Window and Door Guides for Capital Region Homes

Seasonal

SeasonalGarage Door Maintenance: Twenty Minutes, Twice a YearTwice a year, run the balance test, the auto-reverse test and the photo-eye test, lubricate the rollers, hinges and spri... SeasonalFall Checklist: Getting Windows and Doors Ready for WinterBefore a Capital Region winter, replace failed weatherstripping, adjust door thresholds, swap storm panels, clear weep h... SeasonalSpring Window and Door Maintenance ChecklistAfter a Capital Region winter, check weep holes, clear sliding door tracks, rinse road salt off door bottoms, inspect si... SeasonalIce Dams, Bay Window Roofs and Winter Water DamageIce dams form when heat escaping through the roof melts snow, the meltwater runs to a cold edge and refreezes, and the r... SeasonalThe Best Time of Year to Replace Windows in Upstate New YorkLate fall through winter is the best time to replace windows in upstate New York. Lead times are shorter, scheduling is ...

Energy

EnergyDo You Need an Insulated Garage Door in Upstate New York?An insulated garage door is worth the upcharge if the garage is attached, heated, or has living space above it. On a det... EnergyAttic Insulation or New Windows? Where the Money Goes FurtherFor most older Capital Region homes, air sealing and insulating the attic delivers more comfort and more energy reductio... EnergyWhere Drafts in an Old House Actually Come FromUse a lit incense stick to find where air actually moves. Air at the sash is weatherstripping. Air at the trim is an uni... EnergyWindow Film vs New Windows: When Film Is EnoughWindow film is effective for summer solar heat, glare and UV fading, and it costs a fraction of replacement. It does ver... EnergyLow-E Coatings Explained (and Which One You Want Here)Low-E is a microscopically thin metallic coating that reflects heat back toward its source. In a heating climate you wan... EnergyQuieting a House on a Busy RoadFor road noise, laminated glass is more effective than triple pane per dollar, because the plastic interlayer damps soun... EnergyLowering the Heating Bill in an Old Capital Region HouseIn an older Capital Region home, air sealing and attic insulation deliver more heating cost reduction per dollar than wi... EnergyAre Triple Pane Windows Worth It in Upstate New York?Triple pane adds roughly 15 to 25 percent to window cost and delivers a meaningfully lower U-factor plus noticeably bett... EnergyHow to Read a Window Energy Label (and What Matters in Upstate NY)The NFRC label on a window lists four numbers. U-factor measures heat loss and lower is better, which is the main one in...

Doors 101

Doors 101Garage Door Opener Buying Guide for Upstate New YorkChoose belt drive if the garage is attached or under a bedroom, chain drive if it is detached and budget matters, and a ... Doors 101Interior vs Exterior Doors: Why They Are Not InterchangeableExterior doors have weather-resistant construction, insulation, weatherstripping and a threshold. Interior doors have no... Doors 101Residential Door Hardware: What to Buy and What to SkipDeadbolts are graded by ANSI/BHMA: Grade 3 is basic residential, Grade 2 is heavy duty, Grade 1 is commercial. Grade mat... Doors 101Storm Door Buying Guide for Upstate New YorkStorm doors cost $400 to $1,100 installed. Self storing is the most popular style here because the screen and glass pane... Doors 101Sliding Door vs French Door: Which Fits Your Opening?A sliding door needs no interior floor space and gives you half the opening. A French door needs about thirty inches of ... Doors 101Front Door Security: What Actually WorksIn most forced entries the jamb splits at the strike plate, not the door. A reinforced strike plate with three-inch scre... Doors 101Fiberglass vs Steel Entry Doors in a Road Salt ClimateFiberglass is the better choice for any Capital Region door that takes weather, because it does not corrode from road sa...

Repair

RepairGarage Door Will Not Open: Work Through This FirstWork in this order: check the power, check the safety sensors, check the emergency release trolley, then test the door b... RepairHow Long Garage Door Springs Last (and Why Yours Broke in January)Garage door springs are rated in cycles, where one cycle is one open and one close. A standard spring is rated for about... RepairWindow Maintenance That Actually Extends Their LifeThe three maintenance items that matter are clearing weep holes, cleaning tracks and sills, and replacing compressed wea... RepairDoor Thresholds and Sweeps: The Cheapest Fix in the HouseMost modern thresholds have adjustment screws along the top that raise or lower the sill cap to meet the door sweep. Tur... RepairWindow Wells: Why Basements Leak at the WindowMost basement window leaks are caused by the well and the grading outside, not the window. A well needs stone backfill, ... RepairNew Windows Not Working Right? Five Common ProblemsExterior condensation on new windows is normal and means they are working. Interior condensation is a humidity issue. A ... RepairWindow Screen Mesh Types: Which One You Actually NeedStandard fiberglass mesh suits most openings at $35 to $60 per screen. Pet-resistant mesh is roughly seven times stronge... RepairSliding Door Repair: Rollers, Tracks and What You Can Do YourselfA sliding door that is hard to move almost always has worn rollers, a dirty track, or rollers out of adjustment. Roller ... RepairHow to Fix a Drafty Exterior Door (Before Replacing It)Most door drafts are fixed by adjusting the threshold, replacing the door sweep, or replacing the perimeter weatherstrip... RepairRestore or Replace Old Wood Windows: How to DecideRestore when the wood is sound and the joints are tight, because old-growth sash are denser and more rot resistant than ... RepairWindow Condensation: Which Kind You Have and How to Fix ItCondensation on the interior surface means indoor humidity is too high for the glass temperature. Condensation on the ex... RepairWindow Repair or Replace? A Decision Guide That Is Not Trying to Sell You WindowsRepair when one component has failed and the frame is sound: balances, hardware, glass units, weatherstripping and minor...

