Although many homeowners know that windows are an item that may need to be replaced in their home’s lifetime, many of those same homeowners don’t know when windows need to be replaced, or why. Do windows only need to be replaced when they’re old? Does that leaky window definitely need to be replaced?
At Omaha Door & Window, we have a great deal of experience in evaluating old windows and determining when they need to be replaced. Here are a few sure signs that it may be time to replace the windows in your home:
- You have single-pane windows: Many old homes have single-pane windows. Windows with single-pane glass are extremely energy inefficient, and are often very drafty and noisy.
- Your energy bill is abnormally high: A high energy bill isn’t always necessarily an indication of bad windows (especially if it’s been a particularly hot or cold month), but consistently high energy bills may be a sign that your windows are to blame.
- Your windows won’t open or close: Windows that are warped or cracked may not open properly, and painted or dirty windows can often seem difficult to open or close. Though not always a sure sign of repair, windows that won’t open or close are certainly cause for concern.
- Your windows leak: Old seals or rotting frames can cause your windows to leak in heavy storms. If your windows leak, inspect them closely, as leaky windows are often in need of replacing.
- Your home is ‘drafty’: If you can clearly feel drafts in your home and your windows aren’t open, your windows may need replacing. Old windows can have bad seals and can develop gaps that let air through when they shouldn’t. Single-pane windows are often very drafty.
- You can hear a lot of noise near your windows: Well-made double- and triple-paned windows insulate both weather and sound. If you can clearly hear noise coming through your windows, you may have old or leaky windows that need to be replaced.
- Your windows have condensation inside the glass: Finally, condensation inside double- or triple-paned windows often means that you’ll need to replace the window. It’s hard to “save” a window with a bad seal, so windows with condensation often need to be replaced.
Old windows aren’t just an eyesore—they can also cost you a lot of money on your energy bill and can even be unsafe in some instances. Replacing your windows, however, doesn’t have to be difficult, and here at Omaha Door & Window, we have a variety of window offerings that we can easily install with a full guarantee. We want to make sure all of our customers get quality products and expert service. Our windows are a big part of our mission: we’ll fit your home, your style, and your budget.
If you’ve reviewed the criteria above and think it may be time to replace your windows (or even if you’re not sure and would like to talk to an expert), don’t hesitate to reach out to us via our website’s Contact Us page. We’d love to help out! We’re also available on Facebook and on Twitter @OmahaDoor.
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photo credit: jeffsmallwood via photopin cc
I’ve been noticing little things with my old windows, and I think that it’s time to replace them. I’ve noticed my windows let a draft in, and that they are only 1 pane glass. I’ll make sure to replace them with double paned glass. That way the double paned window can stop the drafts, and be stronger than a regular 1 paned window.
I like having double-pane windows for the sound-dampening effects so I think I may have them installed in more rooms in my place. It looks like there are also a lot of other benefits to replacing the glass in my residence from what I’ve read here as well. It may be well worth the replacement cost if it saved money on my utilities bill. Thanks for the helpful info.
It’s good to know that if the window won’t open or close there’s reason enough to have it checked out. If the window won’t close, there’s potential loss in heating or cooling which would not be good. Checking the windows frequently to ensure they open and close would be a good idea.
I thought the information about replacing single-pane windows was really insightful. I’ve had the same single-pane windows for years, so I should probably replace them since they’re not very energy efficient. They let in a lot of condensation when it rains, so getting double-pane windows would probably be a better option.
I just bought a house that still has single-pane windows. At first I thought it wouldn’t be a problem, but I don’t like how drafty they are. I’m going to get replacement windows next week and I’m very excited. Thanks for the help!
I was actually having a hard time keeping my home warm last winter. I get cold easily but I had the heater running higher and longer than usual. My energy bill was definitely high that month! I then realized that my windows were letting in cold air! I ended up getting the windows fixed and my energy bill went back down.
Well it sounds like my windows need to be replaced after reading this! Our energy bill was so high last month and me and my husband could not figure out for the longest time why. After reading this together and realizing our windows matched up with almost all of these bullet points, we figured out that that is probably our answer. Thanks for helping us out!
This is some great information, and I appreciate your point that single pane windows are energy inefficient. My husband and I just moved into an older home, and most of the windows here are single pane. We’d like to make the home as energy efficient as we can, so we’ll definitely look into replacing all of those with something with more insulation. Thanks for the great post!
You said in your article that old homes often have single-pane windows and that they are energy inefficient, drafty and noisy. My mother has old single-pane windows and we’ve been trying to convince her to hire a window repair service to replace them with something modern. If she knew that it would help make her home a bit quieter, I think she’d be more likely to do it. Thanks for the great read.