In this post you will learn...

• How to save money by winterizing your windows.
• When is a good time to replace your home windows?
• What other areas of the home should you check and winterize?

Winter is coming, but don’t lose your head! With a little preparation you can make sure that your home is ready for the very cold winter that is being predicted by the Farmer’s Almanac. This 200 year old book uses a variety of things to predict the weather, including lunar cycles and sunspots. While this might sound unreliable, its forecasts are often correct (about 80% of the time). Facing a bitterly cold winter, you need to make sure that your home is ready.

What Are Your Heating Costs?

That biting cold can do more than nip your nose. It can take a bite out of your wallet as well. Heating your home is expensive, and it’s even more expensive when your home has drafty windows and doors. If you have older windows or windows that do not have functioning weather stripping, a good portion of that heat is escaping. The higher you crank the thermostat, the more you waste – heat and money.

It's Time for New Windows

So, what’s the solution? While it does require a high upfront cost, you should replace your windows for a variety of reasons and benefits. First, these windows help you save money over time. By purchasing and properly installing new windows, you are reducing the drafts in your home. This makes it easier to heat and cool your home, and it makes it less expensive to do so.

Second, new windows look great. It’s a smart way to give your home a facelift. If you plan on selling your home in the future, then new windows are a great selling point. Third, they’re easy to use. When you have new windows, you don’t have to struggle to open, close or clean them.

Lastly, new windows ensure that moisture is not entering your home. Older windows can leak, and over time this moisture can cause the sill and the window frame to rot. If this happens, the frame will have to be replaced, which is much more expensive than simply installing replacement windows. In addition to replacing the windows in the future, your home is also susceptible to mold and mildew from the moisture.

Why You Should Act Now

When it comes to installing new windows, spring and fall are the best times of year. It’s not too hot or too cold, and this makes the window installation process easier on you and the window installers. When you are having windows replaced, your old windows will have to be removed, leaving your home exposed for a short period of time. So, it makes sense to do so while the weather is temperate. Plus, if you act now, you will be able to benefit from your new replacement windows sooner than later.

Other Winter Tips

Check other areas that can let cold air into your home as well. Many people forget their chimneys and fireplace dampers can also let cold air inside.

Make sure crawl spaces are sealed and that you are not letting the openings of the space let in a chill. While you’re checking crawl spaces and chimneys make sure that you keep an eye on pipes that are on exterior walls, or exposed, they run the risk of freezing during cold winters.

Replace your windows and prepare your home before winter comes and reap the rewards through what might be one of the coldest winters we have seen in some time. Need help deciding which windows make sense for your home? Schedule a free consultation with us and we will help customize the right window for your home.