3 Signs Your Windows Could be Failing and Need to be Replaced October 26, 2015 No matter how long you have lived in your Toronto area home, it may be time to consider replacement windows. If you live in your house for 10, 15, 20, or more years, and you haven’t replaced the windows since you purchased the home, it’s well past time to begin looking into this important home improvement project. If you’ve only recently moved into this house and don’t know exactly how long the windows were there, these three signs could indicate potential problems beginning to brew. Those problems can compromise safety and energy efficiency, costing you more money every month during the winter just to heat your home. Here are three signs to look for with your old windows to determine whether they need to be replaced now. Sign #1: You feel drafts. If you feel any type of draft through the glass itself that is usually a good sign the seal has failed. It could also be that they were only vacuum sealed and not sealed with argon or krypton gas. When you feel any type of draft around the outside of your window, that could be due to a breakdown in the insulation or the person who installed those windows didn’t properly insulate around them. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need new windows, but you do need somebody to come out, assess the situation, and determine whether adding new insulation will solve that problem. Sign #2: The windows don’t stay open properly. Older windows will begin to wear out and that will cause them to slip in the frame a bit too easily. If you notice the windows giving you difficulty opening or closing them, it’s time to sit down and seriously consider replacement windows. Sign #3: They have old, outdated, and cheap hardware. This becomes a security risk for your home and anyone living in the house with you. Old hardware can be extremely easy for somebody with experience to slip the latch, slide open the window, and enter the home. New replacement windows are much more secure and you even have the option of impact resistant glass if you so choose.
