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If Renewal by Andersen of Long Island replacement windows could talk, they would have plenty to say.
For one thing, windows are a big part of everyday life on Long Island in the 21st century. Our neighbors watch their children playing outside while sitting in a chair near the over-sized picture window in the den. We listen to the birds singing through an open bedroom window as the sun lifts above the horizon. Some of us take advantage of natural light streaming through a window in the breakfast nook to read the morning paper. Modern replacement windows shape our lives in many ways from improving our health by blocking airborne dust and debris to making daily life safer.
Very few occupied homes in the United States today have such poorly performing home windows that owners have to seal their windows with damp sheets to keep dust out. That wasn’t always the case. During the Dust Bowl on the Great Plains during the 1930s, people died from inhaling dust and debris indoors. As Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Timothy Egan explains in his book The Worst Hard Time, moving from sod homes to modern – at least at the time – framed houses didn’t ensure families they were safe from all of the elements, but there were improvements in many ways.
Let’s face it, here on the Island we don’t usually have to worry about extreme dust storms like they do out West. However, modern technology and manufacturing techniques have benefits for us, too. You have access to replacement windows that block air and moisture leaks so effectively very few homeowners will notice excessive dust accumulation indoors – even if you don’t dust frequently. What a change! With TruScene insect screens constructed using an ultra-fine mesh fabric, you’ll have an extra layer of protection from pollen and spores that find their way into our homes through open windows that can trigger seasonal allergies. And, with enhanced insulating properties you’ll hear fewer noises from outside, which often means a better, more restorative sleep, yet, another health benefit.
While blocking unwanted dust and contaminants is a good thing, you want to use your windows to bring in abundant sunshine to keep a home healthy. Natural light is so important to human health that regulatory agencies set building codes to make sure that happens. The International Residential Code (IRC 2012) recommends all single family homes have windows that enable sufficient light to enter each room. Their standards say that glass surfaces in egress windows should be at least 8% of the total square footage of the room, or rooms, served. That means that a 20 square foot x 20 square foot room would need a window or windows (400 square feet) will need at least 32 square feet of glass surface. You could install one large 8′ x 4′ window, but that is a pretty large operable window if you want an awning or hopper style. For very large rooms, you may choose to install large picture windows and smaller casement windows or sliding windows to allow ventilation – which have a recommended surface area of 4% according to the code. The point is to encourage sufficient airflow to keep our indoor air healthy and bring in plenty of abundant natural light to illuminate our spaces with less artificial light.
Along with keeping our homes healthier and more secure every day, modern replacement windows provide safe entrance and egress during emergencies. Whether you install double-hung windows, sliding windows and patio doors or casement windows, you need to be sure they are large enough for emergency personnel to get inside if you need help getting out, or need medical attention and cannot open the door. Well-designed replacement windows won’t stick or hang, as long as you periodically clean the tracks and check for damage to weather-stripping and other components that enable operation.
While our replacement windows are pretty extraordinary, we will admit they cannot speak to their many advantages themselves. If you want more information about the wonders of modern technology and replacement window features, simply fill in the short form on this page, or give us a call at (866) 609-5033 and speak to a professional replacement window and patio door consultant today.
Learn Everything You Need to Know BEFORE Buying Replacement Windows