Windows are necessary in all our homes, and yet they get so little of the attention which they rightly deserve. These openings allow light to come into our homes when needed, and let us shut out the cold or heat outside when we don’t need it, while still providing that little peak onto the outside world. The real question here is, do window replacements qualify as something that you should consider during your next renovation, even if they are not broken or falling apart? Does it really make sense to do so, or is it only an aesthetic expense?
Aesthetics Alone is a Valid Reason to Replace Your Intact Windows
The whole point of redecorating a house is to make it more aesthetically pleasing for the most part, so, if you did decide to replace the windows purely because you don’t think they look as good as they possibly can, that’s pretty much reason enough all on its own! The doors, windows and your exterior walls are the first things that people see when they look at your home from outside, so it does matter, as far as creating a good first impression is concerned.
This is not to say that a window replacement project doesn’t come with its practical set of advantages mind you, because it absolutely does. As a matter of fact, having the right set of windows doesn’t just make your house look beautiful, it will also help you save a lot of money down the line, in addition to making more on the resale.
Saving Energy and Money: Can You Reduce Your HVAC Expenses by Installing New Windows?
Depending on the city or town that you are in, your requirements for using the heating or cooling features of your HVAC system will vary, because you can’t expect to have the same heating requirements in Florida as you would likely have in Alaska!
However, even in a sunny, warm county like San Diego, the temperatures can dip pretty close to the 45°F – 50°F mark during winters, making it necessary to turn up the heat inside.
On the flipside, the warmth and the sun can become a bit too much to bear without interior cooling when summer hits, which means that the cooling costs are often heavier than the heating expenses in the city and the suburbs.
In fact, when it comes to buying new windows, San Diego residents often cite reduced heating and cooling expenses as one of the primary reasons, although it isn’t the only one. With so many gorgeous beaches and beautiful, sunny weather to enjoy on most days of the year, people want bigger windows to see more of everything as well.
If you are looking to replace your windows, American Vision Windows comes highly recommended. They combine the aesthetic appeal of large, beautiful windows to enjoy the gorgeous weather and scenery, with the practicality of having energy saving new windows San Diego residents want in their homes.
Their custom windows can be of as high-quality as the customers want them to be, or they could be something that brings the best of budget and quality together. Either way, simply looking at the new windows will make you realize why replacing old and small energy-inefficient windows does not require any of them to be broken.
Windows Directly Affect Our Mood
We already discussed that it’s the big new windows that houseowners seem to like the most, because they want to enjoy the weather. However, they want to enjoy the weather from their large windows because natural light and greenery makes almost everyone feel better in general. It’s embedded in our psychology to be attracted to nature and open views, rather than closed walls.
It’s not just the windows, but rather aesthetic space in general, that affects the human brain in a positive manner. The effects could be subtle enough to go unnoticed by some, or they could be profound enough to lift one’s mood in a matter of seconds. A lot depends on their previous living conditions, but an improvement in home aesthetics has been scientifically linked to improved mood. However, windows have the most profound effect on human behavior and emotions than anything else, as far as interior décor is concerned. The only exception to this rule would be a really bad view of course, in which case, the effects can be depressing. An example of which would have to be an obstruction of some sort, that makes the window essentially useless.
Studies have shown that long-term inmates in claustrophobic prison facilities would rather have bigger and/or more windows in their cells than most other things. Office employees working in cubicles on the other hand, exhibited better productivity, following mood improvements, when moved to open tables with a window nearby.
The love for the “view from the window” is essentially embedded deeply in human psychology and our wellbeing, which is also the reason why we care so much about our views from the hotel room during vacations, or even try to get a window seat while booking flights.
Those that have small windows with dirty glass at home, which do not allow much sunlight to come through, might be surprised at how everyone suddenly seems a bit happier once the dingy windows have been replaced with bigger, clearer windows. Even if they are not dirty, but the glass is just not clear enough, or well placed enough to allow sunlight inside, a window replacement project is worth the money and effort.
Sun exposure is also quite important to keep the interiors of a home healthy, because damp, dark homes are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and mold.
Will We Not Enjoy the View Just as Much from the Outside?
When it’s freezing or sweltering outside, it might still look beautiful, but that’s not a safe or comfortable environmental condition for us to be able to enjoy the scenery. Having modern, weatherproof glass windows makes sure that we can practically enjoy a blizzard in all its destructive glory, while being warm and comfortable inside your own home!
Double pane windows do not allow for the heat to escape or the cold to come in from the other side of the glass and they are nearly unbreakable at the same time. If you have the right view, your windows can help you enjoy nature in more ways than one, from the comfort of your living room.
Security
Aside from providing protection from the elements, your windows should also be sturdy enough to protect your home from human intruders. Depending on the kind of neighborhood you live in, a consideration should be made whether your current windows are too big and too fragile to withstand human assault.
Keep in mind that while double panes are very hard to break, it is possible to break them down with significant effort, provided the person attempting to do so knows how to. It’s true that there’s only so much protection that any window or door can provide against a group of intruders determined to get in, but it’s also true that sturdy windows and doors will give them enough resistance to keep the intruders at bay for at least a short period of time.
That time should be sufficient for you to call the police, or for the neighbors to do the same, if nobody is home. Most of the time though, after a few failed attempts at breaking the window glass down, the potential burglars will leave because of the noise they are making in the process.
Resale Value: Beautiful Windows Have a Profound Impact on a Property’s Resale Value
Whether there is already a plan to sell the house off in the near future or not, it makes sense for every homeowner to prepare for a resale all the same. Old, shabby windows that do not allow sufficient sunlight in are a big turnoff for potential customers, while at the same time, big windows make everything inside the property look brighter and better during the day. As already discussed, we all love the view from our windows, so by offering that view, you are actively increasing the real estate value of your home, as well as the chances of making the sale, if at any time, you decide to relocate. Don’t forget to check out the ultimate guide to buying windows to choose the right windows to replace.
Now that we have discussed multiple aspects of the answer to the original question, it should be clear why window replacements are good ideas, even when the present ones seem to be working fine. As long as you have the budget for a decent replacement/improvement project, and you want to go through with it, there is no reason why you shouldn’t! People remodel their kitchens every few years, when a simple repair job or two would have kept the kitchen in prime working condition just the same. When it comes to home décor, we sometimes make changes because as human beings, we tend to get bored and depressed with sameness. It does not require a more practical reason than that.
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