3 Things To Know Before Buying New Windows

Replacing your windows can seem confusing, expensive and daunting. Tim Folger, vice president of sales at Integrity Windows & Doors in Lakewood, walks us through a few things you need to know before you get started.

You don’t have to do them all at once
You might be tempted to do it all in one fell swoop, but to ease the stress, aim to replace sections in phases. Two options to replace first are your draftiest windows or the ones you use most often. But there are caveats. “It’s always recommended if there’s two windows in a room to do both of them, so both of them are insulated,” Folger says.

Mix things up with a variety of window styles 
One style doesn’t fit all. You can have a garden window, awning window or double-hung tilt-in window all on the same floor in a cohesive way. “In my own home there’s a lot of different styles,” says Folger. “They all match each other. The color of the window [is] consistent throughout the house. If you have a decorative grid pattern in there, that would be consistent.”

Opt for a hearty frame 
If you need large windows, make sure you spring for a higher-quality frame to accommodate them. “The bigger a window is, the more glass is in that window, the more weight that’s in that window, [you need a] better-quality product to hold those windows up and have them operate properly,” says Folger.