Summer is a time when many homeowners make repairs to their house, including to their windows. Older windows often need regular repairs in order to maintain their energy efficiency and functionality and summer is the perfect time to handle these chores.
If you’re one of the many Long Island homeowners with older windows, these summer window care tips can help you make the necessary repairs to keep your windows in serviceable condition.
Caulking seals your windows against moisture intrusion and air leaks. Caulking can be found on the inside or outside of your windows, or in both places. Unfortunately, caulking doesn’t last forever, especially when it’s consistently exposed to extreme temperatures and precipitation.
Inspect your window’s caulking for problems like cracks, mold, mildew, deterioration and gaps. If the caulking around your windows is in bad shape, remove the caulking with a caulk removal tool, then replace it with an appropriate replacement. If you’re replacing caulking found outdoors, use exterior-grade caulking to ensure it will last.
Old windows tend to be energy inefficient. While there’s nothing you can do to make an old, single pane window as energy efficient as a new dual pane window, you can use weatherstripping to make your old windows more energy efficient.
Weatherstripping improves energy efficiency by blocking air leaks that can lead to temperature fluctuations indoors. To install weatherstripping, simply purchase it from your home improvement store and cut it down to the appropriate length.
Weatherstripping often has an adhesive side that will stick to the window frame. Strips you apply to the window should be thick enough fill the spaces around your windows, but not so big that it prevents your windows from properly opening and closing easily.
Window treatments do more than make your windows more attractive – they also help keep your home cool (or warmer in winter), if they’re kept closed at strategic times. If you struggle to maintain a consistent, comfortable temperature in your home, use window treatments that block sunlight to prevent the sun from pouring into your house or to keep it warm by blocking drafts in winter. Open and close window treatments as the sunlight shines in different rooms of your home.
The parts on older windows can wear and even break over time, which in turn makes them hard to open (and stay open) and close. If it’s difficult to open and close your windows or if they just no longer stay open on their own, get them repaired by a capable window repair person. This problem can be fixed, but you’ll need help from someone who knows how to make the repair and which parts to use.
Renewal by Andersen of Long Island provides quality replacement windows for homeowners. If you’re tired of performing endless maintenance on older windows, Renewal by Andersen of Long Island windows can make the difference.
All Renewal by Andersen windows are made with Fibrex material window frames and energy efficient low-E4 glass, which means they’ll perform better and require far less maintenance than your home’s older windows. To get started with your purchase and replacement window installation, call (866) 609-5033 or fill in the short form on this page today.
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