Are Your Windows in Santa Fe, NM Ready for Winter?

If you usually have a hard time keeping the inside of your house warm and cozy throughout the winter months, you are not alone. But what’s the cause of your trouble? While a failing heating system is not out of the question, you shouldn’t rule out the possibility of window problems. Everything from drafts to moisture inside windows can lead to higher energy bills.

Whether all you need to do is clean and check your home’s windows, or you recently invested in window replacement in Santa Fe, NM, make sure your windows are ready to take on the colder months before temperatures drop. Here are some tips to check if your windows are ready for winter:

• Compare this time of year to last year: Think back to last fall and winter—was it this cold inside your house then like it is now? A home that is chilly even with the heating system on full blast could be caused by a couple things. The most common reason is poor insulation, followed by malfunctioning windows.
• Look for trapped moisture: Get up to the window and look at the glass closely. You’re looking for drops of moisture stuck between the glass panes of the window, or cloudy condensation formation. This is a type of weather damage that can lead to window frame rot or distortion, which causes gaps and drafts. This means the heat inside your house can escape out the window. If your windows are old and have perspiration trapped between panes, you might seriously consider window replacement in Santa Fe, NM.
• Check for ease of opening and closing: Regardless of whether your home’s windows move up and down, side to side or outwards, they should open and close with ease. You shouldn’t have to fight the window, and it should be able to close all the way. Any resistance may mean you’re losing heat, and fighting it too hard can result in damage to the window, the window frame or the wall. Call a professional technician to check out difficult windows.
• Perform the flame test: If your house feels drafty, walk around to every single window and feel for cool air coming through. It’s not unusual to have a difficult time detecting drafts, so try this simple candle test: take a lit candle or lighter and, at a safe distance, slowly move it around the perimeter of the window frame. Stop the flame from time to time and see if any of the areas cause the flame to flicker or go out—flickering means you have a draft.
• Inspect weather seals: Your windows being drafty during winter may have little to do with the window glass and more to do with the seal around it. For this reason, be sure to inspect the seal or weather stripping that runs around each window. Look for cracked, brittle, loose and missing seals, and replace if needed.

At Santa Fe Glass & Mirror, we recommend scheduling window repairs or window replacement in Santa Fe, NM before winter arrives. Let us help you keep your home warm and comfortable all season long!

Categorised in: Window Replacement

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