I moved into my home a little over ten years ago. Back then, it was just me, my husband, and our two small Yorkies. We didn’t have much, but we had our new-to-us home in the neighborhood we’d prayed for—and it was in good shape.
Not too long ago, we experienced a cold snap unusual for Union City, CA. I was excited about it because I got to don my scarves and fluffy boots. My husband was less than thrilled (he doesn’t like cold weather). That weekend, he noticed our home wasn’t maintaining its heat very well. It seemed the heat was working just fine, but we could not get it to the comfy 72F degrees we wanted. We called an HVAC pro and had the system checked. The only thing left it could be was our windows.
I didn’t want to accept it. Window replacements don’t run cheap and I’m “frugal,” to put it lightly. But, my husband convinced me we needed to speak with an expert at R&M Quality Windows & Doors to see if our windows were failing us.
They were.
Apparently, we’d missed a handful of signs that our windows needed replacing. Here’s what we learned:
An increased energy bill doesn’t always mean the problem is the HVAC system.
Obviously, this is what my husband originally thought was the issue. We were relieved to learn this wasn’t the issue—but I was confused as to why we couldn’t get our home warm enough to be comfortable. Luckily, my husband correctly diagnosed the windows as the real issue. The professionals at R&M confirmed this with an easy series of questions—they didn’t even have to come inspect! We answered “yes” to almost all of the following:
- Is there a draft when you stand close to a window anywhere in your house?
- Do you see condensation in between the window panes?
- Do any of your windows operate improperly—i.e.: they don’t open or close easily?
- Can you detect any decay on the frames? Rust? Rot? Warp?
- Can you easily hear noises from outside—more so than in previous years?
Windows need to be “smooth operators.”
This tell-tale sign was on the list of questions we answered “yes” to. Both my husband and I were guilty of dismissing that a majority of our windows took some work to open and close. We figured this was “normal” for an older home and thought little of it. But, as we talked about this further with our R&M expert, we learned this problem would only get worse and could lead to broken glass, jammed fingers, and leaky frames.
The moral of my little story is this: don’t overlook the signs that your windows could need replacing. We did, and it cost us an immeasurable amount of money in heating and cooling costs than we’ll ever truly be able to add up. Give the professional team at R&M Quality Windows & Doors a call!
For more details, you can check. Union City, CA vinyl windows.
R & M Quality Windows & Doors / 5588 Central Ave. #A Newark, CA 94560 / (510) 796.0100