Costs

Process

ProcessHow Long Does a Window Project Actually Take?Plan on six to ten weeks from first call to finished. The estimate is within days, the quote within a day or two of that... ProcessHow to Measure Your Windows (and Why We Still Measure Them)Measure width at three heights and height at three widths, and use the smallest of each. That gives you a rough size for... ProcessWindow Installation Day: What Actually HappensExpect the crew to work one opening at a time, so the house never stands open. A ten to fifteen window insert job runs o...

Windows 101

Windows 101Window Trim and Aluminum Capping ExplainedAluminum capping wraps the exterior wood trim around a window in bent coil stock, so there is no exposed wood left to pa... Windows 101Glass Block Basement Windows: Pros, Cons and CodeGlass block basement windows cost $400 to $900 installed, are extremely secure, never need maintenance, and let light in... Windows 101Window Grilles and Divided Lites ExplainedTrue divided lite means each pane is genuinely separate. Simulated divided lite applies bars to both glass surfaces with... Windows 101Picture Window Combinations That Actually WorkA picture window has the lowest air leakage of any window type because nothing moves, but it provides no ventilation. Pa... Windows 101Window Frame Materials Compared: Vinyl, Fiberglass, Wood, Composite, AluminumFor Capital Region homes, vinyl offers the best value, fiberglass the best technical performance, wood the best appearan... Windows 101Bay vs Bow Windows: Which One Fits Your Wall?A bay window is three units, a large fixed center flanked by two angled operating units, projecting deeper for a usable ... Windows 101Five Window Flashing Mistakes That Rot WallsWindow flashing does not stop water from getting behind siding, it guarantees water has a downhill path back out. The fi... Windows 101Vinyl vs Fiberglass Windows: Which Is Right for an Upstate Home?Fiberglass is the technically better frame material because it expands at nearly the same rate as glass and allows slimm... Windows 101Insert vs Full Frame Window Replacement: Which One Do You Need?An insert replacement keeps your existing window frame and fits a new unit inside it. A full frame replacement removes e...

Commercial

CommercialMulti-Family Window Projects: Planning and PhasingMulti-family window replacement is a logistics problem more than a construction one. Standardize the product across all ... CommercialCommercial Door Hardware: Panic Devices, Closers and CodeCommercial door hardware has to satisfy egress, accessibility and sometimes fire rating requirements simultaneously. Pan... CommercialPlanning a Commercial Window Replacement Without Closing the BuildingCommercial window replacement in an occupied building is a scheduling problem first. Work is phased by elevation or floo...

Buyer Protection

Buyer ProtectionWindows and Doors for Rental PropertyFor rental property, specify mid-grade vinyl with fusion-welded corners and metal tilt latches rather than premium glass... Buyer ProtectionWindow Security: What Actually Stops EntryLaminated glass is the most effective window security upgrade because it holds together when struck. Auxiliary pin locks... Buyer ProtectionWindow Warranties: The Questions Nobody AsksAsk four things: does the warranty cover labor or parts only, for how long per component, is it transferable, and who re... Buyer ProtectionRed Flags in a Window Replacement QuoteThe most common hidden costs in a window quote are excluded exterior capping, excluded interior trim, unspecified glass ... Buyer ProtectionHow to Choose a Window Contractor in the Capital RegionAsk for the whole-window U-factor and air leakage rating in writing, the workmanship warranty term in years, whether a s...

Local & Code

Local & CodeThe Garage to House Door: A Code Item People Get WrongThe door between an attached garage and living space must be part of a fire-rated separation. It needs to be a solid or ... Local & CodeCasement vs Slider for an Egress WindowA casement swings fully clear of its opening, so nearly the whole unit counts as net clear opening. A two-panel slider o... Local & CodeFinishing a Basement in the Capital Region: Windows, Code and MoistureFinish a Capital Region basement in this order: solve moisture first, replace or upgrade the windows second, install egr... Local & CodeBasement Egress Window Code in New York: The Numbers That MatterNew York requires every sleeping room, including basement bedrooms, to have an emergency escape opening with at least 5.... Local & CodeHistoric District Windows in Albany, Troy, Schenectady and SaratogaCapital Region historic districts review the exterior appearance of window work on designated properties. Boards look at... Local & CodeDo You Need a Permit to Replace Windows in New York?In most Capital Region municipalities, a same-size window replacement does not require a building permit. You do need on...

Window and Door Guides

Seasonal

Energy

Doors 101

Repair

Costs

Process

Windows 101

Commercial

Buyer Protection

Local & Code

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