Replacing your dingy old windows with attractive new energy-efficient ones is easily one of the best choices you can make for your home for both curb appeal and energy savings! Here we’re going to go over all of your different options with windows and styles so that YOU are as well equipped as possible to pick out the perfect windows for your home!

Windows are an absolute pinnacle point of home design mostly for the fact that they have such a massive impact on both the inside and outside of your home. If you were to spend good money on upgrading only a single part of your home, your windows are an absolutely fantastic place to start. True quality windows are not going to be cheap they’re a decent investment, but over time they’re really going to pay for themselves with all of the fantastic energy savings they bring to the table. Not only that but they’re just going to drastically boost your curb appeal and if you ever WERE to sell your home, you would definitely be increasing the value.

Energy Efficiency Offered by Replacement Windows 
A good energy-efficient window is going to reduce your heal/cold transfer from the inside to the outside by at least 60% – this means that new windows are going to lower your heating and cooling costs year-round as they help your home easily maintain a comfortable temperature. 

DO be absolutely sure to make sure your windows are Energy Star rated – which all of the top brands like Marvin, Pella, and Anderson are – IF energy savings are important to you. If you live in a comfortable area or just don’t use heating/cooling often then you may be more concerned about how your windows look and that is just fine windows come in all kinds of different beautiful options. To even be green certified at all a window has got to meet a lot of very strict government requirements which as you could assume, are not too easy to meet, and are a very good indicator of how your prospective windows will perform for you.

One specification that you may have never heard of before is NFRC – National Fenestration Rating Council – so they rate the same things that the previously mentioned does BUT in addition to that they also take the windows ability to withstand any extreme weather conditions as well so it’s a much more comprehensive and informative rating to go by. Any windows that do have this rating will be able to withstand wind speeds of up to 155 miles per hour as well as withstanding temperatures that range all the way from 180 degrees to -20 degrees. 

What are Replacement Windows Even made out of these days? 
So the window material you end up choosing will to some very minute degree influence your thermals but far more so it’s just going to impact how they physically look. Different materials have different thicknesses and weights, and some will even last longer than others. 

Aluminum: Extremely lightweight yet durable and as strong as any other metal, these are far cheaper than even wood frames generally. A lot of people even think aluminum windows look better than wood-framed windows but on top of that, they have zero risks of rotting as wood does. 

Wood: Wood is the classic, you can never ever go wrong with a wood-framed window and they are sold in pretty much any shape and size that is out there on the market today. If you take good care of it, which is annoying to some people who would prefer windows that don’t require really any maintenance like aluminum, it will last you for a lifetime, and wood of course is incredibly thermally resistant so it’s going to do a fantastic job of insulating your home. 

Vinyl: These are incredibly long-lasting and low maintenance probably more so than any other type of window out there. They are resistant to moisture completely, cost far less than any wooden windows and they are available in all kinds of different colors. You can’t really paint them so you will have to choose a color you like! 

Fiberglass: These really thrive in the most extreme of conditions – they have a similar appearance to wood but of course are FAR easier to maintain. They are never going to sag or warp in extreme heat like wood would and they’re also incredibly resistant to the cold. These windows are great in all situations fiberglass is a fantastic option!

Window Design Options  
Double-Hung Windows: These types of windows have two sashes in one single frame. Both of these sashes can move either up or down independently. Fantastic for specifically controlling your airflow. 

Casement: These have a hinge on them just like a door and they operate with a crank handle. This handle can come on either the left or right side depending on what is going to work best in your home. 

Sliding Windows: Just as the name would suggest: these windows work by sliding along a track which is generally made of plastic or metal. These will have two sashes that you can slide open or closed at any given time. 

Bow: A collection of glass panels of the same size are arranged into a curved shape and will actually project pretty far out from your wall rather than sitting right flush with it as a traditional window would. 

Bay: Just like the bow window these too protrude out from your home the only real difference here is that your side widows will be much smaller than the main window in the middle which will give you an absolutely fantastically clear view.  

Should I Really Hire a Pro for my Window Installation? 
YES, YOU SHOULD. You always want to hire a reputable, fully-insured window installation company like Windows By Toll. Their Window Replacement Norwalk CT service is second to none! When you have a professional do the install you KNOW for a fact that it is done properly and you will have coverage in the future should something go wrong.