The summer is not usually the time to get a good deal on windows and doors. As I have stated in previous articles the winter is the best time for deals. Nevertheless, we go back to the same point. The reason you get a better deal in the winter is because no-one is buying anything in the winter and the companies are on a starvation diet of customers.

In any economic downturn the people with the right vision and money still left in their bank accounts can become richer than ever. Going against the grain and buying windows and doors when few others are, puts you in the driver’s seat.

For more window and door information you may contact us through the phone or web.

Some people even make the mistake to hire a separate contractor to put in the windows, and often not only does that contractor not install windows regularly enough to be a real pro, but if they do a poor job, the window company may no longer give you the same warranty on their windows if they deem that the reason the windows are having problems is largely due to a improper installation which was not done by them.

So how do you get a professional installation? The answer is… by asking questions. The first question should be, is the installer a contractor or is he employed directly by your company? If the installer is not employed by the company, should anything go wrong the company will blame the installer, the installer will blame the company and you will be left in the middle with little legal recourse. The second question should be, do you or your company have a licence to perform renovations (which window installation is under)? If they don’t have a licence then you should steer clear. Finally, ask if the installer uses his own truck and supplies or if the company provides him with a truck and supplies. This may not be a deal breaker either way but it will tell you a lot about whether they were telling the truth on the first question. Often if an installer uses his own truck and supplies he is just under contract but does not actually work full time for the company. There are exceptions, but you should poke and probe to look for inconsistencies. Companies that are professional and have good quality products and good installers are proud of it and will advertise it, while fly-by-night operations will try to avoid those type of questions. If the sales guy raves about installation and is quick to offer you a tour of the factory or referrals of their installer’s work, you can rest assured they are at least selling windows for a reputable company.

Remember this one idea: when getting estimates for a job, be less concerned with price and more concerned with who is doing the job, as a few thousand dollars when compared to the cost of a home or a period of twenty years are almost meaningless, but, the cost of a poor product and installation, no matter how cheap it was to start, will far outweigh what you would pay for a proper job and a high quality product.

If you have any questions about windows and doors feel free to contact us via our website, call us or even just walk in to our showroom.

Many of the high-end custom homes that you see have at the very core of their look a large and attractive set of doors. Take that away, and the entire home would look unfinished and awkward. A new door can significantly improve the appearance of any home, large or small, by creating a visual focal point. Sure, you say, the look is nice but is it worthwhile to pay for a new door just for the sake of vanity? Well of course not.

A new door is more than a visual improvement, it works in many ways to save you energy, make you more comfortable and keep you safer. All new steel entry doors come filled with highly insulating polyurethane. Also, most decorative or clear glass units are available in ‘Low-E’ energy saving glass. Finally, new steel doors also come with a raised sweep and magnetic weather seals.

For many homeowners safety is a primary concern. That is why new steel doors are available with a multipoint locking system which is far superior to a single deadbolt. We also provide traditional deadbolt doors with a steel insert in the door frame which significantly inrcreases the strength of the deadbolt mechanism.

Ask any of our trained staff or customer representatives and you will find a number of benefits to replacing an old, leaky, drafty door with a secure, attractive and functional steel door.

If you have any additional comments or concerns, please contact us.

The HST or Harmonized Sales Tax is comming July 1st, and any orders that we process and install after the deadline will be subject to a 13% tax, as opposed to the 5% tax that we currently charge on our factory-direct installations.

Even on an average size job the savings can be substantial. We will do our utmost to continue offering industry leading service, installation, products and prices as we have done until today regardless of the HST. However, you are in control before the July 1st deadline and can help us help you by placing your order as soon as possible. By ordering today we can still guarantee you one of our pre-July 1st installation dates. Any orders that cannot be installed before July 1st will be subject to HST, which we would let you know at the time you place the order.

For more details feel free to call us at 416-739-9545 or visit our website www.primaryseal.ca

The first problem with old patio doors is the frame. The majority of older patio doors are made with an aluminum or wood frame. The wood frame is prone to warping and rotting, while the aluminum frame conducts the heat and cold with little resistance. Also, the majority of older patio doors are made with several pieces of single tempered glass that offers little protection from the elements though is fairly resistant to impact. The track or sliding system of the doors is somewhat crude, making for difficult operation of the door. However, one of the biggest weaknesses of older patio doors is their lack of security. Most of the doors are equipped with primitive locking systems and were it not for the old cut off hockey stick at the bottom of the door the level of safety the older doors provide would be limited at best.

