Exterior French Doors
Posted by mandie.benson in Replacement Doors on May 12th, 2009
If you were looking to make a unique statement or enhance the attractiveness of a home’s exterior appearance then French doors would be the popular way to go. Some homeowners install French doors in the interior of their home and use them to provide access to a formal dining or living area. French doors installed for exterior access usually overlook a garden or yard/deck area. In home and garden magazines, it’s common to see French doors overlooking a colorful garden populated by wildflowers, exotic plants and garden furniture.
Lanai doors utilize a similar approach, which is designed to bring the outdoors in. This provides a sense of artistic loveliness that one might associate with a picture. Lanai door craftsmanship is a reflection of the care put into handcrafted materials. The doors can be shaped, cut and measured to fit any opening, which include the corner of a house.
French doors cannot compete with the unique ability of a wrap around Lanai door. Glance at your breakfast nook; imagine the rare experience of a wrap around glass door that fits right into that nook. Lanai doors have the added benefit of their bi-folding application. Opening the Lanai doors can meld the patio and dining area into one. The transition from interior to exterior is seamless.
Fill Your Home with Light
Unlike French Doors, Lanai doors are not limited by the space availability or thickness of the walls. Installation is reasonable in most areas of wall space including around corners. Therefore, Lanai Doors are much more versatile than traditional French doors.
Typical exterior access on the rear of the home often comes from the dining or kitchen areas. Most exterior rear entrances look out over a backyard, a deck or a garden. Because typical French doors swing inwards or outwards, they create a usable space reduction. In the dining area, for example, a set of French doors may inhibit the placement of a dining table and other dining area furniture.
Lanai doors are not similarly inhibited by such special requirements. The bi-folding aspect of the doors allows them to be opened without sacrificing interior or exterior space.
Simonton StormBreaker Plus
Posted by mandie.benson in Home Improvements, Home Renavations, Replacement Windows on May 12th, 2009
Charley. Frances. Ivan. Jeanne. Hurricane season 2004 pounded the southeastern United States from every angle, torturing Florida with nearly every storm.
“We took a direct hit from Charley,” says Robert Osborne. “Some neighbors’ homes were destroyed. Simonton StormBreaker Plus windows helped keep our house secure during the worst storm I’ve ever seen. Without Simonton StormBreaker Plus windows, our home wouldn’t be here at all today.”
When Hurricane Frances made landfall, Joe McGuirk called his window contractor and left a message. “These windows had better be as good as you say they are, because I’m sitting here watching the hurricane blow in now!” McGuirk’s windows didn’t let him down. “They muffled the wind, and they never rattled once,” says McGuirk. “Mother Nature threw everything she had at Florida this year. . . and these windows just laughed in her face.”
Like most area residents, Eddie Kapadia had barely started cleaning up from Frances when an even stronger storm, Jeanne, struck. StormBreaker Plus products in Kapadia’s home remained undamaged by both storms. “There’s no way to predict the future,” says Kapadia. “But, if I had invested as wisely in my roofing system as I did in my windows, I think we would have made it through both storms with much less damage.”
Standing inside Kathryn Turner’s beachfront condo, you’d never imagine Hurricane Ivan swept through days before. “My condo had minimal water damage from a neighbor’s leaky roof, but that’s it,” says Turner. The Simonton Windows she had installed seven months before the storm saved her condo. “Many of my neighbors have come to me saying they wish they had invested in StormBreaker Plus,” says Turner.
Is Your Home Ready For Hurricane Season
Posted by mandie.benson in Home Improvements, Replacement Windows on May 11th, 2009
In a hurricane, a house becomes under a lot of pressure if its outer envelope is pierced by high winds and wind-born debris. When windows fail, high winds enter the house and can blow out an opposing wall or tear the roof off completely, leaving the home exposed to wind and rain water.
Impact-resistant windows come in all the many styles including double hung, sliding, patio, picture windows and casements. Low-E can be added to the windows to protect against UV rays and to prevent sun damage and to prevent heat gain or loss.
Protecting Your Home
Hurricane force winds deliver are delivered to building exteriors and elements. It is by far the debris these winds carry that most threaten a home during a hurricane. In high winds, roof sheathing, branches, roof tiles, or garbage cans become projectiles that are hurled at neighboring homes. The key to keeping your property intact is to keep the envelope tight so that wind and water cannot enter. Windows are a key point of entry, so it is essential that they resist the damaging force of wind-borne debris.
