When these are in poor condition, the repair or replacement of windows is often left out because of the expense that this entails. However, be aware that the longer you delay in intervening, the more it will weigh on your energy bill and the more work is likely to be important.
Key carpentry par excellence of our home, a window that shows signs of weakness, it is a loss of energy, poor sealing, risk of infiltration, even risk of accident. What are the symptoms of a failing window? Am I obligated to change it? We take stock…
change of window for lack of tightness
Drafts are cooling you down, yet your windows are tightly closed? A sealing problem may be the cause. Joinery that is no longer airtight is the cold entering! An insulation problem that can be attributed to three main factors:
The installation must be flawless. The installation must imperatively have been carried out with care, with particular attention to the sealing between the frame and the wall. This is why it is better to prefer to call on a professional for an irreproachable installation.
You have to choose the right level of sound insulation for your carpentry according to your environment.
The air inlets integrated into the carpentry must be of high quality. Air inlets are necessary to ensure proper air renewal in your home. If they are poorly integrated, they can heavily impact the tightness of the window but also its thermo-acoustic insulating capacities.Finally, you must select suitable and efficient glazing. The composition of the glazing plays a key role in sound reduction.If it’s relatively new but has resistance when opening or closing, a simple adjustment may fix it .But the main culprit of this type of inconvenience is usually the weather. Over the years, your windows, even well maintained, will suffer damage. The wood of the carpentry may for example have swollen, in particular because of a loss of waterproofing and possible water infiltration. It therefore no longer has the same dimensions as before. The casements may have sagged, preventing the proper functioning of the window either because of poor squareness or simply the passage of time. It is possible that the frames have been deformed due to a violent impact. Or potentially, too many coats of paint interfere with closing.
It is sometimes possible to carry out repairs to overcome these opening problems . Swollen wood can be replaced with healthy wood. A sagging leaf can be reassembled. Layers of paint can be stripped. But usually, these signs show that your windows have had their day and that it is time to change them!
For wood joinery, strip, sand and repaint to restore its shine. Note that you can also paint PVC or aluminum with special paints. However, their application remains more difficult and the result can be disappointing, especially since care must be taken not to accumulate layers of paint. That’s why it’s better to go with a replacement rather than trying to paint them.
If it’s not just about colors and you want a more modern look with thinner profiles, you will also need to replace them. The must for a contemporary style? Aluminum! Light, thin and available in many colors, this material is ideal for modernizing your interior and your facade.
List the reasons for replacing your windows
Better insulation and therefore energy savings, more security, the resale of your property… There are plenty of good reasons for wanting to replace your windows rather than repairing them, and as seen above, this is often unavoidable. You may even have already identified the professionals you want to interview (about La Maison Saint-Gobain, for example!). Yes, but what are you going to ask them? To be sure of being clear with the professional with whom you are going to work, an essential prerequisite: be clear with yourself . What are the reasons that lead you to change your joinery? These reasons will have an impact on the choice of your windows, their glazing and the method of installation.
To improve the thermal and/or acoustic insulation of your home
A well-insulated home gains in comfort, but also in energy efficiency. Knowing that the openings of a house contribute up to 15% of the loss of heat, this gives food for thought… With new joinery that respects the energy standards in force, you optimize your energy consumption, enjoy a home warm in winter and cool in summer. And by choosing suitable glazing, you at the same time minimize noise pollution from the outside.
To discourage thieves and reassure your insurer
If you wish to reinforce the security of your home – in particular to pay less for your insurance, a whole range of solutions exist: reinforced joinery, glazing with increased resistance… You can therefore rely on the A2P label, which lists the materials at the insurance-certified reliability. The certification, valid for 6 years, is granted after the material has passed a set of burglary tests.
For more comfort in use or for aesthetic reasons
Replacing windows also improves the aesthetics of the home. More elegant, more modern or, on the contrary, more traditional, certain models make your property more attractive… Certain opening systems, such as the tilt-and-turn model, are very practical for safe natural ventilation. Choosing windows with plenty of daylight and high-transparency glazing will allow you to have more light in your home. You can decide to change your windows because your needs have changed or quite simply because your renovation project requires a new style or another way of opening your windows.
To increase the value of your property
Are you considering selling or renting your home? New windows represent a strong argument to make it attractive, economical, and therefore more competitive on the real estate market! The choice of materials for joinery will make the difference here, wood being more popular for its cachet than