If you are a fan of Game of Thrones you know what “Winter is Coming” means!! And if you have lived in Chicago more than 5 minutes you know that winter is truly coming. Not to start this post on a negative but can’t you just image the dry wind cracking at the skin on your face? Or how about trying to shovel snow while the small flakes get into your jacket and onto your neck? Or my favorite, getting into an un-warmed car with leather seats that makes your butt cheeks feel like two slabs of frozen hamburger meat? Winter!More relevant to our business is how the cold effects your home, specifically those old windows you have been meaning to replace but just didn’t quite get around to last fall. Of course window replacement is a project that is best planned out. The average time from purchase to manufacturing to installation for a custom replacement window is 4-6 weeks so some forethought is necessary. If you were to order windows as of the date of this blog post, you would be getting your new windows smack dab right in the middle of the winter. You may be asking yourself, “Self (because that is what you call you, right?), is this the best thing to do and is it even possible to install new replacement windows during that time of the year??
Well, you are in luck, because I am here to tell you that it is absolutely possible to install windows and doors in the winter. And in fact, I am going to tell you exactly, “Why Winter is the Perfect Time to Replace Your Old Windows”.
Contrary to popular believe and perhaps even common sense, window replacement is something that can be done all year round. Our guys want to work all year and actually don’t mind working in cold weather. Obviously if it is negative 10 degrees with a 20 degree wind chill they won’t be working. But generally weather above about 20 degrees is workable.
The obvious thing that comes to mind is, “won’t my house be cold when you take out my old window before you put my new ones in?” The answer is simply, “yes”. Taking your old window out will leave a whole in your wall for about 15 minutes until the guys get your new window in. So depending on how many windows you are having replaced, certain rooms in your house will get a little cold. But, “did you die?” Nope, just got a little cold and maybe your furnace runs a little more for a few hours.
So now that you know it is possible, let me explain to you why it may actually be a great idea to replace windows in the dead of the cold.
There are actually three distinct advantages to doing this home improvement when the snow is flying and jack frost is nipping at your nose…
- It is easier to discover problems with your old windows in the winter. Because of the temperature difference between the outside and inside of your home you can feel drafts and in many cases can see them when the wind outside blows your curtains on the inside. You can even pinpoint where drafts are coming from by holding a candle by the window. Drafts will make the candle flicker.
- You can usually get a better price on windows in the winter. All contractors slow down in the winter. So unless they are smart and are laying on a beach in Florida, they are looking for creative ways of getting more business. Fortunately for homeowners, contractors are not very original and most try to create more work by lowering their prices during slow times. A win for your pocket book!
- Window contractors are usually more flexible with installation dates in the winter. Like I mentioned above, contractors slow down in the winter. To be honest, this isn’t usually by choice but because homeowners don’t want the work done during this time or because they don’t know that it can be done in the cold winter months. Contractors of course want to get the work done as soon as possible but are generally very flexible with installation scheduling. And if you ultimately chicken out and decide you really don’t want your windows installed in the winter, contractors are usually open to pushing the installation until the spring. With a deposit, they will store the windows and install them whenever you want. Easy Peasy.
So now that you know that you can get those new windows in the winter and now that you know that there are some pretty cool advantages to doing so, what are you waiting for? Let’s get some new windows!
