Window Replacement – Efficiency Ratings, Types And Features

The US windows & home windows industry is worth more than $12 billion, according to figures from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The industry is currently experiencing a drop due to low levels of investments in the residential property segment. The low levels in residential property investment have been brought about by the leveling home prices as well as the soaring cost of energy and interest rates. The above trends have dealt severe blows to the builders market than any other segment of the building and construction segment. Major players in the window manufacturing industry are well aware of these trends and have embarked on the following strategies in order to counter the effects of the above trends:

• Increased window replacement market emphasis as well as expanded efforts to meet the ever-growing demand presented by the nonresidential sector.

• Increased focus on the addition of impact-resistant and energy-efficient window products.

• Increased focus on potential foreign markets.

In recent years, manufacturers of new windows have come up with products that are highly energy efficient which have resulted in more attractive, quiet and comfortable homes. In determining the efficiency ratings of replacement windows, the following factors are considered:

• U-factor.• Durability.• Wind resistance.• Rain resistance.• Replacement ease.

According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), old and drafty windows are responsible for 10 to 25 percent of your total annual heating and cooling costs. New windows can cost anything from $7,000 to $20,000 according to the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA). Anyone looking to buy custom window replacements should be prepared to fork out an extra 15 percent of the above cost.

Efficiency RatingsThe higher energy efficiency in new replacement windows is as a result of the use of top of the range insulating features such as inert-gas insulation, low e-coatings and multiple glazing. The U-factor mark indicates the ability of the window glass to conduct thermal energy or heat. The reverse of the U-factor is the R-value which indicates the insulating ability of the glass. Anyone looking to replace windows should look for a window that has a higher R-value rating and a lower U-factor rating otherwise they might as well be throwing money through your windows. Such a window is guaranteed to keep your house cool during summer and pretty warm during winter. The best replacement windows have an R-value of two or three, which is similar to that of a wall devoid of insulation. The solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) is another vital window energy rating. It indicates the exact amount of sunlight that makes it inside the house once the rays of the sun hit the window. High SGHC numbers are ideal for cold climates, SHGC of 0.40 or less is ideal for warm climates while temperate areas require a SGHC number of 0.55 or less. Visible Transmittance (VT) on the other hand indicates the amount of visible light that a window is able to let …

Installation and Buying Tips For Window Blinds

Typically, there are two kinds of blinds. These are the horizontal and vertical window blinds. The horizontal blinds are common treatment for windows while the vertical ones are great for large window openings and glass sliding doors. These types are actually designed to come up with the right lighting coming from outside which is a natural source of light. Depending on the requirement of light these blinds can provide solution with your lighting and protection needs.

Another type of blinds is based on the width of each blind. These are the slat and solid blinds. Slat blinds are those whose slats are attached through a piece of string while solid window blinds are made up of one piece material which can either be fabric or vinyl. Roller shades and Roman blinds are best examples of these solid blinds while a Venetian blind is an example of a slat window shade.

Installation

Different type of blinds requires different method of installation as well. Here are basic steps to follow in installing a regular window shades. These steps are, however, applicable to almost all type although there are some slight differences. This is just to give you an idea of how the installation of window blind is done.

* For internal installation of the blind mark the point where the blind is going to be installed. This is the first step.

* Drill holes to your marked point where the brackets are going to be mounted. After drilling insert the screws on the bracket holes and start attaching them to the window. Do the same with the other side.

* If the window blind kit has an included valance attached it accordingly. If the head rail is not mounted to the valance/pelmet then mount the head rail into it with the use of clips. Be sure that the window shade can function freely without any interference with the clips.

* Finally, set the cord stop about 2 inches below the head rail. This will prevent the blind from opening all the way upward inside the valance.

