windows can also be warped and/or cracked at the frame, and this is much harder to fix. Wooden frames that have warped with time may also be hard to open, a major consideration due to the fire hazard a jammed windows poses. So, while inspecting your windows, take some time to open and close all of them and make sure they’re in working order.

Look at the condition of your window frames. Are they old? Wooden? Blistered, warped, or cracked? When frames are in poor condition, they allow for significant heat transfer, which also wastes energy just like drafts. In some instances, even without being able to actively detect cracks or drafts, your windows may simply be in need of replacement just because of their age. Modern framing and glass materials are so much more energy efficient than wood and dual-pane glass that the replacement costs can truly be offset by the energy savings over time.

For more information on maintaining, inspecting, and replacing your home windows, MA homeowners can contact us at 800-975-6666 or fill out the form on the right side of this page for a free in-home estimate.

New Windows RI

When choosing new windows, RI homeowners have much to consider. Not only do they need to determine whether all of their windows need replacement or just a few, but they also need to figure out what type of windows to choose and whether those windows require full-frame or insert installations.

Types of New Windows: RI Homes
A full-frame installation is one in which the window, trim, and frame are all removed, and then a new window, frame, and trim are installed. In older structures, sometimes this type of replacement is not only preferable, it’s required due to changing fire and building codes that dictate the size and positioning of homes’ windows.

With an insert installation of new windows, RI homes keep their existing frames and trim, and the new window is installed within the old framework. While faster and typically less costly, this option has some drawbacks in that older types of frames do not have the energy efficiency of modern materials, and the actual size of the windows’ glass will be smaller because the new windows and frames are being positioned inside the frames of the old windows. To that end, before choosing new windows, RI residents must first find out of their window openings are up to code and whether their existing frames and trim can or should be retained.

In either case, full-frame or insert installation, when choosing new windows, RI homeowners have a lot of options. Today’s windows and frames come not only in a variety of aesthetic styles, but also in numerous materials, all with different qualities. That makes comparison-shopping a bit tricky. For example, simple dual-pane glass may seem like an inexpensive, standard option. But such low-tech glass is truly outdated and inefficient. While more expensive, energy-efficient glass, such as Low E4® Glass, can reduce heat transfer, dramatically increase a home’s energy efficiency, minimize the amount of outside noise that’s audible in the home, and block a significant portion of the sun’s UV rays, which are damaging to the skin and cause fading in floors, wall coverings, and furniture.

It’s the same with frames. Yes, there are inexpensive frames on the market. But again, you get what you pay for. Opting for a more modern material, particularly a composite material such as Fibrex®, will minimize the amount of frame maintenance you need to perform and improve your home’s energy efficiency. Such frames also last longer than traditional frames, which offsets their costs and reduces your home’s environmental impact.

If you plan to stay in your home for the long term, opting for energy-efficient glass and frames is well worth the additional up-front cost. Be aware that contractors do not all sell the same window brands, so you need to do some homework to really know if you’re comparing materials of similar quality before making a decision based on the bottom lines of your estimates.

To learn more about determining whether you need a insert or full-frame window installations, or to get a quote and find out more about new windows, RI homeowners can contact us at 800-975-6666 or fill out the form on the right side of this page for a free in-home estimate.

Energy Efficient Windows Massachusetts

Fall is rapidly approaching, and along with leaf piles, warm fireplaces, and kids in pumpkin costumes, this season brings cooler weather and higher heating bills. Most homeowners focus on reducing heating costs by blocking drafts, using programmable thermostats, and repairing cracked or broken windows and doors. All of these are good steps to take, and they are excellent steps toward lowering your carbon footprint. There are some other ways to reduce heating costs, however, and some may surprise you.

Little Steps, Big Savings
In addition to the energy-saving ideas above, there are some simple ways to reduce heating costs and save energy, which ultimately is good for the environment and benefits us all.

1.    When not in use, close the fireplace damper. The chimney is a rapid exit point for warm air. Leaving that flue open is the same as leaving a door open while the heat is on.
2.    Turn down the thermostat. When leaving for work in the morning (why heat an empty house?), and again before turning in for the night (blankets and warm pajamas!), turn the heat down. Some programmable thermostats have timers that will help with this task.
3.    Lower the temperature on your water heater. If you don’t use the hottest settings in your shower, you’re wasting energy. Turn the water heater’s temperature settings down so it isn’t constantly heating water beyond your needs.

Bigger Steps, Bigger Savings
In addition to the daily living adjustments we’ve discussed, there are some home improvement projects that can really go a long way toward reducing energy costs.

1.    Install energy efficient windows. Massachusetts gets so cold in the winter, yet many people think of energy efficient windows as a way of keeping the sun out and the house cool. In actuality, by installing energy efficient windows, Massachusetts homeowners can reduce heat transfer all year round, meaning the house stays more comfortable no matter what the weather. This translates to lower heating and lower cooling costs, which means big savings on energy bills.
2.    In addition to adding energy efficient windows, Massachusetts homeowners should consider energy efficient (also called high efficiency) appliances. Old furnaces are like old cars: inefficient fuel hogs. A new furnace will pay for itself in less time than you’d think, and it’ll help you get the most out of those new windows as well.
3.    Keep up with maintenance. Just by installing high efficiency appliances and energy efficient windows, Massachusetts homeowners will save money. But even these top-of-the-line devices need proper maintenance for their full benefits to be realized. Have your HVAC system, ductwork, fans, and major appliances inspected annually and any time you notice a change in their level of function.

