Every home needs up-to-date energy-efficient windows for adequate comfort, reasonable energy cost, security, safety, environmental responsibility, and to maintain property value. The quality of life that comes with having windows that function properly, without a continuous struggle, is the minimum convenience homeowners should insist on from their windows. But, through the years, windows are exposed to extreme climate conditions here in the blisteringly hot summer temperatures of the desert and the battering monsoon rains.
How Often Should You Replace Windows?
Windows naturally age over many years of use and eventually lose functionality, beauty, strength, and long-term durability. The life expectancy of average exterior house windows in severe climates like the southwest U.S. desert region is about 20-30 years. Beyond that, longevity depends on the type and grade of material and the quality of window construction. A replacement windows home improvement project is usually the most reasonable option.
Here are some clear signs that an energy efficient window installation project should be part of a house remodel:
It is drafty and uncomfortable in your home.
Windows with air leaks can make it very difficult to heat and cool all the rooms in a home. Often, homeowners in that situation finally give up trying to patch broken seals and gaps and adjust thermostats. Ultimately, many give up and live for years depending on sweaters and blankets in winter and fans in summer, which are often not ideal supplements for proper windows.
Your windows are falling apart or severely deteriorated.
If windows are badly peeled, cracked, rotted, or warped, simply repainting will not sufficiently improve the longevity of the units. Structural components of old windows are likely to need replacement, not just some paint and temporary repairs.
Cooling and heating costs are too high.
Your electricity costs are much too high because your windows are leaking air. Low-E glass, argon gas fill double panes, and other features of today’s energy efficient windows have obsoleted the windows of previous generations. TIP: Vinyl replacement windows are especially good for their insulative properties.
The windows don’t provide proper security.
If your windows no longer fit in the frame snugly and/or the locks are broken, or the windows don’t close and open properly, replacing them with new, strong windows can help keep your property more secure from unwelcome entry.
The windows do not work properly.
If the windows no longer open and close easily and the problems are not repairable without major work, and the repairs cannot extend the useful life much, replacement is recommended. Or, if the repair costs are extreme because of the windows’ condition, replacement may make more sense.
The window design is outdated.
Beautiful vintage windows are great. But outdated windows are not the same thing. Outdated windows are outmoded by new window designs that work much better for the particular purpose(s) of the window type. For example, today’s high-end wood-look vinyl windows are replacing wood frames nationwide due to greater long-term durability.
The deteriorated windows are bad for the property values in your neighborhood.
Dilapidated windows with rotten frames with peeling paint and chipped glass are not good for a home’s curb appeal or resale value, and they can contribute to the decline of the entire neighborhood’s property values.
Benefits of Replacing Outdated Windows
Installing replacement windows in your home offers you some big advantages. Here are some important benefits of replacing old worn out windows with state-of-the-art energy-efficient replacement windows:
- Increases your comfort in hot and cold weather.
- Significantly reduces your home heating and cooling costs.
- Restores normal convenience in using windows in a house.
- Helps keep your family and possessions safer and more secure.
- Helps prolong the life of your HVAC system.
- Saves window maintenance costs.
- Improves home security as well as pet and child safety.
- Improves the aesthetic of the home.
- Helps minimize external noise inside your home.
- Increases property values.
Replacement Windows by Energy Shield
We build the region’s most beautiful and energy-efficient Energy Star® certified replacement windows. Shop our online gallery for a vast selection of high-performance windows.
