Are Sliding Doors Safe With Young Children in the House?

Posted on by
Reply

Sliding doors offer so many wonderful benefits to your home. They welcome in the natural light, open a compact room up, allow for natural indoor outdoor flow and are the ideal choice for entertaining. They are a wall of glass, so what if you have young children in the house?

Many parents want to enjoy the fantastic benefits that sliding doors have to offer, but the decision may be delayed due to the fact that they have toddlers or younger children in the home.

We all know how boisterous young boys can be and running into the sliding door isn’t something that won’t happen, it’s more a matter of when it’ll happen. The concerns over the door shattering all over the child, cutting them badly are a concern for any parent.

Also with children the chances of a ball being hurtled from the garden into the door is another possibility, sliding doors offer lots of glass which is one of the biggest appealing factors.

What You Need to Know

Most sliding doors come double glazed, which means they are made with two panels of glass sealed with gas in-between, they are also made from high quality shatterproof glass to ensure that accidents don’t happen.

Due to the size of the window section of sliding doors they must be made durable and strong, which means they can handle a child running into them or a ball hitting them without a scratch, giving you peace of mind when it comes to your children.

Advantages

Now that you know sliding doors are very safe with younger children in the home, it’s time you enjoy all the fantastic benefits they have to offer. Remember sliding doors are much larger than windows, so they let in a lot of extra natural light that is the first big advantage when choosing these doors.

They allow fantastic indoor outdoor flow, ideal for entertainment areas or compact rooms. By adding sliding doors you can immediately make a small room feel much bigger, they also enable you to take advantage of picturesque garden views from the living or dining areas.

Clera Windows and Doors is known for quality windows and doors and for excellent customer service. We custom manufacture vinyl windows and doors to your exact requirements and specifications in our factory near Toronto, Ontario. Visit our website at www.clerawindows.com.

How to Choose a Window Installation Expert

Posted on by
Reply

Not everyone has DIY skills and sometimes you need to hire someone to replace your windows in your home, there are a number of useful steps on how to choose a window installation expert that you can follow to ensure that you are getting the best for your money.

Quotes

The first step is organising quotes. If you do a search online you will be welcomed by hundreds of window installation companies, being able to determine which are the best is a lot easier than you may think.

When phoning for quotes it’s a good idea to stay within your local area, contacting companies that are situated a distance away may cost you more in the long run, as they will need to base their quote on the distance travelled as well as time it takes to replace the windows.

A very important step to note on how to choose a window installation expert is to get the quote in writing.  You will want to contact a minimum of three companies to come to your home and give you a written estimate.

Meet in Person

Taking time out of your busy schedule isn’t always easy, but you and your spouse or partner must be at home when the window installer comes to give the quote.  This is a good time to measure his professionalism.

Dealing with a reputable and professional company can make all the difference, if you want to know how to choose a window installation expert, be sure you don’t miss the appointment.

Take note of how your query was dealt with from when you first spoke to them on the phone all the way to the time the installation expert arrives to give the quote.  Did he arrive on time? Was he early? These are important factors to take into consideration later when reviewing your quotes.

Ask Questions

It doesn’t matter how silly you think the questions are, ask them.  Make a note of the questions you asked and ask each installation expert the same questions.  This helps you measure their knowledge and professionalism.

Make a note of the answers and general knowledge of each installation expert; also be sure to ask them where they get their windows from and whether they are certified to do the job.  Often they will be more than happy to show you their certification for peace of mind.

References

This step cannot be stressed enough when learning how to choose a window installation expert.  Customer references will give you a true insight into the reliability and reputation of the company.  It will help you determine whether they completed the job as specified, if they were professional and if the client is happy with the service they received.

A company that is unwilling to offer references obviously has something to hide. They may even tell you of an address or two that they have done window installations on that you can drive past to see the workmanship.

Review

Once you have met all the window installation companies in your own home and have written down everything you noticed about them, you can compare the notes to your spouse or partner.

You both need to feel comfortable having the installation expert in your home, sometimes for extended periods if there are a lot of windows to be replaced.

Take every aspect into account, not just the price. While the cheaper quote will probably be the most enticing, you need to ensure that they are a professional company, they will complete the job in a timely manner, they are certified and they are knowledgeable.

If you look at all these steps when learning how to choose a window installation expert, you will not be disappointed with the outcome.