There are only two secure ways to protect the openings of your home when hurricanes begin to blow shutters and impact-resistant windows. Protecting your home and your family from flying debris requires that windows, doors and patio doors all meet the tougher building standards as mandated by agencies like the South Florida Building Code, which has become a leader in materials and fastening upgrades in hurricane zones.
Window Design and Installation
When impact windows first entered the market about 20 years ago, impact-resistant window styles were some what limited. Since then research and development have caught up to the demands of stricter building codes, and now nearly any type or style of replacement or new construction window is readily available. Replacement Windows with impact-resistant designs now include fixed-pane, awning, casement, horizontal roller, single-hung, and double-hung models. Skylights, door glass, and patio doors are also available in impact -resistant formats. Today, virtually all of the major window manufacturers make high-grade, impact-resistant windows that have been certified to meet all protective standards.
A window is part of a total house envelope so it must be installed correctly in order to maintain its integrity. Each manufacturer specifies how its impact-resistant windows must be installed in order for them to offer the maximum amount of protection when confronted by storm-driven debris. The installation methods are typically set forth by each manufacturer and a lot of times test reports (on how a window responds to debris and wind in a laboratory setting) will dictate what the installation method should be.
Old Single Pane Windows
Posted by mandie.benson in Home Improvements, Replacement Windows on May 10th, 2009
Single pain aluminum windows can be one of your home’s most attractive features. Windows provide views, day lighting, ventilation, and solar heating in the winter. Unfortunately, they can also account for 10% up to 40% of your heating bill. During the summer, your air conditioner must work harder to cool hot air from sunny or single pain inefficient windows. Install ENERGY STAR windows and use curtains and shade to give your air conditioner and energy bill a break. If you live in the Florida, look into low-e windows, which can cut the cooling load by up to 40%.
If your home has single-pane aluminum windows, as many U.S. homes do, consider replacing them with new double-pane Vinyl windows with high-performance glass low-e 366 Glass. Low–e 366 glass is one of the most efficient of glass on the market. In warmer climates, select windows with spectrally selective coatings (Low-E) to reduce heat gain. If you are building a new home, you can offset some of the cost of installing more efficient windows because they allow you to buy smaller, less expensive heating and cooling equipment. LoE-366 glass blocks 95 percent of the sun’s damaging UV rays and reduces heat gain by up to 64 percent compared to ordinary glass. This translates into energy savings for homeowners and dramatic comfort improvement in the home.
If you purchase your windows with the Low-E 366 Glass you will qualify for the 2009-2010 Tax rebate Package that was signed in to law February 19thby President Obama. It allows you to receive a tax credit of 30% up to $1500 back just for replacing your windows with new replacement windows
Gorell Vinyl Replacement Windows
Posted by mandie.benson in Replacement Windows on May 10th, 2009
Gorell windows has certainly made a name for themselves when it comes to quality, beauty, Security and affordability. Gorell Windows the only window manufacturer selected as a partner by the National Crime Prevention Council, are designed to be tough to give you the best possible protection at your home’s most vulnerable intruder points—your windows and doors. Gorell Windows heavy-duty frames and sashes, superior locking hardware and a unique process for bonding the glass to the frame give Gorell windows unparallel strength and security. This and other features enable Gorell Windows to surpass all industry forced-entry tests. For even greater security and Gorell offers its acclaimed Armor Glass Plus option, which was showcased recently on Discovery Channel’s “It Takes a Thief” for its unique crime prevention benefits.
With all that protection Gorell Windows offer they can also stand up to what ever Mother Nature can throw at it. For safety and security as well as affordability Gorell is a big bang for the buck.
Buy Andersen Windows & Go Green
Posted by mandie.benson in Home Improvements, Replacement Windows on May 10th, 2009
Buying new windows can be an important investment. One of the top manufacturers with a solid reputation is the Andersen Windows Company.
Already known for high-quality, energy efficient, and beautiful wood windows & doors Andersen was recently was given the distinction of being the only window manufacturer yet to receive the Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) Indoor Advantage & Trade Gold Certification for indoor air quality.
So what does this mean? Well, this standard was developed to measure the indoor air quality in the hopes of creating as healthy an environment as possible. The standard was established by the State of California’s strict emission policies for school children. This certification guarantees that Andersen windows will help to maintain the right ventilation and energy efficiency within a building to ensure a healthy environment.
Not only does this certification give The Andersen Windows a one-up over its competitors, it also automatically accepts the company to LEED and other environmental rating programs. Andersen Windows is already known for being committed to environmentally sound principles. Not only does it have LEED certification, the Green Seal of Approval, and Energy Star approval, but they also produce a product out of reclaimed materials called “Fibrex.”
