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Health & Fitness

Are Your Doors and Windows Costing You Money

Utility bills. You hate paying them, but you love the benefit. Doesn't everyone? One major factor affecting your bill are your windows.

Utility bills. You hate paying them, but you love the benefit. Doesn't everyone? One major factor affecting your bill are your windows. If there's any glass pack seal failure, if the weatherstripping is destroyed, if the balancing system in your sash is broken, or if the window just doesn't operate properly, this is deserving of at least a service call. Get those things fixed, now.

If you're out of warranty on your windows (or if they're the home's original windows), you might just be out of luck. You don't relish the idea of spending time and money on new doors and windows, but finding someone who does windows replacement in Chicago isn't as painful as it might sound. Besides, how expensive is the alternative?

If you're paying $200 - $300 a month on your heating and cooling bill, that's $2,400 per year. Multiply that by 10 years and you're shelling out $24,000, conservatively. Most old windows can leak up to 40 percent of your heat and air conditioning to the outside. You're basically throwing away $9,600. Ouch - you're actually losing money by not replacing your old windows and doors, but before you rush out and buy anything, here are some things to think about:

How Much Will You Save?

Saving money is one of the driving forces behind replacing doors and windows. Some top tier window companies promise savings of up to 40 percent. Some guarantee a minimum savings. When you're doing research, focus on a couple of numbers - the construction and installation guarantee, and the energy savings guarantee.

If your potential new windows don't have either, consider buying windows that do. Unless you're already very knowledgeable about window and door construction, it's best to work with a company that can guarantee you that the windows and doors will still be there in 25 years and that you're guaranteed to save money by replacing them.

If your current energy bill is $300 per month, and the remodeling company guarantees a minimum of 40 percent savings if you replace all of the doors and windows, then figure on a savings of $120 per month. Multiply this by 12 to get your annual savings ($1,440), and then by 10 to get a 10-year payback. This assumes that you stay in the home for 10 years. In this example, you would save $14,440. Now, compare that to the cost of the windows. If your savings is greater than the cost of the windows, it's a good deal.

It's Not An All-or-Nothing Proposition

While energy savings guarantees are great, this isn't an all-or-nothing proposition. You'll still see savings by replacing some of the worst windows or doors in the home. It's a fact of life that these things cost money - money you might not have. That's fine. Don't rule out the possibility of doing this piecemeal.

Replace Windows First

Windows are the biggest sieves in your home. Seal failure on the glass pack is very common (you'll know if this happens because you'll get moisture building up on the inside of double-paned glass windows). For single-paned windows, assume that they need to be replaced as all of them are extremely inefficient. Other signs that your windows are failing include warping of the frame and physical damage to the window.

Get Financing

Just because you can't pay cash doesn't mean you can't (or shouldn't) get new windows and doors. Replacing these things costs a lot of money. There's no way to get around that - especially if you're buying quality stuff that lasts forever (and will increase the value of your home). Most remodeling companies partner with several banks to make it easy for you to get the financing you need, so keep that in mind. Alternatively, you can go down to your bank and tell them about your remodeling project. Either way, don't let a cash shortage be an issue.

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