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Home Window Installation: Why You Should Go With a Contractor

There are many reasons for you to replace the windows in your home. It might be just that you want to increase the value of your home or perhaps you want to simply make it look better so that you can enjoy it more and make your neighbors jealous. Or perhaps you are looking to reduce the cost of your utility bills and increase the energy efficiency of your home. You may even simply be planning on remodeling to repair some broken or warped windows.

Whatever your reason for replacing your windows, it is a good idea to have a professional window installation service do the work for you. Yes, you can do the work yourself but most people do not have everything they need to install windows. And while it might appear to be cheaper to do it yourself rather than hire a window installation service, you have to keep in mind that if you make a mistake, you will have to hire them to fix it anyway. You could end up finding yourself paying much more than you had ever intended.

A professional window installation service has years of experience. They have come across nearly every problem that could possibly happen during window installation. There are often problems that need to be addressed before the installation can even begin and if you are not familiar with these problems, then you could have trouble installing your windows. Another issue that a professional can more easily handle is the fact that most homes don’t have square openings for the windows. When a home settles, that can change the shape of the window openings. Shims have to be installed correctly for windows to keep out the elements and air, and for them look good and operate correctly.

A window installation service has all of the tools that are needed to install windows. Most homeowners do not have those tools. Some windows require special tools and you could pay more than you’re paying for the window in order to buy the tools you would need. You could end up having problems transporting your windows and may end up paying for delivery. You also could need a helper because windows are cumbersome and depending on the kind of window you’ve chosen to install, you might need a good bit of strength to install it. An example would be a picture window or a big bay window.

A window installation service will give you a guarantee for both their products and their services. If you install the windows yourself you will not receive this option, so if something should go wrong, you have no one that you can call to fix it. The majority of problems that occur with replacement windows are problems caused by faulty installation.

You can see why it makes sense to use a professional window installation service. If you still want to do it yourself, you can, but keep in mind you might need help.…

How to Clean a Window Air Conditioner Effectively

Air conditioners do come in different sizes and types but they all are composed of same components. For their efficient functioning, it is important to maintain them properly. By cleaning it regularly, you not only increase its efficiency but also prolong the life of the unit and its parts. In order to clean window air conditioner, you do not require any technical knowledge, just common sense would be sufficient.

Always unplug your conditioner and make sure you wear your safety glasses and gloves before starting with it. The most crucial part of an air conditioner is its condenser coil that needs to be treated gently. In window units, as evaporator coil is placed much closer to the condenser coil, you need to take care while cleaning. Since the former one is placed outside, it maybe difficult to clean them as most of the dirt will be accumulated on it. So, in order to clean window air conditioner thoroughly, you should remove its front and back panel and keep it in a dry flat surface.

You can easily brush on both the coils using a soft coil brush. If you want to use a vacuum cleaner, always use a soft brush since these parts are highly delicate. After removing the dirt, you can also clean them with water using a spray or hose. Make sure you do not wet the motor or any other electronic wire in the unit. The pressure used should be very light and so should be the water force since you do not want to bend or damage the fins. If you find any of the fins damaged, you can easily replace them or fix them using a fin comb. You can use different coil cleaner concentrates available in the market to clean them from inside. They are available at your air conditioner dealer.

The coils will get dried in about 5-10 minutes. You can rinse them again using gentle water force. This will ensure that the dirt has been removed completely from the coils.

In continuation with your session to clean window air conditioner, you can even apply coil coating treatment that would be helpful in keeping the dirt away from these coils for a long period of time. Next step would be to check your filter. You can clean it with water, but again be careful with electrical parts attached near it.

You can now fix the covers back to their panels. These are the basic steps to have a clean window air conditioner that would be helpful in increasing the efficiency to a great extent.…

How To Wash Your Windows Like A Pro!

Have you ever spent the day spraying, scrubbing, buffing, polishing and “cleaning” your windows – but in almost no time at all, they attract more dirt back to their surface?