PGT Custom Replacement Windows
Posted by mandie.benson in Home Improvements, Home and Garden, Replacement Windows on May 9th, 2009
PGT Custom Aluminum Windows comes in a variety of window styles, colors, sizes, and designs.
PGT Windows are custom-made, which allows the homeowner to achieve a range of contemporary and traditional looks and even to mix and match styles and options to tailor windows perfectly for each room of your home.
PGT’s Architectural Windows, come in a wide range of shapes, from a half-circle windows, to a quarter-circle or full-circle windows, picture windows and casement windows that add beauty as well as light to any space of your home. PGT Custom Aluminum Windows come in traditional single hung, elegant casement, and the economical horizontal roller styles.
One of the biggest benefits of installing new PGT Windows and Doors is the increased comfort and energy bill savings you’ll enjoy. With PGT Windows quality construction put an end to air and water infiltration.
Simonton Windows
Posted by mandie.benson in Home Improvements, Replacement Windows on May 9th, 2009
Simonton Windows is highly regarded as the leading manufacturer of vinyl windows nationwide. Simonton windows are known for durability, quality and beauty. Most importantly, Simonton vinyl windows are famous for incorporating the very latest in window technology to provide customers with the most advanced window features available anywhere in the world.
How do vinyl Replacement windows compare with windows made from other materials, such as wood and aluminum? Energy Star compliant products by Simonton are guaranteed not to pit, crack, or peel and are unmatched in their durability and ease of maintenance.
The performance and longevity of vinyl windows compare very favorably to those of other building materials, and vinyl often costs less to produce. Vinyl windows and doors are rapidly capturing a major market share as more builders and homeowners learn about vinyl’s outstanding value and economy.
Save up to 40% on Your Power Bill Year after Year
Posted by mandie.benson in Home Improvements, Replacement Windows on May 9th, 2009
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, leaky and inefficient windows and doors account for up to 25 percent of the average household’s energy bills.
Hot climates lose energy in the form of cooling. In states like Florida the loss is greater as much as 40% of your energy bill goes to cooling costs and the greater potential you have to save money on energy costs if you replace your windows with energy efficient windows. Nearly everyone can benefit by replacing leaky, inefficient windows with modern energy-efficient windows. You can cut energy costs by as much as 40 percent.
Replacing all of your windows in your home can be a big investment. The good news is, it’s an investment that can pay for itself in just a few years.
Replacing you old windows with new replacement windows Improves curb appeal and increases resale value. According to the 2008/09 Cost vs. Value Report (a combined effort by Remodeling magazine and REALTOR® magazine), homeowners can expect to recoup about 93% percent for vinyl or wood Replacement windows.
New windows can reduce your cooling costs, which saves you money every year & Increases the comfort of your home as well as a huge reduction in noise and dust.
Also replacing your windows with a high energy efficient replacement window can qualify you for rebates and tax incentives, like the Federal Energy Credit rebate which provides 30% up to $1,500 for any efficiency improvements made to your home in 2009 and 2010. So you owe it to yourself to at least call FAS Windows and doors for a free in-home estimate if you mention this blog save an editional 15% on new energy efficient replacement windows. Now, what are you waiting for the savings will never be greater then this with the tax credits and the money you will be saving on your power bills.
French Patio Doors
Posted by mandie.benson in Replacement Doors, Uncategorized on May 8th, 2009
French patio doors in a home makes a home look great. The small panes of glass add a touch of elegance and old world styling. French patio doors typically open up in at least two of the main frames of the door way. There are varieties that can slide on a track for more space challenged room settings. I remember the old sliding track glass doors of the 1980s where you put a safety rod in the door to prevent it being opened and prayed that the glass never broke. They were not very attractive. French patio doors on the other hand, are very attractive. Many home owners choose to put up small curtains or hang blinds on the door to prevent unwanted sunlight in warmer months but now with the Low-e and argon gas that is no longer an issue and you can now let that natural light in and leave the radient heat out. You can also find French patio doors at FAS Windows and Doors with many styles and colors to choose from from manufacturers like Andersen French patio, Simonton French Patio Doors and many others you can stop buy one of our show rooms located in Tampa at 7703 Anderson Rd. or Orlando at 4210 L.B. McLeod Rd. Typically, they can be custom made to fit the dimensions that you are seeking for the room. The biggest thing to remember is how much space will be needed to effectively open up the door and not hit a wall or nearby furniture. The most common mistake is not accounting for enough room for the doors to swing open.