Did you know that the old windows in your home could be costing you a lot of money? They might be letting air leak right out of your house and forcing you to spend a small fortune heating and cooling your home.
You can get around this by having new window installation done. Outside of making your home look great and improving its value, new windows will also save you money over time by making it more energy-efficient.
Before you start ripping out the old windows in your home and replacing them with new ones, though, you should make sure that you prepare your house for window installation accordingly. Otherwise, you might run into one roadblock after another while you’re having window installation done.
Today, we’re going to walk you through the steps you should take to prepare your home for a window installation. Check them out below and keep them in mind as you begin installing new windows throughout your home.
Decide Which Windows You Would Like to Replace
Prior to tackling a window installation project in your home, you’ll need to decide which windows you actually want to replace. You might want to replace every single window in your home or only a few of them.
More often than not, all of the windows in your home will be a slightly different age. As a result, you aren’t necessarily going to need to take out every one and replace it at this time.
It would be a good idea for you to walk around the interior of your home and create a list of the different windows you would like to replace. It’ll help you get a better idea of how big your window installation project is going to be from the beginning.
Measure Your Old Windows to See What Size Your New Ones Need to Be
While you’re walking around inside your home and deciding which windows you want to replace, you should also start to gather measurements for your windows. This way, you’ll be able to let a window installation company know how big each of your individual windows is.
More often than not, a window installation company is going to come right behind you and take their own measurements. But it’ll still be a smart idea for you to measure your windows yourself so that you can get more accurate quotes for new windows.
To measure a window, all you’ll need to do is take the following steps:
- Begin by checking to see that a window is square
- Measure a window horizontally from the left jamb to the right jamb in the top, middle, and bottom of a window
- Measure a window vertically from the head jamb to the bottom sill on the far left, middle, and far right of a window
- Measure the depth of a window, if necessary (this isn’t usually necessary in most homes, but it might still be worth doing it)
Again, the window installation company that you bring on board to assist you is probably going to measure your windows themselves. But it’s not a bad idea for you to get window measurements yourself, too, so that you know how big all of your windows are.
Find a Window Installation Company That Can Help You Buy New Windows
Once you know which windows in your home you would like to replace and you have measurements for all of them, you can start your search for a window installation company. Thankfully, you shouldn’t have too much trouble tracking down some options since there are almost 30,000 of these companies scattered throughout the country.
You should not, however, simply hire the first window installation company you can find to lend a hand to you. You might end up making a big mistake if you do this.
Instead, you should aim to find the best window installation company in your area. You can do this by looking for a window installation company that has:
- A lot of experience within the window installation world
- A wide range of replacement windows available
- A reputation for providing great window installation products and services
- A variety of affordable window installation products and services
- A knack for providing superior customer service to homeowners
Don’t be afraid to spend at least a couple of weeks looking around at the different window installation companies in your area. It should make it easier for you to locate one you can trust.
Come Up With a Budget for Buying New Windows for Your Home
On average, you’re going to have to spend somewhere between $300 and $700 on new windows for your home when you replace them. But there are also some windows that can cost you up to $1,000, if not more.
For this reason, you should try to prepare for window installation by coming up with a budget for yourself. Your budget should be based on your own personal financial situation.
If you don’t think you can afford to spend enough money on new windows right now, you might want to give yourself a little more time to calculate a budget. It’ll let you start saving up some money so that you won’t have any issues paying a window installation company to install new windows for you.
Pick Out the Right Replacement Windows for Your Home
After you have a great window installation company in your corner and you’ve established a budget for buying new windows, you should begin shopping around for them. The company that you’ve decided to work with should be able to show you a lot of different options so that you can find something you like.
There are quite a few different types of replacement windows on the market today. You can choose from:
- Vinyl windows
- Fiberglass windows
- Aluminum windows
- Wood windows
- And more!
There are also quite a few different kinds of replacement windows that you can select for your home. Some of your options will be:
- Single-hung windows
- Double-hung windows
- Awning windows
- Casement windows
- Bay windows
- Bow windows
- Fixed windows
- And more!