For more information about how you can save money on heating costs, or to learn more about energy efficient windows, Massachusetts homeowners can contact us at 800-975-6666 or fill out the form on the right side of this page for a free in-home estimate.

Energy Efficient Windows MA

Making Your Home A Haven

These days, it seems we’re all working longer and longer hours to make ends meet. The economy has many people feeling trapped in jobs they’d rather quit but fight to keep anyway. Possibly now more so than ever, by the time we get home, we just want to relax and enjoy some comfortable peace and quiet.

Of course, things don’t always go that way. Loud neighbors, barking dogs, street noise, and other annoyances can intrude on our relaxation time, even with the windows, curtains, and doors shut tight. Particularly with older homes, in the winter, drafts get in and heat escapes; in the summer, the heat can make even an air conditioned home stifling. Throwing back the curtains to enjoy a nice view is also unpleasant because the unfiltered, bright sunlight is not diffused in any way, nor are the UV rays.

Fortunately, there is one home improvement project that can dramatically increase our ability to relax and enjoy our homes: window replacement. By installing energy efficient windows, MA (Massachusetts) homeowners can dramatically reduce noise and light intrusion, as well as heat transfer, all in one shot. As well, with this simple step of replacing standard dual-pane windows with energy efficient windows, MA residents can block 95% of UV rays, gaining protection from sun damage while relaxing inside and keeping that favorite reading chair from fading over time.

There are innumerable feature/style combinations of energy efficient windows. MA homeowners have their pick of so many variations that it’s really important to become familiar with the different offerings on the market before hiring a contractor, as not all contractors will carry the desired products. Think through some of the basics to start:

1.    Do I need custom windows, or are my current windows a standard size?
2.    What are my main concerns about each of the windows I want to replace?
3.    What colors, styles, and materials do I need to match the exterior façade and interior design of my home?
4.    What type of windows do I have now? Do I want the same look or do I want a change?
5.    Are my window openings up to code?

By thinking through these key items and then evaluating and ranking the priorities (style, price, aesthetics, availability, warranty, material) before hiring a contractor to install energy efficient windows, MA homeowners can save themselves countless hours of aggravation, which is, of course, central to the goal of the project. Once the right windows have been chosen and installed, you should be able to come home and relax in relative quiet; enjoy a comfortable, stable temperature; and take full advantage of those hours away from work.

For more information about turning your home into a haven by installing energy efficient windows, MA and other northeastern homeowners can contact us at 800-975-6666 or fill out the form on the right side of this page for a free-in home estimate.

Energy Efficient Windows Connecticut

When homeowners think of energy efficiency, they typically think of updating large appliances and minimizing energy consumption through responsible use of electronics, lighting, and home heating/cooling systems. These are all great ways to lower energy consumption, reduce energy bills, and ultimately decrease personal environmental impact. However, when it comes time for a home improvement project, many people do not realize that there are excellent opportunities to build energy efficiency right into a home.

Which Home Improvement Projects Offer Energy-Efficient Options?
One of the most common home improvement projects, window replacement, is also one of the best projects for increasing a home’s energy efficiency. By installing energy-efficient windows, Connecticut homeowners can dramatically reduce their energy consumption throughout the year.

When choosing energy-efficient windows, Connecticut residents should look for several key elements:

•    The glass – By using the right glass when installing energy-efficient windows, Connecticut homeowners can literally increase the energy efficiency of their windows by 40-70% over standard dual-pane windows. This can translate into as much as a 25% decrease in home energy consumption over the course of a year. In addition, the glass should block at least 75% of UV rays, and ideally over 80%. UV ray blockage protects the skin and also prevents fading in flooring, wall coverings, and furniture.

•    Frame material – The window itself should be made from a durable composite material, designed to significantly limit heat and cold transfer while remaining resistant to temperature changes. When installing energy-efficient windows, Connecticut homeowners need to pay careful attention to this, as the dramatic weather shifts of the northeast make heat and cool transfer a major issue in home energy efficiency. Some windows are even made partly from reclaimed wood fibers, another great way to reduce environmental impact.

•    The warranty – Every manufacturer has its own warranty. Be sure the windows you choose carry a reliable, long-term warranty and that you get a copy of it.

What Else Do I Need To Know?
When installing energy-efficient windows, Connecticut homeowners should keep in mind that while there are many qualified installers in the area, they do not all carry the same products. Plus, many reputable installers have energy-efficient options for custom windows, so there’s no need to sacrifice style for efficiency.
Also, ask your installer whether your existing windows can be repurposed. Sometimes, when windows are up to code and in good shape, they can be resold, reused, or donated rather than being thrown out and sent to a landfill.

For more information on installing energy-efficient windows, Connecticut homeowners can contact us at 800-975-6666 or fill out the form on the right side of this page for a free-in home estimate.