Archive for the ‘Windows & Doors’ Category

With “Going Green” being the latest trend in home improvement, many people want to take part but often do not know where to start. Having an ecoEnergy audit preformed on your house can be a great first step and help provide a clear step-by-step plan to upgrading your home in an energy-efficient manner.

An ecoEnergy audit is preformed by an outside organization’s certified energy adviser and the assessment will evaluate the energy efficiency of your home. The focus of the initial audit will be on windows, doors, the heating system and insulation and typically takes around two hours and costs around $150 per visit. A “blower door” test is completed in order to determine if there are any air leaks, a major contributor to heat loss.

Once the assessment is finished the certified energy adviser will present you with a report which will provide you with an analysis of the amount of energy you are using, where and will provide solutions to better allocate your “energy dollars” to improve the energy efficiency of your home. Accompanying the report will also be a rating of you home of how it compares to others with respect to energy efficiency.

By implementing the recommended upgrades it will allow you to reduce cold drafts of your home, identify moisture problems, improve your home’s ventilation, reduce overall energy use and save money on your energy bills.

These audits are done by organizations that are unaffiliated with Homeworks therefore, will give you a completely objective measure of your home. After, you have completed your upgrades you call the certified energy advisers back to assess the improvement of energy efficiency in your home. Having these tests done will typically qualify you for ecoEnergy federal grants and other incentives.

If you are interested in improving the energy efficiency of your home, book a free in-home consultation, visit our showrooms or call 604.697.5700.

Installation plays a huge factor in the ultimate efficiency of your window replacement. A quality install will ensure your replacement windows perform as expected. A poor install can erase any benefits that caused you to replace your windows in the first place. Water penetration is one of the biggest concerns when it comes to window installation. Below are three main methods of window installation:

1. FULL REMOVAL

During a full removal install, the glass is removed from the existing frame. Next, the cladding of the home around the window is cut back to expose the nail fin of the existing window frame. The type of exterior cladding of your home-siding, stucco or brick, will determine how much is removed. The old nail fin frame is now exposed and removed. Next the house wrap/building paper is repaired and reapplied and the bottom sill has a waterproofing membrane applied to it.

Advantages

* Complete removal using a brick mould or nail fin

* Windows are completely sealed and secured behind the weather barrier

* Provides the best protection against water infiltration

* The exterior of the home looks as if the windows are original and trims can add to the general appearance of the home

* The windows will be the same size as the existing windows

Disadvantages

* Installation can be time consuming depending on the desired exterior finish

2. STUCCO/ REBATE FLANGE

Following the example above, after removing the glass, the installer will cut off the nail fin around the frame. This method allows the installer to remove the frame without having to cut back the homes exterior siding or stucco. The old frame is then removed from the opening, leaving the existing nail fin in place. The new window is installed with either a flush fin or stucco flange depending on the application. The new window is sealed directly to the exterior of home.

Advantages

* Quick and easy

Disadvantages

* The exterior seal or caulking must be checked regularly for shrinkage to prevent water penetration

* Window will be slightly smaller than the existing window

3. PIGGYBACKING

When this installation method is used, the glass is first removed from the old window. At this point the old frame may or may not be trimmed down. The new window is set in its place over the old frame, sealed and secured.

Advantages

* Quick and easy install

Disadvantages

* Leaves the old aluminum frame in place

* Shrinks the window size so the viewing area will decrease considerably

* The exterior seal or caulking must be checked regularly for shrinkage to prevent water penetration

When you have replacement windows installed, be sure to ask the installer a lot or questions regarding their methods. At Homeworks, we recommend and stand by the Full Removal method and feel the other two methods will not do your windows justice. If you are interested in having replacement windows installed, book a free in-home consultation, visit our showrooms or call 604.697.5700.

We see this ENERGY STAR label everywhere, but does anyone really know the meaning behind it? And the question begs, how does it help us as consumers?

So lets figure out what it means together; it is defined as the international symbol that differentiates products with premium energy efficiency compared to others in its category. Products that show the ENERGY STAR symbol have been examined with respect to prearranged regulations and have met or surpassed higher energy efficiency levels without compromising functionality. The products included by ENERGY STAR range from office equipment to windows and doors.

The ENERGY STAR symbol was first introduced in the US and was initially used for computers and monitors and currently can be located on almost 40 product types including residential heating and cooling equipment. ENERGY STAR has grown to be recognized internationally including countries from Europe to Taiwan and many in between including Canada.

So now that you know a little bit about it, you might be wandering how do different products qualify for this label? Well don’t worry you don’t have to go far, its going to all be explained right here! Products must meet technical specifications designed to ensure that they are among the top energy performers on the market. The general guidelines of how products are selected are:

* There must be significant energy savings and greenhouse gas emission reductions that can be realized throughout the country
* Product performance must be maintained or enhanced with energy efficiency
* Many energy efficiency models are also high quality with a wide range of desired features and they must ensure overall performance is maintained
* You must recover your investment in a reasonable period of time with the purchase of a product
* Specifications are set so that energy efficiency criteria can be met through the use of several technology options and can not favour one manufacturer
* Labeling would substantially differentiate energy efficient products from others
* Energy consumption of a product is able to be measured

So now that your are armed with the information, the next time you are shopping for a product and see the ENERGY STAR symbol you will have a better idea of what you would be purchasing. The majority of products sold at Homeworks are ENERGY STAR rated including all of our heat pumps, furnaces, windows and doors.

For more information and where to find qualified products visit the Natural Resources Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency. Or visit our showrooms or call 604.697.5700 and we can help guide and inform you throughout your purchase decisions.