New Jersey and New York metropolitan homeowners look forward decorating their windows and homes for the holiday season for a variety of reasons. Some look forward to the festive spirit, being around their family and friends they don’t get a chance to see during the year or just the fact that another new year will soon arrive with all the promises of new adventures and opportunities.
Whatever gets you in the mood for decorating your home for the upcoming holidays – whether you’re one of those who starts thinking about Halloween immediately after Labor Day, or you are more inclined to wait until the week of Thanksgiving to pull out the cornucopia, here are nine tips to make sure your replacement windows look awesome and you follow safe practices.
Especially if you’ll be climbing ladders to reach the top of your windows, check the weather forecast before you pull out the decorations. Don’t try to hang those banners and colorful lights while it is snowing, or when a rain shower might interrupt your work. And, even though you’re busy, find time to work on your trimmings during full sun – if you can’t see well, you may accidentally drill into the glass or frames, or worse, slip and fall. You can always admire your work after the sun sets.
Since you may void part of your Renewal by Andersen replacement window warranty if you use adhesives that are difficult to remove, set screws or nails in glass or frame components or permanently affix decorative features, choose simple static cling decorations, or hang those Halloween banners and Christmas lights from hooks attached to your home or stakes planted in the ground.
While you may want to light up the neighborhood – don’t connect more than three strings of lights together. When you run a series of lights connected end to end, you increase the risks of causing a fire.
Read the labels on your lights. Not all lights are rated for outdoor use. Outdoor lights are usually safe for indoor and outdoor use, but you can’t go the other way. If you’re buying new lights this year, keep the packaging or mark your light strips clearly, so next year you will know you’re using the right light in the right environment.
Some lights may leave burn marks on your replacement windows. Choose LED light strands that stay cool to the touch to avoid damage and unsightly marks after the holiday season.
We recommend you pay careful attention to where you put your Christmas tree, and the area around your greenery. If you plan to decorate window sills with fresh boughs and have a live tree, consider using a flame-retardant window treatment, holiday runners and tree skirts. If a fire starts, the flame resistant fabric could possibly prevent the fire from spreading rapidly and keep the fire from permanently damaging your windows.
More than 245,000 people end up in the emergency room every year due to ladder accidents. You can climb a ladder safely – and prevent accidents – if you plan ahead. Always ask someone to help you, or at least be with you, if you plan to use a ladder. This Old House Magazine contributor Natalie Gingerich Mackenzie recommends that homeowners:
Many Long Island residents use canned spider webs for Halloween and spray snow on their replacement windows to create Christmas scenes. Before using any type of aerosol, read the label. Some products are fun, but may cause problems for people who suffer from asthma or other breathing problems. Be safe. Choose to wear a disposable mask.
This tip might sound condescending, but we’re really do care about our friends and neighbors. If you read all packaging, you can use decorating supplies and tools properly – reducing accident risks. When you plan ahead, you won’t be surprised by a passing storm, or find out at the last moment one of the rungs on your ladder is loose or broken.
Whether this is the first year you’ve decorated since installing your replacement windows and patio doors, your tenth, or you’re still thinking about making the upgrade, we want you to have a safe, happy holiday season. If you have aging windows that leak air and moisture, and you’d like to talk to someone about upgrading before the holiday season arrives, we would love to show you our full line of energy-efficient window styles. Just give us a call at (866) 609-5033 or fill in the short form on this page to request a brochure.
Check out this post for more information on decorating your windows.
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