Tuesday, June 25, 2013

A Few Important Factors To Consider When Choosing Replacement Windows In Austin TX


Replacement windows in Austin TX don't just work great in making a home look really good but they also help a lot in making it more comfortable to live in. If you have noticed that your windows are starting to make your home feel drafty during the winter and really hot during the summer, then it's probably time for you to get replacement windows. It's even more advisable to do this if your old windows are already compromising your safety at home.

Not all replacement windows in the market today are made with the same level of quality. With this, it's important that you take the time to consider some factors so that you can determine which windows are going to best suit your needs. Let's take a look at the important factors that you need to look at.

Window Frame

Different kinds of replacement windows are made with different kinds of frames including aluminum, wood-clad, vinyl, wood, composite, and fiberglass. Windows with wooden frames are best known for their really good looks but they need extensive maintenance. Vinyl frames are known to require the least amount of maintenance but can get easily distorted when exposed to extreme weather conditions. Clad-wood window frames are basically maintenance-free but they don't look as good as wood frames. Each type of window frame has its own advantages and disadvantages so you need to take some time to carefully choose which one is going to best suit your needs.

Glass Type

The type of glass that's used on the windows is another important thing that you need to consider. Low-E or low-emissive glass is the most energy efficient type of glass because it has the capacity to keep heat transfer at a minimal level. Through this, it enables windows to keep a house cool on a really hot day and keep it warm during really cold days. Low-E glass not only makes windows energy efficient, it also helps them reduce glare.
Tempered, laminated, or wire-reinforced safety glass would be best to use for homes that are situated in areas that have a great risk of human or environmental impact.
When examining the type of glass used on windows, it would also be good to take a look at their R-value and U-factor so you can determine how energy efficient they really are.

Style

When considering the style of the windows you're going to use on your home, it's important for you to evaluate its effect on illumination and ventilation. You need to take into consideration the amount of illumination and ventilation that the style can provide to your home. If you think that your house is in an area where it would benefit more from having really good ventilation, then you need to consider using double hung windows, casement windows, or horizontal slider windows. On the other hand, if you want to allow maximum light into your home, awning style windows would best fit you. Bow windows or bay windows would be best to consider if you want to give your home a modern look and feel.

You should never settle for the first set of windows that you see in the market because you don't want to end up having the wrong ones installed. You need to carefully choose the windows that will best meet the needs of your home. In that way, you'll be able to make your home more comfortable to live in.

If you want to get the best quality replacementwindows in Austin TX that will perfectly suit your home and make it more energy efficient, take a look at what ZenWindows Austin TX has to offer. If you like our products and would want to get a quote, we can give that to you in 5 minutes.