Newer patio doors have several advantages. First, a steel-reinforced vinyl frame allows for a good amount of rigidity while insulating your home from the elements. All new patio doors that Primary Seal carries are Energy Star rated for all four climate zones in North America and come standard with double pane thermal Low-E glass. The glass is also tempered for safety. Door operation is made easy by a raised track with a four-roller system that allows the door to glide effortlessly even though its weight is substantially greater than its single pane ancestors. Last but not least, security comes in several forms including a decent standard lock and options for a externally keyed lock (great for people who want to leave through the back door like those who live downtown and have their garage in the back of the house) as well as a multi-point locking system. Also, several “night-time” safety systems exist which are both elegant (no hockey sticks) and extremely resilient, not to mention inexpensive.

Often, for half the price of a front door, you can improve your energy efficiency, comfort and safety. A new sliding patio door will leave you feeling great while still leaving something in your pocket. Feel free to ask us any questions you may have about patio doors or check out our website for more information.

1. Clean out the medicine cabinet: Remove items that are past their expiry date. They might be dangerous to keep in the house so be sure to dispose of them in a responsible way – many drugstores will dispose of old medicine for you. Also, make note of prescriptions or products that need to be refilled.

2. Check your filters: Often, there’s no outward sign that your fridge water filter needs to be changed because the contaminants and other chemicals are imperceptible. Leading brands like Whirlpool, Maytag and KitchenAid recommend changing your filters every six months to ensure that your water and ice remains fresh and great tasting. More information can be found online at www.whirlpoolparts.ca.

3. Check the First Aid kit: Changing the clock is great time to remember to stock up your First Aid kit. Ensure all of your emergency supplies are replaced and up to date.

4. Check the batteries: Your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are the most important battery powered devices in your home and need a reliable power source. Replace these batteries, but don’t throw them out, save them for remote controls and other battery devices in your home.

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An energy-efficient home offers savings in energy use, lower energy bills, and increased comfort. Options in buying energy-efficient homes are many in today’s market - from having your new home EnerGuide-rated, to buying best in class ENERGY STAR® qualified homes and R-2000* homes. To find out more about these initiatives and energy efficient new homes, visit www.newhomes.nrcan.gc.ca or call 1-800-387-2000 to order publications.

*R-2000 is an official mark of Natural Resources Canada

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However, most of you are questioning how we can do a job in such cold temperatures without turning your house into an ice palace and having all our materials freeze and no longer perform properly. Well let’s address one issue at a time.

How do we manage to take out an old window or door and put a new one in without having your home exposed to the cold for a prolonged period of time? The answer is custom sizing. The windows or doors that we make for your home come already assembled from the factory and ready to install. Not only that but they are custom fitted to the size and shape of your existing opening in the wall, meaning that after removing the old window or door, the new one can go into the rough opening within a couple of minutes. In fact the process of taking a window (of average size) out and putting the new one into the opening takes about ten to fifteen minutes. The window can then be quickly sealed with insulating foam and heat will no longer escape. The bulk of the time required to install a window is taken up by the finishing, both interior and exterior. It is the same case with a door. While the door is more complex to adjust and takes a longer time, it can also be sealed within a reasonable timeframe and as such the amount of heat loss is not catastrophic. We also use a little trick and close all the doors to all the rooms which makes it harder for the heat to escape quickly, as well as we work on one opening at a time, which also reduces the heat loss.

Now the second issue are the materials, namely insulating foam and caulking. Many of you that have worked with these materials in the cold know that they simply don’t cure as fast nor does the foam expand as freely or the caulking flow as easily. This is indeed an issue that can cause problems down the road if the window or door is not properly sealed and weatherproofed. However it is for this reason we purchase industrial strength caulking, which uses a rubber base and is extremely resilient to temperature and will cure in almost any condition. Secondly, we keep the foam and caulking indoors in a warm area until they are ready for use. This means that by the time the materials could cool down, they have already been applied and as such the effect the cold has on the curing process is less severe.

