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What To Consider When Getting Replacement Windows | Hawaii

What To Consider When Getting Replacement Windows | Hawaii

Photo By KiattisakCh at Shutterstock

After making the decision to get replacement windows for your home, there are a couple of decisions you need to critically consider. Just as well, it’s crucial to look into whether or not you’ll be needing planning permission before you get the windows fitted in.

The core benefits to keep in mind when thinking about replacement windows are the light intake into your home, insulation or energy efficiency and both noise and draught reduction. Bearing these in mind, along with preferred style, will help you settle on an option easily.

Planning permissions tend to come into play when your home lies within a conservation area or when it’s listed, both of which restrict the kind of work you can do. Besides that, getting new windows can be a time to breathe new life into the look of your home, as long as you get the important details below right.

Finding the Right Material

It’s essential to get a clear idea of what exact materials you would want your windows to be made out of. You can opt for plastic windows, which are the cheapest options both in terms of cost and the amount of maintenance that you’ll need to invest in them. The downside, however, is that they can reduce the value of your home while also proving to be way harder to fix when they become faulty. This is one case where permissions are needed, as properties in conservation areas and homes that are listed don’t often have the leeway to install plastic replacement windows.

Metal windows are another option you may consider. Their advantages are that they’re low maintenance and they’ve become a popular option for Hawaii homes with a contemporary design. The main disadvantage with them is that they lack the thermal efficiency of wooden windows. Added to that, they’re also more costly.

Another option you can think about is timber. These types of windows are a great fit for period homes and their major benefit is that they’re quite easy to repair. That means whenever an issue occurs with them, you can save money by simply getting them repaired instead of having to order replacement windows. Like the metal kind, timber windows cost a fair amount more than plastic windows, though that cost is obviously offset by the allowance they leave for repair.

Choosing timber windows opens up other choices about the exact type of timber you’ll use. Make sure you settle on a type that is durable. In terms of their aesthetic, timber windows are at once modern, timeless and classy.

A relatively less known option is aluminium, which many homeowners tend to to go for because of its light weight and charming look. Because aluminium is easy to manipulate, it’s a good fit for windows with unusually shaped windows. The material also requires little upkeep and is highly affordable. The fact that aluminium is a conductive material hinders its energy efficiency, however.

Glass

The type of glass that you want your replacement windows to have is more than about the kind of aesthetic. It also helps when you take into account where the window is going to be installed.

For a bathroom window, for example, the most appropriate option tends to be patterned or privacy glass. If styles factor into the reasons why you’re replacing a featured window, you can retain sections of coloured or stained glass to make for a dramatic effect throughout the room.

Another point of consideration with the glass is whether you want single or double glazing. This is again an option that differs according to whether or not you live in a conservation area or a listed property.

Double glazing offers various benefits. One of the most significant is greater retention of heat for staying warm during winter and keeping out sun rays during winter. Your home will also let much less noise in, which is a great advantage to have when you live near a busy road, for example. Double glazing also protects your home against mould and damp since they limit the amount of condensation that builds up within the window.

If noise reduction is a really big deal to you, secondary glazing – the process of adding an extra framed glass – is an excellent option to go for. This is one you can always go for a short time after your windows have already been replaced.

You can take it a notch further with triple glazing. This gives your replacement window the lowest U-value, meaning you experience the least amount of heat loss. Triple-glazed windows are also the most environmentally friendly option.

Style

There are plenty of styles you can choose for your replacement windows. The most widely available are sash windows, the type that slides up and down. casement windows are also quite common, and they’re the type that opens outwards. Within those two categories, however, you’ll find more subcategories, including bay and fixed windows.

The number of glazing planes also differs according to the period of the property. When considering sash windows, you’ll also have to think about whether or not you’d like horns to accompany the windows. The horns are the protrusions you’ll find at the bottom or top of the sashes. Their initial use was to help strengthen the joints, and there’s an extensive range of hone styles for you to make a selection from.

The style you’ll choose for your replacement windows will also be informed by the kind of aesthetic you want for your home. There are various options to help modernize your home and give it a more refreshed look.

Getting replacement windows can present many benefits for your home. To get the best idea of what windows are best for your home, you’re best off narrowing down the many options that are available to you until you’re left with a clear picture of what choice gives you the best light, insulation and energy conservation. Call us at Sunburst Windows to discuss installing replacement windows that spruce up your Hawaii home.

Location

905 Kalanianaole Hwy
#3207 Kailua, HI 96734
CT36100

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