Well, believe it or not, window cleaning chemical companies are smart. They know that if their product (even the “streak-free” kind) is simply buffed on/off with a cloth, chemical residue will remain on the glass and act as a magnet for dirt. This means you have to clean your windows more often – and buy more of their product. Crafty, huh?

As a 2nd generation window cleaner, my customers ask me all the time what our “secret” is to keep windows looking so clean for so long.

The Secret!

The “secret” is not much of a secret at all! Oftentimes consumers who are serious about clean windows already are following the right steps, but they may not be using the right formula.

Well, for us, the “secret” consists of a few things –

TSP (tri-sodium phosphate)

A scrubber & squeegee

A natural sea sponge

I’ll go over these one by one and explain the benefits of each –

Tri-Sodium Phosphate (TSP)

TSP a very generic detergent that is found in all kinds of cleaning formulas.

You can buy it at most general purpose stores or paint stores (Fred Meyers, Wal-Mart, Miller’s). Painters use concentrated formulas to prepare walls and wood for painting. However, when cleaning windows, only a very small amount is needed. About 1 tsp to 1 gallon of hot water – not too much! The less you use – the longer your windows stay clean.

The other reason why professional window cleaners use TSP is that it doesn’t suds up. When soap suds are created, reside is more likely to be left behind on the window – causing windows to attract dirt more quickly.

Scrubber & Squeegee

A good scrubber and squeegee are crucial. Simply buffing a chemical on and off a window is not enough. It will leave residue behind – period.

However, a squeegee removes 99.9% of chemical residue and provides a surface that extremely difficult for dirt to stick to. Make sure you get a squeegee that uses good quality rubber. Shower squeegees are not the same thing!

Believe it or not, you can pick up professional quality scrubber wands and squeegees at hardware stores such as Home Depot or Lowe’s.

Brands that professional window cleaners use, such as myself, are ones such as –

Unger

Ettore

Pulex

Natural Sea Sponge

OK – I’ll admit it. This might be a little fancy for those who are only washing your windows once in a while. But as a professional who washes thousands of windows a month – I’m picky about my sponges.

Because of how much more absorbent and pliable sea sponges are, they soak up and hold water remarkably well. No synthetic sponge compares. After you squeegee off your window, you are left with a mess of dirty water, and that’s where the sponge comes in. Instead of going through dozens of towels, a simple sponge moves the water back into your bucket with ease.

A Technique Tip

When squeegeeing, make sure and wipe your squeegee with a clean damp sponge before each stroke and pull the squeegee horizontally across the window at an even speed. This technique eliminates streaking. Use a dry, lint free towel to wipe the excess off the windows.

It might take some practice, but over time, you can master window cleaning like the pros. Happy cleaning!…

Unique Home Decor Items: Great Gift Items for This Christmas

Christmas is knocking the door. Are you ready with your arrangements? Have you decided the gifts for your loved ones? Generally, the most important part in the Christmas celebrations is the gifts exchanged between the relatives and friends. Everyone makes big plans for the Christmas celebration and spend enough time in gift shopping. The gift hunt is taken very seriously and devotedly. You will find market flooded with Christmas trees, Santa’s complete dresses and variety of colorful gifts. But to find that perfect gift you want to go some extra miles. The following is a list of unique home d?�cor items you can easily buy online. These home decorative items make excellent gifts that would be appreciated and used by your loved ones.

Photo frames: In the recent times, photo frames have become a bestseller and people like this gift idea very much. You will find unique photo frames in wood, metal, glass, plastic and rot iron. Even personalized photo frames are very much in.

Wind chimes: They are considered as a sign of good luck and are advised to be added in the home decorative items. Almost everybody loves to listen to the musical and soothing sounds from the wind chimes. Choose it for someone very special, you will surely be admired.

Clocks: Today is the time of personalized products in which clocks are the most popular. Unique and personalized clocks make a great gift for all ages. These are unique home decor items which are best fit for any home decor. You will find great design and patterns in these clocks.

