What are some telltale signs your windows need replacing? Broken, warped, and/or inefficient windows may be costing you money. In fact, up to 30%–nearly one-third–of house’s heat escapes through drafty windows and doors. Here are some red flags that replacing your windows cannot wait.
1. Your Energy Bill is Sky-High
If your energy bill is continually surprising you every time you open it up, it may be time to consider making important changes around your home. A surefire way to lower heating bills and related energy expenditures are quality replacement windows and doors. The right materials and the best replacement windows can curb heating expenses by anywhere from 25% all the way up to 50%, according to Angie’s List.
For maximum energy efficiency and heat retention, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends choosing wood, vinyl, fiberglass, or composite materials over metal window frames. Vinyl windows hold up against moisture as well, keeping excess condensation and heat loss to a minimum. Awning and hopper style windows that push out and sit snugly against the frame when closed are the best at keeping air inside your home.
2. It’s Very Noisy In Your Neighborhood
Replacing windows can go a long way to reduce noise pollution. For the most noise reduction, purchase double- or triple-pane windows, Angie’s List recommends. Further, weather-stripping that you may already use to cut seasonal heating costs can also help insulate windows and reduce noises from loud neighbors, neighborhood children and pets, or buses and large vehicles that pass by.
3. You Plan To Sell Your Home Soon
If selling your home is on the horizon, replacing windows should be, too. Curb appeal is one of the top factors potential buyers look for and one of the top factors that drives them inside to look around your home. …And, yes, windows matter! Windows with worn frames, peeling paint, or any other visible imperfections lower your house’s curb appeal and lower your chances of getting a buyer in a reasonable amount of time.
More buyers are asking about energy efficiency and expecting greater energy efficient as they view and consider homes. Plus, if your home is freezing during the open house, potential buyers might wonder if that is indicative of a lasting problem–one they would likely have to contend with, too. Replace windows for energy efficiency and to eliminate drafts, and that new level of comfort will help sell your home.
4. You Feel Sluggish All The Time
If you constantly feel tired, sluggish, and just in a bad mood, it may shock you to learn that your windows may be partly to blame. Old houses in particular may have low levels of natural light. A lack of natural light means a lack of serotonin. Serotonin helps us regulate moods and emotions, and having less of it is not a good thing.
Similarly, research shows that natural light exposure–or the lack thereof–directly impacts our circadian rhythms. In return, that affects our quality of sleep, energy, and overall physical and mental health. Plus, people exposed to natural light exercised more on average, probably because they slept better and had the energy to do it. If you are tired no matter what you do, consider replacing your windows with big, open windows that let in a lot of natural light, and reap the many, varied psychological and physical benefits.
5. Your Current Windows Just Aren’t Working
Continually repairing a broken window is like treating the symptoms of a disease, not the underlying cause. Basically, that stubborn repair is going to be necessary over and over and over again, until you replace the window. If your window is warped, continually fogging up, noticeably and painfully drafty, sticking, not shutting all the way, or permanently painted shut, it is time to do something about it. Replace windows to fix the problem for good, instead of fixing it again and again.
Is it time to replace your windows? Take inventory of your home’s windows. Note whether they are driving up your home’s energy bills, letting unpleasant noises in, creating an eyesore and lowering your curb appeal, affecting your mood, or just plain not working out.