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Era of Windows And Doors – Should You Replace?

Knowing the era of your windows and doors can help you decide whether to replace them. Sometimes the home you have just purchased has older windows, and you’re unsure if they might still be effective. So, how can you tell when you should replace the windows? It is much easier to answer this question during the cold drafts of wintertime, but there are other signs.

 

You should replace the windows in your home if their original components would not be deemed energy-efficient after a repair or upgrade or if the useful life of their extrusion, through ineffective original design, never was energy-efficient.

 

Knowing how much useful life is left in your existing windows is good so you can plan financially. 

A brief history of the era of windows on your house. Should they be restored, repaired or replaced? Generally, windows with two layers of glass (also known as double-glazed) have better insulating abilities than single-paned (or single-glazed) windows. If you know the windows are high quality, these double-glazed windows shouldn’t need significant repair, upkeep, or replacement for 20-ish years from installation. 

 

 

If your house has circa 1870s- 1950s era of windows: 

Are your windows single-glazed and double-hung (top and bottom units sliding up and down) or casement (hinged at the sides) wood windows on a gorgeous heritage home? 

 

If your house has circa 1950s- 80s era of windows: 

After WW2, materials other than wood were introduced for window extrusions. These were the early days of both vinyl and aluminum-framed windows. 

If your house has circa 1980s- 2000s windows: 

 

 

If your house has circa 2000s- 10s era of windows: 

Since first invented in Germany in the late 1940s, vinyl for windows, by the 2010s, became less prone to cracking or warping, had a wider range of colours available, and even mimicked a wood appearance. 

 

If your house has circa 2010s- 20s era of windows:

Vinyl scientists, primarily out of Germany, continue to find ways to make sashes (individual component frames) and overall frames the most energy-efficient they can be. 

 

The era of windows will help identify the signs that you should replace your windows. 

 

 

If only one or two windows have an issue, a window and door handyman will repair the concern. Otherwise, Forest City Window & Door Ltd. has been a respected and proud London, Ontario, window and door installer since 1993.

We provide high-quality vinyl windows and doors with attractive hardware options, all installed by our professionally trained teams.

Please contact us any time at (519) 659 6906 or online.

 

As of this writing, old PVC vinyl windows are not recyclable. In London, landfills will accept your vinyl extrusions and gas-filled double-glazing. Please ask your local city councillor about PVC vinyl recycling plans in London, Ontario and let’s get London recycling more of our construction waste.