Comparing Cheap Replacement Windows with Quality Ones November 23, 2014 Purchasing replacement windows for your Toronto home is a major investment. If you don’t think about it as a significant home improvement project, then you need to step back and reevaluate the situation. One of the most common mistakes that people make when it comes to replacement windows for their home is that they see it as an expense. After all, you likely see your existing windows and even though they may be old, outdated, and in poor condition, they are still doing their essential job, which is to protect your home. However, they are not likely protecting your home as well as they could or should. If you see these windows as being okay, but that you should have newer windows to make your home look better and be more comfortable, then you might head to your local home improvement superstore and find the cheapest possible windows as a replacement. You can certainly find basic double hung windows of an average size for just over $300, on average. That might seem like a bargain once you begin shopping around and seeing various manufacturers and styles of windows. You purchase those windows and have them installed. During that first day or first week, you may be satisfied with the way they look. However, if you open the window too fast and snap a cheap, plastic component, or feel the incredible cold draft seeping in through the glass or around the polyvinyl frame, you will immediately begin to realize why cheap replacement windows are not ideal for the average Toronto homeowner. They may be fine for rental properties and other situations, but if you value your house, and if you want to take advantage of this home improvement opportunity to increase the value of your home, then focusing on quality windows is going to make a significant difference. Quality windows will not only increase the value of your house, they will also more likely save you money on your heating and cooling expenses over the years. A $20 a month average savings on heating and cooling expenses throughout the year will equal $240 every year. When you consider that replacement windows can last between 15 to 20 years, that savings, just in today’s utility market dollars, can be more than the cost of replacing every window in your Toronto home right now.