Window Replacement Ajax
Window Installation
Working out a good budget to cover the expenses of window replacement Ajax can make all the difference for homeowners. Having first hand knowledge about your options with window styles, performance, ratings, costs, framing and installation is pertinent to making sound decisions. Replacing your older windows does not have to be a struggle or difficult task, with the expert guidance from our window specialists and helpful team, you will be able to meet your goals and stay within your budget. A good plan of attack is to ascertain how many windows you wish to replace, then create a strategy…which rooms require fresh air ventilation, which rooms only require natural light without ventilation? Once you have narrowed down which room needs what, that is half the battle won, and makes the next few steps far easier!
Window Styles
Through your investigations in window replacement Ajax, you will quickly learn that this process is more comfortable than you may have thought, and there is the potential to have some fun with it too! Yes, there are different types of windows (which you will read about further down this page), but there are some exciting options that comes with picking out new windows. You will see that certain windows (custom made or stock windows) can have ‘extras’ applied, like texturing the glass in panes, tinting the glass, adding glazing layers, selections in grills and much more. You should also know that if you are going to alter the area in the wall where your new window(s) will be installed (this is called a full-frame installation), you are less restricted on how many or how large your new window(s) can be. If you want a similar window to replace the old one and you are happy with having the same size, then a retrofit installation will suffice, providing there is zero damage to the existing frame.
Windows Options
There is two ways to open and close a window, either through sliding the window or through a hand crank mechanism. Windows that slide back and forth can be found with end vent slider windows, single slider & double slider windows. For windows that slide up and down, you can look at single hung and double hung windows. Hand crank windows are trending right now (casement windows and awning windows) because of their added security & tighter seal when in the closed and locked down position (great safety feature for families with curious young children). Then, you have fixed windows that do not open or close at all, they are meant as a means of letting in lots of outside light into a room (picture windows and fixed casement windows). Getting into the larger windows like bow windows and bay windows, you can opt to have fixed panes in the middle with working windows at each end like casement windows (the whole bay or bow window can be designed with all working windows if you prefer, there are many ways to create your own collection). Framing materials (if you are choosing a full-frame installation by our experts) come in wood, vinyl, fibreglass, aluminium and composite.
Windows Performance
You may be curious as to why new windows come with various ratings, and the answer to that is very important…each window manufactured comes with a ‘menu’ of performance factors, so you know exactly what to expect from your new window replacement Ajax. Some ratings you can look for are air leakage (measurement of the susceptibility to heat loss and gain), STC rating (sound transmission class), VT (visible transmittance/amount of light that can penetrate through a window), ENERGY STAR certification (energy efficiency), U-factor or U-value (resistance to heat loss), SHGC (solar heat gain coefficient) and R-value (ability to retain heat). Each rating tells you if your window is going to perform in the correct manner for your home, and as Canada has three climate zones, your new windows must have the appropriate ER (energy rating) to match that zone. There are additional optional features that you can incorporate with double paned windows to maximize their performance (low-e coatings, spacer, gas fills, security glass and engineered thermal insulation), but triple panes windows are the best.
Window After Care & Maintenance
The after care of your window replacement Ajax is simple and quick…your new windows require a little bit of maintenance that you should attend to at the turn of each season, to keep your windows in peak condition. A little bit of gentle soap and some warm water is all you require to wash your windows, frames and screens, and taking precautions that you properly rinse afterwards, to ensure there is no soapy residue left behind. Windows that have moveable parts (the hardware) also need a bit of extra care besides a good cleaning. Our window specialists will guide you on how to properly lubricate this hardware, what types of lubrication you should use and how often.