Buying Tips

Before buying any window shades you need to consider first what specific requirement you need. Aluminum window blinds are great options for privacy purposes and window blinds made of wood are excellent trappers of heat during cold season. Whichever your preference is, try to coordinate wooden window shades color or the design of the fabrics with the interior decoration inside the room. Consider the wall color of the room, the upholstery and the image you want to create for the room to match with the chosen window blinds.…

How to Manage Your Web Properties

In this article we discuss what is actually mean by “web properties”. Let me say straightaway that what we don’t mean is advertising your real estate on a website – I guess they are web properties in a literal sense, but they are not the kind of web properties we are talking about here. No, here we are talking about web properties with regard to the Internet.

The term web properties can have several different interpretations. For those of you interested in tracking the performance of a web site, installing Google analytics is a popular method of achieving this end. According to Google, “a web property is the cumulative set of pages on which a particular tracking code is installed.”

In order to set up Google Analytics you must first have a Google account, which is free and quick to set up. Creating an Analytics account is a way to name and organize tracking for one or more web properties. Every Analytics user can access at least one account, and within each account at least one web property (such as a website) is tracked. Once the account is set up, implementing the tracking is simply a matter of copying the code Google generates and pasting it into the code for each page you want tracked.

By tracking, we mean carrying out an analysis of:

how many times the site was visited by people from unique IP addresses (visits)

how many times the page was shown (impressions)

how many times the page was requested from the server (hits)

which page most people entered the site from (entry pages)

which page they left from (exit pages)

the country the visitor came from

the words used most times to access the page (search string)

the kind of browser people were using (user agent) and

how this was broken down over time.

This information can be of great interest to anyone seeking to promote their website and having it appear near the top of search engine results pages.

Another interpretation of web properties could be the properties that HTML editors such as Dreamweaver create. These may include templates, pages, images, other media such as videos, sounds, snippets of code and script, and bits of useful information that Dreamweaver regards as the site’s assets.

When any page is viewed in Dreamweaver, the Properties Inspector window that sits across the bottom of the page gives context sensitive information about any property selected. For example, selecting an image will open a Properties Inspector window specific to the image, and allow you to alter the size, the location, the vertical and horizontal space, the border if any and the alignment and so on. It will also allow you to edit the picture in Fireworks or crop it, add a hotspot to it or link it to another file.

In contrast, when another type of property such as text is selected, the range of options becomes specific to text, so the editing options …

Solar Shades: 3 Immediate Benefits From Installing Them in Your Home

Choosing the right set of blinds for your home can be a daunting, nerve racking task. Depending on what is important to you (e.g. privacy, light control, aesthetics) will determine the right type of blinds for you. One set of blinds that have rose in popularity, due in large to the ‘Green Movement’, have been solar shades. Not only for their sleek and stylish design but also due to how economical and functional they are.

Solar screens are a popular choice for areas of the home that receive a lot of sun. They serve as a great way to limit solar heat gain, reduce glare while preserving views with several type of openness factors. Solar screens also known as solar shades are easy to operate as they work on a single roll function from the top.

Limit solar heat gain:

Solar screens block a substantial amount of sun light that enters your home. If you notice a room in your house that particularly receives a lot of sun and tends to feel like a sauna half the time then your current set of blinds aren’t doing it and should be replaced with these. Also, by reducing the solar heat in your home you tend to save money because your house temperature remains cooler without needing to blast the AC. Added bonus to reducing solar heat gain: money in your pocket from utilizing the AC less and less.

Reduced glare/UV rays:

Have a room with a huge TV? Notice that annoying glare when your blinds just don’t completely lock out the sun? This sounds like another job for solar screens as they come in several openness factors. The low the openness factor the less amount of sun/glare they allow in. By rule of thumb, shades (since they don’t have gaps like blinds do), are preferred when needing to block out as much light from a room as possible. However, unlike most shades, solar shades have the openness factor that allow for a happy medium of reducing the right amount of glare while preserving the beautiful view that’s right outside your window.

Another advantage to solar shades are the reduction in UV rays. UV rays are notorious for fading furniture. I can’t say how many times I’ve had to replace clients furniture because they were using the wrong type of window treatment.

