Are you feeling a little overwhelmed with the process of choosing your windows and doors for your new home or house remodel? Let’s talk basics for a minute and see if we can’t get some clarity.
Parts Ans Pieces
The frame of a window or door is exactly as it sounds. It is the outside and is typically made of aluminum, fiberglass, wood, or vinyl.
Pro tip: When choosing the frame material, be sure to choose a style that goes with the feel of your home interior and exterior.
Although typically clear, you can order a variety of privacy glasses for bathrooms and other rooms needing privacy.
Pro tip: You can replace clear glass with privacy glass in interior doors to maintain an open and airy feel and still gain privacy in rooms like a home office or TV room.
To grid or not to grid? Grids can be a variety of sizes and really depend on the overall look you are seeking.
Pro tip: If you are not replacing all of the windows in your home, you will want to match the existing windows as closely as possible.
Locks, handles, window cranks, hinges, these are all considered hardware.
Pro tip: For maximum beauty, make sure all hardware has the same finish or is complimentary all the way down to the hinges.
Security
Feeling safe in your home is important. Choosing the proper windows, doors, and locks for each area is important for your safety but there are also some life-tips that are also best practices. Here are a few tips for your peace of mind.
- Be sure to keep all windows closed when you leave or when you are sleeping.
- Keep furniture away from open windows where small children can climb up and fall out.
- Make it a habit to lock windows and doors while your family is sleeping.
- Use deadbolts on your doors. They are an extra safety measure that will help deter intruders.
- Make an emergency plan and practice it! Make sure your kids know where the egress windows are and how to get out in case of a fire or a need to escape the home quickly.
- This is by no means an exhaustive list but more a springboard for your own personalized family safety plan. Your safety is our concern.
Light
Natural light in the home lends to the beauty inside and invites the eye to the out of doors. It also increases the general mood of the home and saves electricity for lighting. But with light can come heat and furniture damage. Depending on the placement of your windows, be sure to talk to one of our window and door experts about how to maximize light while minimizing heat or cold transfer. Also if there is furniture that will regularly be in the sunlight, you will want to choose a glass that will block UV rays as much as possible.
Noise
Can your windows and doors really help block excess noise? You bet they can! Consider external and internal noises and purchase accordingly. If the train goes past your house regularly or there is freeway noise near your home, you will want to make sure you purchase exterior windows and doors that block outside noise. If you have a college student who needs to study or a home office, always make sure that the interior doors to the room help block sound.