No American home is complete without windows and doors, and these features can be modified and replaced if need be. A homeowner may choose to have their wood windows or their historic wood doors swapped out for new ones if the current models are drafty, badly damaged, or simply old. Wood windows may last a good long time, but they may start suffering from maintenance issues that a homeowner cannot afford to ignore. In fact, the electric bill may be compromised by the presence of drafty and bare wood windows, and the air conditioner and heater units may be overworked. The same is true of an old wooden door. Fortunately, a homeowner can always turn to local window companies who can visit to install new wood windows or even replace old wood windows with modern vinyl models if so desired. Someone could search “wood window replacement Boston MA” or “door companies Los Angeles CA” for this sort of work.
Hazards of Old Windows
What might go wrong if a window is drafty, bare, or otherwise compromised? A homeowner may expect a number of issues to arise if their wooden windows are wearing out. Drafts are one such issue, and it’s a common problem for a home to experience drafty windows. If windows are leaking warm air in winter or cool air in summer, this can seriously disrupt the home’s climate control systems. The heating or cooling utility will be forced to work overtime if the windows or doors are leaking cooled or heated air like this, and the homeowner may not like the abrupt shifts in temperature all day. All of this excessive temperature change is forcing the HVAC system to work extra, and it is using up extra electricity the entire time. Given how around 54% of a home’s electricity goes toward the heating and cooling, this can represent an unwanted spike in the homeowner’s electric bill.
Even if these wood windows are not actually drafty, they can still disrupt the climate control if they do not have any window treatments. What does this mean? Window treatments such as blinds, screens, and drapes are known for playing a role in temperature control in a house or building, and without them, there may be trouble. In summer, hot sunlight can flood a room and heat it up, which in turn forces the air conditioner to work extra hard to make up for that. Conversely, in winter, bare windows allow a lot of warmth to leak right out of a room if no drapes are present.
Old windows may also be unattractive if they are damaged from termites or if their paint is flaking off. Worse still, old windows may be a security hazard, as they may be easy for burglars to pry open with a crowbar or even their bare hands. Many burglars avoid smashing windows because the noise may wake up a homeowner at night, but old wooden windows may yield to much less force than that. What can be done?
Window Replacement
A homeowner may opt to have some or even all of their wood windows replaced, and professional window contractors can be hired for this very job. A homeowner might get a reference from a local hardware store’s staff, or they may look online for local crews who can visit the property. These professionals can remove the old windows, measure the window holes, and find new models that will fit snugly. The homeowner can be consulted for their preference on the new windows’ design or materials. A new window, once properly fitted, will also have caulk or other material added so that there are no drafts at all, and a new window will be much more difficult for a burglar to force their way through. Old doors may also be replaced with tough new ones that prevent drafts and resist getting forced open by criminals.
If someone buys an old house, some of their maintenance may include windows, since old wood windows may have some issues with them. Homeowners can also get hand-operated or motorized screens and blinds installed, and drapes, too. These window features control the loss of warm or cool air, and also block anyone from spying in the house from the outside.