Preserving view:

Other type of shades force you to pick between seeing your beautiful view and blocking the sun. Solar shades offer a compromise. If you notice in the picture of this article, the patio room is comfortably shaded and cool, yet you can still see the gorgeous scenery outside.…

Brighten Up Your Space With Stained Glass Windows

Stained glass window films, also known as window etchings or wallpaper for windows, are the most cost effective way to ensure privacy in rooms such as bathrooms, and they won’t break your bank account. Unlike actually installing etched or frosted glass windows, which can carry a heavy price tag, glass window films are so much more cost effective and very easy to install and can be removed later if desired.

Bathroom windows are some of the most common windows people seek to add privacy to. Other solutions include adding blinds or fabric drapes, but these solutions block the natural light that is so desirable in small rooms such as bathrooms. Stained glass window films allow all that natural light you desire to still flood the room while also adding beauty and color and most importantly, privacy.

Whether you are interested in stained glass films or window etching films, installation is very easy. Window films have come along way from the old window films that relied on sticky adhesives to cling to the windows, these old sticky window films where hard to install and very time consuming to remove later. Making a mistake or misalignment while installing films with glue backing could mean completely ruining the film and having to start over with a new film, this proves to be frustrating and costly.

Today’s window films cling easily to windows and all you need to install your beautiful, colorful films is a spray bottle of water and a razor blade. There is no special tools to buy and no messy adhesive to mess with. Just spritz your window with the spray bottle and place the window etching or window film on the window and it will cling to the window until you decide to remove it. Later if you decide to change films or simply remove it altogether, simply peel the film easily from the window and the film can be stored for later use.

Home self improvement is on the rise today. With the cost of hiring a construction company or a handyman, many home owners are tackling their home improvement projects themselves. Improving and upgrading the look of your homes windows has never been easier than it is today. In simply minutes you can change the entire look and feel of any room with very little effort. There is no reason why upgrading your windows look and feel can’t be done by anyone who has a desire to tackle such an easy job. Your friends and family will be amazed at the new look of your bathroom.

Whatever look you want for your bathroom, it’s available to you, with so many different styles of stained glass window panels to chose from you are only limited by your imagination. From floral to tropical, from classic stained glass to religious, there are so many styles and prints to choose from you can’t go wrong.…

uPVC Window Prices: How to Grab a Bargain When There Are So Many Offers to Choose From

The window replacement industry for many years brings to mind a real sense of peril for many a consumer, when it comes to the subject of replacing windows doors or a conservatory many people look with a sense of anxiety at the very thought.

With so many companies to choose from so many products and unfortunately so many stories of windows from hell, consumers are beginning to hold on to their hard earned cash and look before they jump into any agreement to replace their windows doors or provide a conservatory for their homes.

So where can a householder find a decent window company offering good products at a decent price? with real after sales care where the customer is valued and not taken for granted and where there are real guarantees regarding workmanship product and after sales care. Looking for an answer to this question one would need to review the types of window companies there are within the industry.

National Company Large Concern: The household names that everyone knows that have been around for years and who unfortunately still today employ the same sales techniques for the consumer to buy on the night or lose their discount for the show home, or need to speak to their manager before leaving for him took further discount. Even if a consumer is lucky enough to have a member of their family working for one of these companies and can therefore get staff discount these windows doors and conservatories are vastly over priced compared to their stable mates simply put because of overheads large office, staff levels and massive marketing budgets all take their toll on the final price offered to a consumer.

Local Companies: Local companies by their very nature can offer far better bargains than their larger counterparts however to say this is the prime area to find a bargain would be foolish, like all industries there are good local companies and there are most certainly bad. A householder is well advised to research the prospective window company before buying or allowing them to install in their homes. This can prove to be difficult as the local company after all will only show a consumer happy customers and not the real state of play.

The Internet, A twenty first century solution is where information technology really does come into its own,a consumer can now at their leisure check out a company by looking at their reviews see their prices before they buy and do all of this without having to put up with a sales person ever entering their home.…