People often ask, “Which replacement windows will look best in my historic Long Island house?” The answer, of course, depends upon the details of your neighborhood, the architectural influence, and the location of your home.
Renewal by Andersen of Long Island guarantees every window we build has the energy efficiency ratings and superior performance standards that meet, or exceed industry standards for your neighborhood. Here are a few specific considerations for homeowners updating windows in historic homes.
Understanding the Significance of Your Neighborhood
Are you wondering why we ask about the character of your neighborhood? The simple answer is that if you ask 10 people to describe a historic home, you will probably get 10 different answers. The first row (or attached) houses were built in Amsterdam communities in the 15th century. Early settlers introduced this land-efficient building style to America. Over the years, architects have modified architectural designs to create remarkable, functional homes with distinctive character and charm.
In Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties and sister communities throughout the Long Island and New York area, you find homes with diverse features like flat fronts, second story bow windows, varied roof lines, simple unadorned front stoops and ornate detailing on handrails. The tall narrow footprint, stereotypically bordered on both sides by a similar home, may have rectangular windows or elegant arched windows with intricate grilles. Some neighborhood row houses have unique lintels that add a twist to otherwise classic ornamentation.
Another important detail about your neighborhood is whether you live in a quiet residential area or in a mixed use area. Living “under the same roof” as your neighbor, so to speak, might have some influence about the style, trim and frame color and glass you choose.
Understanding the Significance of Architectural Influence
Historic houses have character, charm and histories that make them truly incomparable to other residential homes. Choosing the best Renewal by Andersen replacement windows for your home depends on whether you live in a Federal style house or Victorian style home. If you are fortunate to live in a Long Island neighborhood with angled streets and plots, your row house may have a small front area and half circle windows above the door.
We ask lots of questions because the more detail you can provide to our consultants, the easier it is to point you in the right direction with suggestions that fit your home. Of course, an on-site inspection of your home is the best way to guide you to the best choices.
Understanding Historical Significance
There are thousands of row houses scattered across the nation – many of them on Long Island and the metropolitan New York area, but not all historic homes are row houses. A tour of historic homes in the area might include houses with Spanish Revival influences from the early 20th century like asymmetrical facades and low-pitched roofs as well as simple, modest homes described as living examples of authentic Long Island craftsmanship. These variances make it impossible to recommend one-size-fits-all replacement windows for your Long Island home without more information.
For example, when you’re buying replacement windows for a modest, 18th century historic home with classic windows, choosing a design with grilles-between-the-glass will help you keep the original appearance without sacrificing high-efficiency qualities and low maintenance benefits. For Spanish Revival inspired homes you can select more intricate grille designs for arched windows that help you accentuate the distinctive style.
Some people wrongly assume you can’t focus on preservation and sustainability at the same time. Our beautiful, functional windows let you stay true to original structure and design in a package that limits landfill waste, conserves natural resources and improves the overall energy efficiency in your home. Because our windows are built to fit the original size and shape of your existing windows, you save time, money and resources often spent on extensive construction and rebuild projects.
When you make your decision about whether to apply for national registry recognition keep in mind there are positives and negatives. First the positives.
On the negative side, some homeowners don’t like being told how to maintain their home and want more flexibility with design changes like adding opaque window panes and intricate grilles.
Have more questions? Renewal by Andersen of Long Island is here to help. We invite you to fill in the form above or give us a call today at (866) 609-5033. When you call, remember to ask about our special financing options.
