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?

The Ins & Outs of Replacement Window Installation

Courtesy of Flickr

By Gates Dearen

With hurricane season in full swing, many people are considering the replacement of their old, outdated windows.  In the heat of the summer, folks also get tired of paying sky-high utility bills caused by worn out windows that make your air conditioner run nearly.  Whatever the motivation, once you’ve made the decision to upgrade your windows, you might wonder about the process of having your old windows removed and new windows installed entails. 

How Much Wind Can Your Windows Take?

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

By Gates Dearen

It seems that whenever Hurricane Season rears its ugly head, that’s when Floridians start taking stock of their homes and gardens.  Since the past two years have produced named hurricanes that made landfall here in north Florida, it becomes all the more important that you survey your home looking for vulnerabilities that wind and rain can exploit.  Once you’ve had a chance to check your roof to see how much life your shingles still have in them, followed by your yard to see which trees need trimming, the next logical places to consider, are your windows.

New Windows Can Help You Fight the Summertime Blues

Courtesy of Pixabay

By Gates Dearen

Summer has arrived in Jacksonville, Florida.  The thermometer is already hovering around the 90-degree mark.  By July and August, anything south of 90 will seem like a fond memory.  Speaking of memories, this is also the time of year when most homeowners see a substantial amount of their paychecks spent on keeping up with big electric bills.  To help you turn that frown upside down, I decided I would dedicate this week’s blog to showing you how replacement windows can help you fight the summertime, cooling-expense blues.

Vinyl or Aluminum Windows?

Courtesy of HomeRite Jacksonville

By Gates Dearen

There are many choices when it comes time to upgrade the windows on your home.  Everything from single and double hung windows that are a breeze to swap out for your existing windows, to casements and specialty windows that can transform an ordinary room into a visual masterpiece with spectacular views are available nowadays.  However, when it comes to selecting the material from which your windows are constructed, there are really only two choices to make: Vinyl or aluminum.  Since both materials have pros and cons, I thought I’d devote this blog to helping you decide which is best for your home.

Single or Double Hung Windows?

Courtesy of HomeRiteJacksonville.com

By Gates Dearen

Whether you are looking to renovate your home, modernize a room, or add curb appeal to a house you are looking to flip, replacing old worn out windows is a great way to add value without breaking the bank.  Once you decide to visit a window and door showroom, one of the first choices you will be asked to make is, whether you prefer single or double hung windows.  Most homeowner’s response is usually, “Single or double what?”  To take the confusion and guesswork out of the equation, I thought I’d devote today’s blog to preventing you from getting hung up on single or double hung windows.

The Ins and Outs of Sliding Windows

Courtesy of Pixabay

By Gates Dearen

If the eyes are the windows into the soul, then windows are the eyes of your home.  Just as the human eye has evolved to precisely control and focus light, modern windows have been designed to control the intensity and wavelength of light admitted into a structure.  While there are a myriad of different window styles and treatments from which to choose, today I thought I would take the time to tell you about sliding windows. 

No Pane, No Gain – How Many Panes does Your Home Need?

By Gates Dearen

Courtesy of Homeritejacksonville.com

When it comes to shopping for replacement windows, one of the first things that hits most consumers is the fact that windows can have one, two or even three panes.  The problem is, most folks don’t know what this means in terms of utility.  Therefore, I thought I’d take the time to explain, without pain, the ins and outs of panes.

A Crash Course on Replacement Windows

By Gates Dearen

Courtesy of Pixabay

While most people understand that old, worn out windows reduce the energy efficiency of a home, what they usually don’t realize, is that it’s a bigger deal than they think.  That’s because close to 50% of a home utility bill is derived from heating and cooling alone.  Another thing most homeowners don’t realize is that worn out windows are a magnet for burglars since they are child’s play to jimmy.  Of course, even when you factor your family’s comfort and safety into the equation, many consumers still find themselves sitting on the fence when it comes to taking the plunge to replace their home’s windows.  That’s largely due to the fact that like kids in a candy store, there are tons of window options to choose from nowadays. If this is what’s bothering you, read on as I take you through a crash course on window replacement.

Decoding Window Labels

Courtesy of City of Roseville CA.

By Gates Dearen

If you have been considering upgrading your home’s windows, you may have noticed that there are a great variety of replacement window options.  Perhaps you have taken the time to visit the showroom of a company that specializes in replacement windows.  If you did, one of the first things you probably noticed is that every window you were shown had a label affixed to it containing information about U-Factor, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, and Visible Transmittance.  The label might as well have been written in hieroglyphics for all the good it did you.  As a result, you may have left the showroom more confused about replacement windows than you were before you set foot in the store.  To help you navigate your way to choosing the right windows for your home, I have taken the time to help you decode the information presented on window labels.

Fall Back to Basic Window and Door Care

By Gates Dearen

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Now that the dog days of summer are just about over in Florida, it’s a great time to assess the condition of your windows and doors.  Even if your windows and doors are relatively new, they are not bulletproof. This should be all too apparent for those of you who weathered Hurricane Irma recently.  Wind and weather can take their toll on windows and doors, just like they do on your home’s roof.   With Fall being just around the corner, these tips will help you get a jump on the season before Winter arrives.

What is the Best Time of Year to Upgrade Your Windows?

By Gates Dearen

While most people realize that old windows reduce the curb appeal and energy efficiency of a home, they rarely know when is the best time of year to upgrade their windows.

Putting the Sizzle in the Season

Courtesy of Flickr

When it comes to hot weather, Florida Summers can really put on the sizzle. During July and August, the temperatures rarely go below 90 degrees. There is also a real possibility of afternoon thunderstorms nearly every day.  From a professional window installer’s perspective, while some like it hot, you don’t want it to be too hot.  The reasons are varied.  In the first place, while caulk adheres more readily in warm weather, once the temperature exceeds 80 degrees, caulk has trouble curing in extreme heat.  Even replacement windows themselves made of either vinyl or aluminum have a tendency to expand in hot weather.  This makes installation problematic in the afternoon when solar heating reaches its maximum.

Are Your Windows & Doors Ready for Hurricane Season?

Are Your Windows & Doors Ready for Hurricane Season?

Courtesy of NOAA news Online

By Gates Dearen

The 2017 Hurricane Season is upon us, with 15 named storms, including eight hurricanes predicted.  With the exception of Hurricane Matthew last year, many people living in Florida may have gotten complacent, since the Sunshine State had not seen a hurricane make landfall since 2004 when the state weathered four hurricanes in quick succession.

It has been 13 years since a hurricane scored a direct hit. Before Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2005, many residents thought they’d be able to weather the storm. As a result, Katrina became the third most deadly storm in US history with more than 1,200 deaths and $108 billion in damage, even though the hurricane was only a Category 3.

New Windows and Doors can Make all the Difference

By Gates Dearen

Most Americans are frugal, so of course, they don’t want to spend money needlessly, especially when it comes to their homes.  Unfortunately, what many homeowners don’t realize is that one of the things that can rob them blind are their old windows and doors. 

Improve Energy Efficiency

Courtesy of HomeRiteJacksonville.com

If your home is more than 20-years old, your old windows and doors could be stealing your home’s energy efficiency.  That’s right; those old drafty windows make your home’s heating and air conditioning system run overtime.  This not only adds up every month when you receive your utility bill, but it can also shorten the life of your HVAC system.