About Green Window Tips

Brought to you by Atlanta Area Window and Door Co.
Hey, Atlanta!
This blog is dedicated to bringing you expert tips and information about energy saving windows in Atlanta.

We welcome any feedback and tips you'd like to share as one concerned with helping Atlanta Go Green!

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Why Are your Wood Windows Rotting?


Brought to you by Atlantawindows.com
The pictures attached came from a recent window replacement job we completed this past week. Many Atlanta homeowners deal with rotted wood and give us a call to replace the old rotted windows with non rot vinyl windows or even pvc windows. But why is it that so many homes in Atlanta have rotted wood around the windows and even rotted sashes?

One reason is seen in these pictures here. The builder of the home that these samples were taken from took a major shortcut during the original installation. Every wood window has flashing installed on its top edge to ensure that water will run off the window and away from the wood to prevent rot. Usually the flashing is a sturdy thin layer of metal or pvc that keeps water wicking away from the wood components of a window. For this flashing to be effective it has to have good water tight seal and be installed correctly. However, if you’ll look a little closer you’ll see that the flashing that was taken from this house is not capable of properly protecting the wood beneath it because of the vent slits all through it.

This is a serious problem that brings up an important question. How sure are you of proper window installation around your home? There are a lot of great home builders in Atlanta who take the time to install quality products and make sure everything will last a long time. However, there are a lot of homes that we serve everyday that have experience the same poor craftsmanship that this home was subject to. There are a lot of steps builders can take to make sure wood does not rot but to many builders will not take the time to use proper techniques or in the case of this home proper flashing materials.

We regret that this home owner had to replace their windows because of negligence and sloppiness. We are glad though that the same homeowner now has replacement windows that are guaranteed to have been installed correctly by a company that can stand behind its work for a lifetime. We at Atlanta Area Window and Door use non rot window components such as pvc brickmold, sills, nosing, and blind stop with only the best caulk to ensure protection against water damage.

Great installation with proper materials done right the first time can prevent a mountain of problems.

For more information or questions visit us at Atlantawindows.com

Sunday, September 23, 2007

What's the deal with gas?


You may have heard people talking about argon and krypton gas when discussing replacement windows lately. When these mentions of gas and windows come up do you scratch your head and reply "I didn't windows had gas!"?

It's a fairly new feature that replacement windows have nowadays to include some kind of slow moving gas in the space between the two panes in a modern replacement window. And though now it has become common to find on almost any vinyl window these days, questions still arise as to why people are even talking about gas when referring to their windows.

Let's start with argon gas. Almost any double paned replacement window on the market will have this gas as a standard feature. Along with low-e, argon gas is pretty much a non-issue when selecting a vinyl replacement double hung window because every insulated window has it. But what is argon gas, what does it do, and why should you make sure your window have it?

Argon is a very dense, slow moving, inert gas. The reason it is pumped in between the panes of replacement windows is because of its unique ability to slow down heat from entering into your home. It works along with the low-e coating replacement windows have to keep a high insulation value in your home (measured by U-values and R-values). Typically, a replacement window with argon gas and low-e will have a U-value somewhere around .25 to .30 (remember, the lower the better!). Again, argon gas is standard in most replacement windows and if it's not included as part of the insulation package it's not worth looking into.

Now there's also Krypton gas. No, Superman has nothing to do with this one. Much like its cousin argon, Krypton is an odorless, tasteless, invisible gas that is used for its inert, dense qualities. However, Krypton is much denser and has better insulation qualities than argon. Krypton is not typically offered as a standard item in insulated glass packages and with most windows is an upgraded or added option. Many vinyl window manufacturers offer Krypton gas as an option or even a krypton and argon blend for a better insulation value.

Typically, adding Krypton or a Krypton/Argon blend will provide your glass with a .16 to .10 U value (don't forget less is more).

There you have it. A little crash course in krypton and argon gas and why you should be sure it's a part of any replacement window you install in your home.

For more information visit us at Atlantawindows.com

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Wood Windows yet Energy Efficient



So you want to improve the energy efficiency of your home and decide to replace your windows. However you still would like the style, look and feel of classic wood windows. Big problem right? Not so!

Wood replacement windows are no longer single paned rotting atrocities that destroy your heating bill. When working with Atlanta Area Window and Door we'll be glad to provide you wood window options that are not only still energy efficient but will preserve the traditional look that you already love.

Our wood windows are ready to be painted and installed with a guarantee that you will love them for many years to come. In every case of wood window installation that we provide you will get a vast improvement in quality from your old wood windows, and no longer deal with the "pane" of not being able to open and close them to enjoy those breezy fall Atlanta evenings.

Call Atlanta Area Window and Door if you're ready to look into a wood window option that is right for you.