You should take your time while shopping for new windows and consider both the window design and the window installation cost of each of the windows we just mentioned. It’ll help you inch your way closer to finding windows that you love.
You should also lean on your window installation company for advice and see which windows they would suggest that you buy for your home.
Clear the Areas Surrounding the Inside and Outside of Your Windows
When you’ve picked out the new windows that you would like to install in your home, you’ll be this close to actually having them installed. But at this point, it’ll be time to start preparing your home itself for window installation.
How can you do this? Well, for starters, you can clear the areas surrounding both the inside and outside of your windows. On the inside of your windows, you’ll want to move any furniture that might be blocking access to them. On the outside of your windows, you’ll want to remove any leaves, sticks, and other debris that might get in the way.
If you have a bunch of stuff on the inside or outside of your windows when a window installation company shows up at your home, it’ll slow them down and make the process of installing windows take longer. It’ll also put the safety of your window installers at risk while they’re hard at work.
Remove Window Coverings From Your Windows
If you don’t have any window coverings over your home’s current windows, you obviously won’t need to worry about them. But if you have blinds, shades, or shutters on your windows, they’re all going to need to be moved out of the way before window installation can begin.
If you’re going to purchase new window coverings for your home, you can tear down your existing window coverings and throw them out. But if you plan to try and salvage them, you should remove them carefully and put them away for safekeeping.
If you leave them out, they’ll make removing your existing windows more difficult than it should be. They’ll also likely get damaged to some degree when window installers are removing old windows and putting in new windows for you.
Create Clear Walking Paths Throughout Your Home for Window Installers
Windows can be a lot bigger and bulkier than you might think. It’s why you’re going to have to give your window installation company plenty of room to operate when they’re bringing them into your home.
In a perfect world, you should put drop cloths down on your floors to protect them and use them to create clear walking paths for your window installers. They’ll be able to bring your new windows into your home so much easier when you’ve set up walking paths for them.
Protect All of Your Personal Belongings by Covering Them Up
While you’re creating walking paths for your window installation company, you should clear out any of your personal belongings that might get damaged if they get bumped into at any point. You should also take things to the next level by covering up any personal belongings that you’re going to keep in your home during window installation.
When window installers are removing old windows and installing new ones, there is going to be a lot of dust floating through the air. It’s going to land on your personal belongings and get them very dirty if you aren’t careful.
Covering up your personal belongings will keep them cleaner throughout the window installation process. It’ll also stop your belongings from getting scratched up and damaged if window installers happen to bump into them at some point.
Arrange for Any Kids and/or Pets to Stay Somewhere Else During Window Installation
Do you have kids and/or pets living in your home at this time? It might be in your best interest to see if there is somewhere else that they can stay during the window installation process.
You’re going to have window installers walking in and out of your home all day long while they’re putting windows into place for you. Because of this, your kids and/or pets might wander out of your home if an exterior door is left open.
Your kids and/or pets might also get in the way of your window installers when they’re trying to maneuver through your home. It could lead to either your window installers or your kids and pets sustaining injuries during window installation.
It would be a much better idea for you to send your kids and/or pets to a neighbor’s house, your parents’ house, or somewhere else throughout the duration of your window installation project. It’ll be the best move that you can make for everyone involved.
Turn Off Your Home’s Heating and Cooling System
As long as you hire the right window installation company, they’ll work hard to limit the amount of time that your home is exposed to the elements. They’ll go above and beyond to replace windows fast so that you don’t have too much air from outside working its way inside your home.
But no matter how quickly a window installation company attempts to work, there will be times when your home will be exposed to the outside world. So it’s not going to make a whole lot of sense for you to keep your home’s heating and cooling system running while you’re having new windows installed.
Unless a window installation company specifically tells you that you can leave your HVAC system turned on, you should shut it off as soon as window installers begin working. It’ll help you avoid wasting a bunch of money by heating or cooling your home with air that is going to literally fly right out the window.