For more information visit http://www.clerawindows.com

Choosing The Best Exterior Door Replacement for Every Budget

Posted on by
Reply

One of the best ways to increase your home’s value is by simply replacing your exterior doors. Not only are you enhancing your home’s looks and saving energy costs, you are also upgrading your home’s market value without spending a lot.

exterior entry door

But how do choose among the three main materials available for exterior doors? What are your main requirements and needs for your main doors? Do you prefer to have the traditional and classy feel of wood, or do you want more security with durable fiberglass and steel doors? What is your budget for your exterior door replacement? And which among these choices is the most energy efficient?

front door

Steel Doors
This option is your best bet when you want to save money and you have the capability to do the installation on your own. The simplest kind of steel door can go for as little as 150 dollars and up to 400 dollars at well-known retailers. This will not include the lock set, paint, labour and hardware cost. Steel doors provide the safest protection against intruders, but this advantage is only slight when compared with wood and fiberglass options.

But steel exterior doors replacement can enhance your home’s value more than any other. This simple project can give you an average of 73% of the cost in returns.  Many people are attracted to steel doors for their reputed toughness. But contrary to popular belief, steel doors under duress actually have a shorter lifespan than wood or fiberglass. Steel exterior doors can last only 5 to 7 years when exposed to salt air and heavy rains.

Steel doors can dent and may damaged with heavy use and they can be difficult and expensive to repair. So if your external doors will be exposed to heavy use, you should choose a different material.

Fiberglass Doors
Fiberglass exterior doors options are wide and many. They are available in different styles and many look and feel just like real wood. Fiberglass doors require minimum maintenance, though nothing is really maintenance-free, this type of can last longer than steel or wood.

What’s really great about fiberglass is that it doesn’t expand or shrink like wood when exposed to the elements. When used in a suitably protected area, a fiberglass exterior door can last for many years without the need for repainting or touch-ups. It has a lifespan of almost 15 to 20 years. And despite it being a seemingly light material, fiberglass doors are actually tough with a thick coating making it hard to break down. They also offer significant insulation with a foam core inside.

The prices of fiberglass doors fall in between the price of wood and steel doors and that is around 150 to 600 dollars. Compared with steel door replacements, fiberglass will not generate as much in terms of returns but you’re likely to recoup around 56% of their value when selling your home.

Wooden Doors
This is probably the most popular choice for an exterior door replacement especially if it is a high-end project. Wooden doors have that luxurious look and heavy weight that is very different from steel or fiberglass. This type of door is your best bet if you want to make a stunning statement with your main exterior doors. They can be customized and hand crafted to your satisfaction and is the best material to use when you want to showcase your home.

However, it is also the most expensive material to use for exterior doors with prices ranging from 500 to 2,000 dollars. They also require far more regular maintenance, but they are easier to repair compared to their counterparts. Wooden doors require repainting or refinishing every two years to avoid warping or splitting.

Green Exterior Door Projects
If you are considering the environmental impact of your project as well as energy efficiency, you can opt for solid wood replacement doors which are Forest Stewardship Council certified for wood that are sustainably grown and harvested.

And though it’s quite complicated to know the exact impact of a particular door option in terms of shipping, recyclable content or manufacturing process, you can still choose a green exterior door replacement project by choosing products with an Energy Star rating.

Replace your windows for a more energy efficient home

Posted on by
Reply

One of the ways you can visually enhance the appearance of your home and increase its energy efficiency is by considering replacing the windows. In some cases you  do not need to purchase a new structural frame, as it will actually use the strength of the old window frame.

Installing replacement windows will likely amount to a number of benefits. One of those is that, it is only made for a limited time. If you are living somewhere within the United States, you could get something at around $1,500. They can also be energy efficient rather than the older windows made of wood. They are very easy to clean, especially if you choose the tilt in type. They could even help to decreasing the noise outside. Installing replacement windows could actually improve the appearance of your home, and increase its value.

exterior double doors window installation

There are many kinds of replacement windows available and you can definitely find a style that suits your home. Vinyl is actually one of the most popular, not to mention that they are waterproof and don’t really need to be painted. The only thing is that, if you do not know how to take care of it, it could also be constructed of the fiberglass, aluminum, wood and even with vinyl-clad wood. You also need to decide if you want a window to be glazed by single, double or triple. Keep in mind that if there is more glazed, the more that the window will be energy efficient. However, the original price will be much higher.

When you are thinking about what you would like to purchase, you have to check it with the National Fenestration Council Rating. It could be available with the higher grade models, yet they are in the lower grade.

Additional resources: