You know it’s time for new windows in your San Diego home. Your old windows are drafty and don’t keep out the heat and cold as well as you’d like. Some of your windows may even leak when it rains, and probably a few of them are difficult—or even impossible—to open and close. The screens may be ripped and have bent frames, or may be missing altogether.
Most San Diego homeowners in this situation have retrofit windows, also known as replacement windows, installed. Retrofit windows are a great choice for the following reasons:
Retrofit Windows: A Cost-Effective Solution for San Diego Homes
One of the main reasons San Diego homeowners opt for retrofit windows, as opposed to new construction windows, is due to cost. Retrofit windows themselves don’t necessarily cost less, it’s simply that the labor involved to install them is much less. Fewer man hours means lower installation costs.
Retrofit windows are installed within the frames of your existing windows. The old window is carefully removed and a new one is installed in its place in a fairly seamless fashion. New construction windows, on the other hand, are secured to the home’s studs. To install new construction windows in an existing home, the exterior wall surrounding the window would need to be removed, exposing the studs. Once the windows are attached to the studs, the surrounding wall would need to be replaced.
Quick Installation and No Construction Mess
With retrofit windows, the installation is fast. According to Michal Bohm at BM Windows in San Diego, “Our team of professional window installers can typically install an entire house full of windows in just one day. Occasionally, we’ll have to come back for a second day when a house has an unusually large number of windows. Many people assume that their lives will be disrupted for multiple days when they have their windows replaced, but when you have a team that’s as experienced as ours they can complete the job really quickly, while still being thorough.”
In addition, there’s little to no construction mess associated with replacement window installation. Bohm says, “With retrofit windows, there’s no damage to the surrounding walls. You might get a little bit of dust and debris in your home after the old windows are removed, but before the new ones are installed, but other than that, there’s really not much to clean up once we’re done.”
Improved Energy Efficiency and Sound Suppression
When you have retrofit windows installed, you get much more than just new windows that open and close smoothly and lock properly. You also get windows that help to keep out the heat and cold. This means your house will remain comfortable, without having to use your heater or air conditioner regularly.
Outside noise will stay outside (where it belongs) as well. High-quality retrofit windows often come with sound suppression technology that helps greatly reduce the amount of outside noise coming into your home. This is great news if you live on or near a busy street, near the airport, or just in a neighborhood with barking dogs, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, or generally noisy neighbors.
Using New Construction Windows in Existing Homes
Just about the only time you might consider using new construction windows in your home, instead of retrofit windows, would be if you were also planning to replace your home’s external wall material. For example, if you want to redo your home’s stucco or replace the siding, it might make sense to have new construction windows secured to the studs of your home while the studs are exposed.
You can learn more about San Diego retrofit windows and their benefits at the BM Windows website.