Give Window Installers the Space They’ll Need to Work
When you have window installers bouncing around the inside of your home putting new windows into place for you, you might be tempted to hover over them. You’ll want to see how your new windows are looking and possibly make suggestions on how they could potentially look even better.
But you should resist the urge to do this. If you’re constantly hot on the heels of your window installers, you’re going to slow them down. It’s going to take them much longer than it should to put new windows into place for you.
Rather than feeling like you have to be following your window installers around all the time, you should get out of your home yourself and provide them with the space they’ll need to work. You’ll get a much better finished product when you aren’t breathing down your window installers’ necks at all times.
Provide Window Installers With At Least a Few Days to Install New Windows
If you’re only going to be installing a few windows in your home, your window installation company should be able to get the job done in a day. But if you’re going to be installing new windows through all or even just most of your house, it’ll be a much different story.
Even the most skilled window installers are going to take 30 to 60 minutes to put a single window into place. This means that you might need to be ready for window installers to take several days to replace all the windows in your home.
Rest assured knowing that your window installers will work as fast as they can so that you can start enjoying your new windows ASAP. But at the same time, be aware of the fact that it might take them some time to finish the job completely.
Get Ready to Closely Monitor the Work Window Installers Do
As we alluded to a few moments ago, you should not follow window installers around in your home and offer up critiques of every window they install. But you should check in with your window installers every so often and monitor the work that they’re doing.
You might want to make it a point to inspect the work that window installers have done at the end of each workday or, at most, midway through each workday. This could be beneficial since you’ll be able to spot any potential problems with your new windows and point them out.
Just try not to be hiding around every corner when your window installers are putting in work in your home. There is a big difference between being attentive to what window installers are doing and being antsy about checking out their work.
Bring Up Any Concerns You Might Have About Window Installation Along the Way
If you’re concerned about the way that a window looks after it has been installed in your home, you shouldn’t be shy about bringing it up to a window installation company. It’s always best to point things out sooner rather than later so that they can be addressed if need be.
If you happen to spot an issue with one of the windows that has been installed in your home, you should tell a supervisor from your window installation company about it. They’ll be more than happy to look at the problem and do something about it.
You should also bring up any concerns that you might have about the way that window installers are working in your home. The company that employs them will want to know if:
- They’ve done any damage to anything in your home while installing new windows
- They’ve installed any new windows in your home improperly
- They’ve made too much noise in your home while working in it
- They’ve failed to clean up after themselves and left you with a mess
- They’ve been rude or disrespectful to you, your family members, or your neighbors during the window installation process
A good window installation company is going to work hard to ensure you’re satisfied with every aspect of your new windows. And that is going to include the workers who are in your home handling window installation for you.
Prepare to Keep Your Home Clean Throughout the Window Installation Process
Regardless of how hard you might work to prepare your home for a window installation, the interior of it is going to get messy at times.
There will be pieces of cardboard, plastic, etc., from your new windows all over the place. There will also be tons of dust filling the air. These things come with the territory when you’re installing new windows.
Your window installation company should stay on top of keeping your home clean while they install new windows. But you should also make it your mission to do as much cleaning as you can. It’ll make your home a more comfortable place for you to be as you have new windows installed.
By working to keep your home clean, you’ll also make your home a much safer place, both for you and your family and for the windows installers that you’ve welcomed into your house. There won’t be things all over your floors that people might step on, trip over, etc.
It’s going to be impossible to keep your house 100% clean while you’re having a window installation done. But as long as you’re up for the challenge from the start, you should be able to keep it clean for the most part to make your window installation as a whole so much more manageable.
Start Preparing Your Home for a Window Installation Today
Compare Quotes from Top-rated Window contractors in your area.
You aren’t going to be able to get your whole house ready for a window installation job overnight. You’ll need to spend at least a few weeks, if not a few months, preparing your home for new windows.
Follow the steps listed here, and you should be able to have new, beautiful, clean windows installed in no time at all. You’ll be able to enjoy these windows for many years to come.
Are you ready to start shopping for new windows for your home? Enter Your Zip Here to get connected with top-rated window contractors in your area!
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