Jewelry: Jewelry always makes a very unique and special gift to ladies. Bracelets, lockets and broaches are a hit and most admired amongst the ladies.

Kitchen decorative: You will find a wide variety of kitchen accessories such as vases, pottery, crystal bowls, candles, incenses, and pitchers. These are wonderful gifts to give to the person who spends a great deal of time in the kitchen.

If this list is not sufficient for you then check the online stores who are packed with these unique home decor items and other gift options.…

Inert Gases Insulation For Replacement Windows

Window replacement is a process that involves pulling down old windows and putting up new ones. There are several reasons why you would want to do this including adopting a new style or simply because the old windows are damaged, but whatever the reason might be replacing windows & home windows is not an easy process, nor is it cheap. According to the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), the average cost of replacing windows ranges from $7,000 to $20,000. The Window replacement process involves new windows installation and the consequent removal of most of the old elements of the previous windows. In order to cut down on costs, the old window frames are usually retained for use with the new windows. This requires that the new window glass be smaller than the existing space. Sealed glass with vinyl forms some of the most common replacement windows in the market. This is because they are relatively cheap and easy to clean. Replacement windows made of wood are also available but they are quite expensive.

Insulation has become a vital part of the modern replacement window. With studies and surveys conducted by the Department of Energy (DOE) indicating that old and leaking windows contribute a whooping 25 percent to the total annual energy bill of an average American home, it becomes crystal clear why well insulated windows are the best. Some of the best insulation levels in the window replacement and glass door industry are provided by rare gases and their mixtures. Some of the gases and gas mixtures that are used for insulation purposes in modern replacement windows or insulated glass units include:

• Krypton

• Krypton/oxygen mixture

• Krypton/Argon mixture

• Xenon

• Xenon/krypton mixture

Apart from the insulated glass units, the above rare gases are also used in low emissivity window glasses (Low-E) and windows that use the thin film technology to increase their overall R-value. The R-value indicates the insulation capacity of the glass. Krypton (Kr) rare gas is the most widely used rare gas for insulation purposes. According to the AAMA, the insulation application consumes 40-50 percent of the entire Kr production. A mixture of Krypton, argon and air is used in the manufacture of double and triple pane insulated windows. The increase in the use of inert gases in window insulation applications has been partly driven by the rising cost of energy as mentioned earlier. The use of the U-factor in building codes has also played a significant role. The U-factor is a measure of heat in terms of British thermal Units (BTUs) that is able to penetrate 1 square foot of insulated window in 1 hour per 1 degree Fahrenheit change in temperature across the surface of the window.

A gas mixture made up of Krypton and Argon would be the most cost effective mixture for purposes of window insulation. If you want to replace windows and happen to be on a budget, then this is the mixture for you. According to the AAMA, insulated glass windows filled with Argon comprise more than 70 percent of all gas-insulated windows in the market. Double-glass windows that have A�” layer of Krypton are twice as efficient in terms of insulation as those that have A�” layer of air.

Krypton insulated windows have also had a lot of success in other parts of the world especially in the colder European countries. A good number of European countries have low U-factor insulation requirements as well as the use of Krypton in certain insulation applications. The rising energy costs have made the US embrace the use of rare gases such as Krypton in window insulation. The increased awareness of energy conservation in the coming years will see the demand for inert gas insulated windows continue to rise.…

Interactive Touch Screen Displays On Storefront Glass

As our society continues to make the journey towards interactivity, it is important to be sure your marketing does the same. Interactive touch screen displays are a great way to begin to move towards the forefront of technology without going too far too fast. Interactive Touch Screen Displays Increase Retail Conversion and Relationship Traditional Displays are comprised of signage, banners and other forms of printed or static graphics.

There is an ever-growing need to provide users with an interactive experience without losing site of traditional marketing methods and best practices. While we are in this transition it is of utmost importance that we do not alienate or frustrate the masses that are just beginning this transition to interactivity.

