A home is a vast and complicated thing, from its air conditioning and heating to the roof to the carpet to interior decor. One of the more basic, but no less essential, aspects of a house to maintain and upgrade is its doors and windows, and whether do it yourself (DIY) or by hiring a door and window company, door replacements and window design can be a snap, and a home can look and function wonderfully after some hard work is done.
Having old doors and windows in a house isn’t just an eyesore, it’s a sink for money and can affect a house’s climate control. In fact, the heat gained or lost through windows is responsible for 25% to 30% of a home’s heating and cooling energy use, and if these windows are drafty or not up to modern standards, that equates to wasted energy. Similarly, windows older than 15 years are prone to drafts, getting stuck in their frames, and overall driving up the energy bill, and the same could apply to old doors, too, with poor sealing and worn-out or warped materials. So, a door and window company can easily evaluate and address these problems with new equipment to transform a home.
It’s a popular business; the window installation industry’s revenue is climbing in recent years, at an estimated rate of 1.8% per year to reach $5.1 billion years by 2023. Throughout 2018 itself, this industry’s revenue climbed 3.7%, and there are plenty of new homeowners out there, or older ones, who are looking for better windows and doors. In some areas, such as the east coast, weather damage (mainly from hurricanes) is also an issue, and homes in the Midwest may suffer damage from the flying debris tossed by tornadoes.
Replacing the Windows
A door and window company can start with a home’s windows. According to The Spruce, an existing home needs not new-construction windows, but replacement windows, ones that do not have fins and slots for construction going on around them, and instead they fit into an existing frame. The next step is for an employee from a door and window company to measure the window frame carefully, then use tools to gently remove the old window without damaging the frame. The next step is a rough installment, or putting the new window in without sealing it with nails or caulk (since those are permanent). Then, once the window’s plastic support clips are removed, the window’s frame has caulk applied to it, and the window is fitted in, nailed, and otherwise sealed in place. When done right, this sealing prevents drafts or pests such as ants from getting in or out.
Replacing the Door
Door replacements take some heavy lifting compared to windows, but the job can be done. After all, a door gives a first impression of the house, and protects it from intrusion and weather and the flying debris thrown around by the latter. According to DIY Network, newer homes often have door frames in standard prehung sizes, often 80, 84, or 96 inches heights. A door slab, by contrast, is needed for a custom door or any pre-made door with a different size. A door and window company can help with this, since the slab also requires cutting the jamb and attaching the jamb and hinges at the right place for the door’s particular size. As with windows, a secure fit is necessary to prevent air drafts or small pests from getting in. The door must be not only the correct width and height for the frame, but also the correct depth. Finally, if the floor is not level, the installer will have to keep that in mind and compensate for it.