Window Replacement Services

Choosing to repair or replace your home windows requires research.

Read this window replacement guide about home window solutions today. A cracked or otherwise damaged window, window seating or windowsill costs you significant money in elevated energy bills. Choices exist between repairing or replacing the damaged window or related components. Within those choices even more decisions exist about styles, types, materials and more. Even environment factors play a role when choosing to repair or replace your windows as a DIY project or by hiring a professional installer. Continue reading this informative window replacement guide for all you need to know about home window solutions today.

 

Factors When Considering a Window Replacement - Here’s What You Need to Know

When your home windows have problems, you need solutions fast. Air leaking in and out of your windows or the surrounding areas costs you a lot of money each month and all year. Finding solutions to your home window problems is not necessarily a cut-and-dry process, however. When your HVAC unit or related components are broken, you make the decision to repair or replace them as needed. You need your windows to function properly the same as you do your HVAC system, so why are window problems more complicated to solve? 

Answers to this question are layered. For example, you begin by having the damage assessed, either by yourself or a professional service provider. Next you must decide if the problems are reparable or the windows (or applicable areas/components) need replacements. Following this, you decide to have the job completed as either a DIY project or through a professional installation company. This part requires thorough research and will be addressed in more detail below.

Once you decide between a DIY project or hiring a professional provider, more decisions still await you. For example, do you have an older home with windows matching the unique décor and architecture of the building structure? What are the benefits or purchasing newer windows over repairing your older ones? If you must replace only one or two windows, are you able to find styles and types to match the original aesthetics of your home? As you can see, window repair/replacement involves a lot of decisions, which also include:

  • Material types.

  • Safety (especially during DIY projects).

  • Cost vs. efficiency and savings benefits.

  • Financial aid options for energy-efficient windows.

  • Environmental factors.

Materials

The glass in your windows is surrounded by frames. Modern frames are made of various materials, with some more commonly purchased than others. Each one has benefits and disadvantages.

Wood frames are excellent choices if natural aesthetics are your priority. Wood frames are also good choices for insulation purposes, as they do well when resisting extreme temperatures. Wood is susceptible to dry rot and insect infestation, however, and sometimes requires extra care. Because wood is popular and harvested from a natural source, wood frames are commonly more expensive than other types of materials used for window frames. Still, well-treated wood actual hardens increasingly over time. This means your wood window frames might outlast other types of frames if properly protected and maintained. 

Vinyl frames are also popular, and almost as popular as wood. This type of frame is affordable and provides excellent insulation. Vinyl frames are also relatively easy to maintain. This type of material does not offer a lot of design versatility, cannot be painted and is susceptible to fading. Vinyl is also hard to recycle and poses some environmental risks when disposed. It is possible to cut vinyl frames to fit into nearly any size opening needed. While unable to be painted, many original color options are available at purchase time. A few more popular window frame material types (and their best and worst features) include:

  • Fiberglass (best insulator; expensive; few color options available; resistant to rot, mold, and corrosion).

  • Aluminum (affordable; poor heat resistance; low insulation quality; durable and resistant to insects).

  • Composite (high resistance to water, rot, and warping; most expensive type; mimics natural wood; energy-efficient).

  • Wood-clad (looks like wood but w/no wood-based maintenance needed; appealing aesthetics; expensive; cladding prone to separation; long-lasting, durable, and customizable).

Location

Choosing to repair or replace your windows has a lot to do with their location. Window location also significantly impacts the decisions to perform DIY window projects or hire a professional service provider. If your windows are too high or in awkward locations, always choose safety over potential savings. Causing more damage than you fix during a DIY window project often ends up costing you a lot more money in the end.

Size and Type

Window types and sizes are available in eight primary options. Awning, casement, double-hung and side-hung windows are available. Picture, bay, jalousie and slider windows are also common today. The type and size you choose is dependent on the window locations, type of home you own, budget and overall aesthetic priorities.

Costs and Additional Considerations

Replacing one window costs between approximately $650 to $850 per window (national average). Labor charges make up approximately $100 to $300 of the total installation price. Full window replacement costs for an average three-bedroom home costs between $3,100 and $10,000 on average. Grants funded by the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) might be available to offset these expenses via the Energy.gov website. Qualifications include the installation of energy-efficient (ENERGY STAR) windows in their homes.

Considering the Environment

If your home was built in the U.S. prior to the year 1960, it is likely to contain windows made of better quality wood and materials than what is used to make modern windows today. Many people think newer windows are the better, more energy-efficient choice, but this is not always the case. Newer windows are challenging to dispose of as well, and do not break down when sent to landfills. Of course, alternate viewpoints and realities also exist. Sometimes older windows are not salvageable. Many modern windows also last for decades.

Window Replacement Cost: DIY vs. Hiring a Professional

Conducting DIY window replacement projects is certainly possible if you possess the right experience, skills, and equipment. Safety must be always prioritized over savings because inaccurate jobs and accidents end up costing way more in the end. First, assess the severity of the damage to your windows. Next, strongly consider your safety factors, skills, and budget. Hiring a professional window installer might cost you more up front. The decision is much more likely to save you time, stress, and money in the end, however.

Additionally, hiring a professional window service also helps you obtain more information about available options and what best suits your needs. Often, free no-commitment estimates and quotes are provided. There is no harm in obtaining this information and using it to comparison-shop and make more intelligent decisions about your window replacement needs.

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