The final consideration for a winter installation is the fact that since the installers have a lighter load generally than in the warm months, they are able to take more time for each installation. Most of the work is done from the inside so they are not rushing to finish due to the cold and this may result in a slower, more careful installation.

Please submit your questions or concerns and feel free to contact Primary Seal for more information if you are thinking of a winter installation.

A window which may seem perfectly fine during the summer may soon turn into a drafty, leaky, frosted mess when the temperatures dip. In fact, it is common during the fall to have mild days and freezing nights.

Now, most people will argue that changing the windows and doors in a house costs a bundle, and it does. Also they will argue that the money they save in heating and cooling costs will take years if not decades to pay for the cost of the windows. Again, they are right. However, there is one small but important flaw in that line of thinking: the idea that changing the windows and doors in a house is a one-time, all or nothing project.

What if it were possible to pay half of the money you have been or will be quoted for the entire house and enjoy energy savings and increased comfort in most of your home? Funny enough, consumers will approach their window and door job from the most expensive items to the least expensive almost without exception, while if they started from the other end, they would find that their money would go a much longer way.

Let me give you an example:

An average house with three bedrooms usually has the following window and door items: front door, side or patio door, three bedroom windows, a window in the bathroom, one in the kitchen, one living room and one dining room window, as well as four basement windows. Let’s say the homeowner of this imaginary home decides to replace his windows and doors. Which two window and door items will make up the better part of the cost of this job? The answer is the front door and the living room window or the window which usually faces the front of the house. Why you ask? Well because the decorative glass in the front door as well as because the window facing the front of the house is usually tall and wide. Windows are priced according to surface area, and a very large and complex window will cost far more than a small bedroom window.

So, going back to the example, you would find that the three bedroom windows as well as the bathroom and the four basement windows would probably cost about the same as the front door and front window. I have seen houses with giant front windows and a front door with side-lites, where the rest of the entire house was the same price as the front door and window.

Another common argument is that if any windows are replaced then the house will look different so everything has to be changed at once for esthetics. Well that is not neccessarily true, as changing the bedroom windows which usually face the back of the house as well as the side or patio door is rarely noticed by people walking in the front of the house, but there will be a noticeable difference in comfort and energy usage.

Keep in mind however, that there is no ideal nor single best solution for everyone. Each home and homeowner have different needs. It is always best to book an in-home estimate so that a professional can come to your home and examine your situation. This way, you can find the best solution for you. At Primary Seal Windows we believe that educating the consumer is the first and most important step in our relationship. We present you with all your options and attempt to work with your priorities and budget. Changing your windows and doors does not have to be a one-time job. We have many customers who take several years to completely change their windows and doors, changing some of their windows and/or doors each year. This way they are able to stay within their budget as well as improve their living space.

If you have any questions about this article or any other window and door questions we can help you.

Sue Rainville, director of marketing for Hunter Douglas, Canada’s leading manufacturer of custom window fashions, offers the following steps for consumers to conduct a home energy audit:

Locate that leak

Window frames and doors are obvious sources of drafts. Check electrical outlets, switch plates, baseboards, fireplace dampers and wall or window-mounted air conditioners for spaces. Look for gaps around pipes, faucets and mail slots. Apply caulking and weather stripping where needed.

Look to your furnishings

“Windows are rightly called the ‘eyes’ of a home, yet they are also energy holes through which heat can escape,” said Rainville. Help protect your home with shades such as Duette Architella honeycomb shades from Hunter Douglas that can reduce heat loss at the window by up to 50 percent when properly installed.

Attics and basements

In cold weather, air leaks in the attic act like a chimney, drafting expensive heated air upwards and sucking cold air into the rest of the home. Large gaps are also often found around plumbing pipes, light fixtures, chimneys and soffits. Ensure openings for items such as pipes, ductwork and chimneys are sealed with expanding foam caulk.

Step outside

Insulation needs to work both inside and out. Check areas where two different construction materials meet, such as the foundation and the exterior brick or siding. Look for cracks and holes in the mortar, foundation and siding, and seal them with the appropriate material.

Using these tips, consumers can learn how to conduct a home energy audit on their own, just in time for those cold winter months.

More information is available online at www.hunterdouglas.ca or toll-free at 1-800-265-8000.

- News Canada