What are Your Windows and Doors Trying to Tell You?

By Gates Dearen

Courtesy of PxHere

If you ask most homeowners, they’ll tell you that their homes have a distinct personality.  Some homes seem to have a sunny disposition that feels light and airy the moment you walk in.  Others seem to get a bit cranky during the dog days of summer.  Maybe your house is trying to tell you something.  The components that make up your home can sometimes seem to cry out for attention, like the noise your air handler makes if forget to change the filter every month or so.  Believe it or not, windows and doors have something to say from time to time too.  And you’d better listen, since turning a deaf ear to what they’re trying to tell you, can cost you money in the long run.

Making the Case for Casement Windows

By Gates Dearen

Courtesy of
/homeritejacksonville.com/casement-windows/

If you’ve been shopping for replacement windows, you quickly realize there are many different styles from which to choose.  While some homeowners simply want to swap out their existing windows with traditional single or double-hung windows, before you make that decision, I wanted to take the time to tell you about another style of window you may wish to consider called casement windows.  These windows have a vertical hinge on the side that cranks open either inward or outward like a door, as opposed to sliding open vertically. 

Does Your Home Need Some New Year’s Resolutions?

By Gates Dearen

Courtesy of Flickr

When it comes to getting off on the right foot in the new year, many people make a list of resolutions that are designed to help us improve ourselves.  Whether you’re committed to losing a little weight, exercising more often, just eating better or upgrading your lifestyle, chances are you made a list of new year’s resolutions to which you plan to adhere..  While new year’s resolutions are a great way to remind yourself to make a conscious effort to improve your life, the hardest part is sticking to them. 

Is Your Home Ready for the Holidays?

Courtesy of Flickr

By Gates Dearen

With Christmas and New Year’s right around the corner, I thought I’d take the time to help you find out if your home is ready for the holidays.  While we Floridians don’t spend a lot of time dashing through the snow, the weather can turn downright nippy during the winter months.  As I write this blog, the high is 50 and the low tonight will be just above freezing.  While that’s nothing to all you who moved here from places like Chicago or Minneapolis, every Floridian will notice a difference in their next electric bill as we make the transition from autumn to winter.

Choosing the Right Doors for Your Home

Courtesy of HomeRiteJacksonville.com

By Gates Dearen

When it comes time to replace the doors on your home, which is more important, form or function?  Don’t answer that question yet, because I have a few things I’d like to tell you about exterior doors.  While all homes have at least two doors, the differences between them can be as stark as night and day. 

The Easy Way to Check for Leaky Windows and Doors

By Gates Dearen

Courtesy of  HomeriteJacksonville.com

When it comes to doing most anything, there is usually a hard way and an easy way to getting the job done.  This tenet holds true whether you’re trying to master a new skill, learn a new language or reduce your golf handicap.  So, it should come as no surprise that when it comes to determining whether it’s time to replace your existing windows and/or doors, there’s an easy way and a hard way to do that as well.  The hard way is to wait until your utility bills are costing way too much.  The easy way?  Read on…

Why Do Manufacturers Put Argon Gas Between Window Panes?

By Gates Dearen

Courtesy of  homeritejacksonville.com

If you’re looking to increase the energy-efficiency of your home, removing those old drafty windows and replacing them with modern double-paned windows is a great idea.  To make your new windows even more efficient, some replacement windows are manufactured with argon gas sealed between the panes.  What many consumers want to know is; why do window companies inject argon gas between the panes, and is it worth the money?