Cold weather is right at the doorstep. Windows should be on your winter checklist, along with the phone number for experienced handyman services in Potomac, MD, like Hopkins & Porter. Weather the worst of winter with professionally winterized windows.
Window Function
Windows provide ventilation and natural lighting in a home. When properly maintained, they can increase comfort, minimize energy usage, and increase the value of a home. Reduce utility bills by weather-proofing windows or upgrading to more energy-efficient designs.
Windows Contribute To Heat Loss
The U.S. Energy Department explains that even sunny windows can be escape hatches for heat and drive up energy consumption. Their estimates indicate that at least one-third of a home’s heat loss occurs through windows and doors. Improve your home’s energy efficiency with replacement window upgrades or improvements to existing windows.
Existing Window Improvements
The top two recommendations of the U.S. Energy Department for improving energy efficiency of windows: caulking and weatherstripping. Over time, caulk and weatherstripping age, becoming less effective with a compromised seal that leaks.
New Window Installation
Double-pane windows provide maximum insulation but many homes lack them. Install storm windows with your next home remodeling project and reduce heat loss by as much as 50%.
“I would highly recommend Hopkins & Porter. We have been using them for many years, at least 10, for work on the house. Every time, they do excellent work. They are not only do a good job but they are great people.”
Design Matters
Sliding windows are the most popular design in modern homes but they are not the most energy efficient. The U.S. Energy Department prefers these window designs for improved energy efficiency:
- Awning: Hinged at the top, opening outward from the bottom.
- Casement: One side is hinged, the other side opens outward.
Non-Window Windows
A fixed window, such as a transom, is a decorative fixed pane of glass. Another “non-window” window used for ventilation and natural lighting is a skylight. A faulty skylight or transom can be a winter nightmare. As heat rises, they can become a chimney venting warm air and driving up energy costs. Have these windows winterized as well.
Trust Professionals
With windows responsible for 30% of a home’s heat loss, this is a project for craftsmen with more than 30 years of experience preparing Maryland homes for winter weather. The 2016 forecast for Maryland is predicting a brutal winter season. Contact us today and get your home ready.