When you integrate an interactive touch screen display into your existing or future digital arsenal, you can engage your customers in a conversation relative to their needs and desires. Retail traffic in local stores and shops all over the country are searching for your goods and services. Should you be the one that communicates the right message to them at the right time, you will be the one who receives the reward of cash in hand.

Interactive touch screen displays provide retailers a tool that is both exciting and educational for consumers. The user is encouraged to “reach out and touch” the window TV display. This is when the magic begins.

Communicating through a touch screen display is non-threatening and easily accepted. The viewers feel as if they are in control of the marketing that is going on and therefore let down their guard.

If utilized properly, this will become your most valuable sales tool in your company. Focus on customer experience, relationship building, and data acquisition and you will have a successful interactive digital signage deployment. This type of marketing can be used for many applications including lead capture, product tutorials, training, interactive catalog, sales presentations, web browsing and so much more.

Just remember that the touch screen is only as powerful as the content that is driving the user experience. This is not to say that you will need to reinvent your entire company’s marketing campaign but you may need a professional programmer or content agency to assist you in bringing the two together for a seamless, consistent delivery of your core message and goals.

Interactive touch screen displays have quickly become a must have for trade-shows, corporate lobby displays, way-finding in public buildings, portable and stationary sales presentations, retail storefronts and more. Determine that you will not be left out of this very real transition in local retail traffic marketing. Make the decision to get in on the ground floor rather than wishing you had.

There are several different types of touch screen technologies available, including through-glass touch screen films on glass, Infrared IR Bezels, single touch, dual touch with a variety of touch points, including 2, 6, and 32 point touch. Because multi-touch technology is not a standard option, it is recommended that you verify that the technology you are considering for purchase in is in fact “True Multi-Touch Touch Screen” and not dual touch, etc.

Reach out to a professional interactive displays company that focuses on educating you, as the consumer, so that you can effectively utilize the technology with a minimal learning curve and quick ROI.…

3M Window Film Is Amazing

If you have been looking for ways to improve the energy efficiency of your home and bring a little life to your windows, you may want to consider using 3M Window Film. This product can be used to cover windows in place of shades, blinds and curtains. If you are looking for a very expensive way to decorate your windows, then this is it. The film allows just enough light in to warm and brighten up your rooms but is designed to block the harmful UV rays from the sun.

They come in many different colors and you can even add designs onto them. By using 3M window film in your home, you can prevent your home from getting to hot when the sun is out. This will prevent you from wanting to turn on your air conditioner; thus lowering your cooling costs for the season. This covering is so versatile, that it can also help to lower your heating bills during the colder months. There is a type of film that is made to keep heat in and cold air out. It insulates your windows and increases the energy efficiency of your home. If you can’t afford to replace the windows in your home, this is a good alternative that is very inexpensive.

3M window film can also be used to enhance your privacy. If you happen to have a home that has a big window in the front that you use to bring in light and you don’t want everyone looking in your home; this film can block out gawkers and still bring in the sunshine. You don’t have to worry about having to continuously adjust the blinds, when all you need to do is to apply a film covering.

3M Window film is used to tint the color on automobiles as well. It can reduce the temperature of your windows by reducing the amount of solar glare. This is particularly handy if you are driving and often have a hard time seeing during your commute on a very sunny day. Many car stereo and detailing places often have a wide assortment of 3m window film in stock. If you want to add some personality to your car and you want to compliment your paint job, window tinting will do the trick. Make sure you check your state’s laws on what is acceptable and what is not acceptable for opaqueness before you get your windows tinted.

There are many different ways you can use this product to enhance the quality and appearance of your home and vehicles. Many people find that they are also able to use it for various projects that include hobbies, crafting and industrial uses.

Even the government can benefit from using this item. The film can provide extra protection against any weather and explosions. As you can see this film is so versatile that it is pliable enough for anyone to use for just about any application and sturdy enough to protect against the elements and privacy invasion.…