The second the Thanksgiving leftovers get packed away, many of us start decorating for the holidays. We get up on ladders and string lights around all the windows, and attach little plastic flickering candles to each sill. We get a chance to get up close and personal with our windows in the winter, and we can see just what kind of shape they’re in.
Even if you’re not a big holiday decorator, winter is a time when families look at the to do list on their house. What were those home projects you were so keen on completing this year? Perhaps you had grand plans of a summer or fall window replacement? Well, even in the dead of winter, you didn’t miss your “window”. Home window replacement doesn’t really have a dedicated season, and there may be some hidden advantages to closing or opening the year with new windows.
It’s almost no different from a summer installation.
Some home improvement projects can drag on and on, and you just resign yourself to living with the mess (kitchen renovation, anyone?). If you’re at all hesitant about winter home window replacement, it’s probably because you’re imagining your house wide open to the elements, with all those icy breezes swirling through.
Here’s the thing though: you don’t have to live in an icebox while the project is in motion. Installers do the glass replacement one window at a time, minimizing the amount of heat they’re releasing. They’ll seal off whatever room they are working in, and in larger spaces, they can install a wall of plastic that helps you keep toasty. There’s a deliberateness to window replacement in the winter, and that kind of time and care is what we want when we invite people to work on our homes.
All of the sealers and foams they use are just as effective at setting and sealing in the winter as they are in the summer. Trained window installers can even install and seal a window in temperatures as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit!
You’ll save piles of money on your heating bill.
Besides the obvious curb appeal factor, you’re probably already thinking about the savings that new energy efficient windows bring. Ever since the electricity companies started sending out those graphs and year-end statements about home energy consumption, a whole swath of us have gotten a little competitive about our usage. We all know that energy consumption can take a huge slam in the dead of winter. “Throw a sweater on!” only gets us so far, and replacing your windows with more efficient models can save you big on those bills.
Your bill will take a little ding on the days you have an installation, there’s no way around that, but the long-term impact on your energy bill goes on and on. All those little leaks and cracks in your old windows will be sealed up tight, and you can actually get more of the warmth you’re paying the electricity company for. There’s nothing better than opening that heating bill right after you’ve gotten your replacement windows in. The little line on the graph goes down, and stays down.
You’ll get your new windows faster, and probably at a discount.
Winter is the slow season for many window replacement companies, which can work to your advantage. Some window replacement companies will run end of the year specials, and you’ll end up paying less for the work. Also (and this is a big one), you can get scheduled more easily. It can be frustrating to finally decide to take the plunge on a home improvement project, and then wait forever to get the work scheduled. During the summer months, it can be tough just to get window companies to give you an estimate.
Things are different in the winter. Once you decide to get the project done, you can get it done fast. At Window Nation, we can often get you energy efficient windows just days after you call!
So yes, there is some kind of rule of thumb about only eating oysters in months that have the letter r, and you should always stock up on candy bars the day after Halloween, but there’s no such rule about window installation. Winter home window installation is a good move — it’s minimally disruptive, easy to schedule, and will start saving you money on your energy bills right away.
