Windows are something that you should attempt to replace at least once during the course of a thirty-year mortgage, usually about when the windows are around twenty-five years old. Most people do not live in the same house that long, but if you do, you should consider replacing the windows. The reason for doing so is that the technology involved in manufacturing windows improves every couple of decades, making windows stronger, better, and more energy-efficient. If you bought a house and do not know how old the windows are, here are five signs that the windows are old and need to be replaced.
You Cannot See out of Them Clearly
Windows should be transparent enough that you can see clearly out of them. Old glass has a tendency to become cloudy, foggy, and dark. If you have any cloudiness, steam trapped between glass panes, etc., the windows have to go.
The Glass Is So Old and So Fragile It Breaks with a Tap
Glass made five to seven decades ago was not nearly as strong as the glass made today. In fact, glass from the past was just barely functional as window glass, but plate glass was all they had back then. Now, glass is much stronger and more durable because a lot of it uses transparent metals infused in the glass-making process. When you have glass in your windows that is old, it tends to split and shatter with just a hard rap of the knuckles, as opposed to modern glass, which can take a hit from hurricanes and not break into large, dangerous shards.
The Glass Rattles and Shakes During a Storm
This is a definitive sign that your old windows have got to be replaced. When the wind or a boom of thunder can make the windows rattle, you are just ticking off the days before the glass comes loose and shatters on the sill. It is no longer holding its place within the sashes and the frames and is vibrating back and forth. It is sending vibrations through the glass that will very soon stress the glass beyond its ability to withstand the wind or a thunderclap.
The Windows Are Sealed Shut
Windows that are sealed shut have become so through warping and expanding wood and/or rotting frames. Former owners dealt with this problem by either not using the windows at all for air circulation and just leaving them shut, or by painting over them and allowing the paint to seal them. When you want to let in a lovely breeze or air out the house, you cannot because you cannot get these windows open. Attempting to open them results in shattering the fragile glass.
The Windows Do Not Have Locks
It was quite common in the forties and fifties, and even into the sixties, not to have locks on the windows. Windows simply were not made with locks back then. No one saw the dangers involved with having windows that just slid open, and everyone assumed that they lived in safe neighborhoods. Hence, windows did not have locks. This is a sure sign you have older windows that ought to be replaced.
If your windows are so old that they do not have locks, talk to a window replacement contractor right away. Despite the fact that an intruder may not be able to get a window open, he/she may still try, especially if the intruder knows that not all of your windows have locks attached to them. Protect your home and your investment by purchasing window replacements as soon as you can afford them and visit a site like http://www.newmanroof.com for more info.
Share2 October 2017
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