Must-Know Details About Energy Efficient Windows
Our team answers homeowner questions every weekend on WCCO 830 AM from 9:00 am-10:00 am. Have your most pressing home improvement questions answered by calling 651-989-9226 or texting 81807. Here’s the must-know information our COO, Andy Lindus, shared on 2.24.18.
When it comes to window replacements, there are a lot of industry terms that can be confusing to homeowners that don’t use them every day. While the term “low-e” might be something they’ve heard, it’s not something most homeowners we meet with regularly understand. Low emissivity glass is beneficial to homeowners because it reflects sunlight. The low-e windows installed by our team allows for solar heat gain in the winter months, when the sun is low on the horizon. During the spring and summer months, as the sun becomes higher on the horizon, the low-e glass begins to reflect the heat, making them the best replacement windows in Minnesota.
James in Wisconsin called in because his son’s second floor bedroom has drafty floor to ceiling window. Set on replacing the window, he wanted to know if reducing the window size was a wise idea. While this decision should be made after meeting with a reputable professional, it’s highly probable that the real issue is air infiltration or a stack effect occurring within the walls. A window myth many homeowners believe is that their home’s windows are to blame when they feel drafts. Oftentimes, the draft is the result of air filtering through the trim where the perforation is. A home performance test with the use of a blower door can determine the source of a draft and can save homeowners from investing in improvements that don’t fully solve the issue at hand.
See How a Home Performance Test is Performed Here:
The next question that was addressed was from a homeowner that had a patio door that appeared to have malfunctioned because it was dripping with water. He wanted to know if the door could be replaced in the winter and possible causes. Oftentimes when moisture is present within glass panes, it’s due to seal failure. This means the insulation qualities have been lost and the glass packs become colder than they normally would be, which leads to condensation. Another scenario that can cause water dripping from windows are too high of home humidity levels. If the patio door does need to be replaced, this project can be performed year-round.
Jim in Circle Pines called in because wood peckers had destroyed his cedar siding. He liked the look of the cedar siding, but wanted feedback on a solution that would deter future wildlife damage. Andy’s advice was to invest in LP® SmartSide®. This material wards off woodpeckers because it’s comprised of manufactured wood. Because Jim’s home had a few different siding profiles, LP® SmartSide® works well for mixing and matching because the combinations are endless. In order to help our clients visualize what various siding combinations could look like, we utilize a customizable, patented 3D technology called HOVER.
Listen to the Entire Show Here:
