Thompson Creek Tips & Blog

If your home is more than a few years old, you may have areas of siding that show signs of wear. Whether it’s wood, aluminum, or vinyl siding, over time siding can fade, develop leaks, warp, crack or dent. And old siding is typically much less energy efficient than newer siding.

Are you considering a remodeling or replacement project? Homeowners often think about how a project will affect the future value of their home, and with good reason. Even if you don’t plan on selling your home in the near future, certain renovation or replacement projects can have a significant effect on the selling price.

Earlier this month, Rick Wuest, president of Thompson Creek Window Company, appeared on "Around the Home" on WJLA-TV in Washington DC.  He spoke to host Doug Eberhart about the importance of building a window that's made to last.  Thompson Creek windows are maintenance free, energy efficient and add to the value of the home.  He also talked about the benefit of working with a local company - Thompson Creek, with their factory in Landover, MD, and administrative offices in Lanham, MD, designs a window that's made to accomodate the weather conditions in the mid-Atlantic.

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Installing replacement windows can add significant value to your home just by improving energy efficiency. According to Energy Information Administration, they estimate that as much as one third of the average home’s heat loss occurs through windows and doors.

When trying to decide if you need to replace your windows, you need to consider when your home was built and if it still has the original windows. You also need to evaluate the condition of your windows – do they show signs of wear, wood rot, warping, are difficult to open or have cranks that no longer work? And if you have single pane windows, this could be one of the biggest reasons to replace them. Single pane windows are not energy efficient, so upgrading to double pane windows will keep your home much cooler in the summer. You will significantly reduce outside noise coming in through your windows. And you’ll dramatically reduce your energy bills.

Having a more energy efficient home will also increase its resale value. Remodeling magazine’s "Cost vs. Value Report" says that "vinyl window replacements resulted in national recovery rates of 81%. Replacement windows are a truly solid investment…"

When choosing a replacement window company, it’s important to look for windows that are eligible for the tax credit under the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. Windows from Thompson Creek will make your house more energy efficient, and you can claim a tax credit. Talk to your tax advisor for details.

According to CNNmoney.com, a recent poll said that 52% of homeowners say they are focused on smaller projects that increase their enjoyment of their homes even if they don't increase its value. The problem is, those people are in danger of wasting money on projects that won't increase their pleasure after all. That's because the survey shows that people aren't always right about what will make them happy in their homes.

Elizabeth Fenner, assistant managing editor for MONEY magazine, says, "For instance, homeowners think that their outdoor space has a big impact on their happiness, but it turns out that's not true. Indoor spaces have much more impact - particularly the living room or family room, the kitchen, and bedrooms."

The study shows that small changes could add resale value to your home, and make you happier. One suggestion that came from the study results is to upgrade your home's windows. "Get double-paned windows to muffle sound, advises Eve Edelstein, a neurophysiologist and president of Innovative Design Science, a San Diego firm that uses clinical research to improve the design of buildings. A 2007 study by a consortium of European scientists shows that exposure to irregular sounds such as sirens when you're sleeping can cause hypertension."

By replacing your old windows with double-pane vinyl replacement windows, you will definitely notice a decrease in the amount of outside noise entering your home. In addition, replacement windows like those from Thompson Creek increase your home's energy efficiency, which you'll notice right away on your energy bill. Thompson Creek windows have hidden hardware which conceals the working parts inside the window, giving you a clean look and allowing more daylight in.

If your home is more than a few years old, you may have areas of siding that show signs of wear. Whether it’s wood siding, aluminum siding or vinyl siding, over time siding can fade, develop leaks, warp, crack or dent. And old siding is typically much less energy efficient than newer siding.

So if you have a section of siding that is damaged, do you just replace that section or your entire home? It makes the most sense to do the complete job. If you have a area of damage, the rest of the old siding is at risk for similar damage in the near future. Older siding is susceptible to wind damage. It is easier for water to penetrate the siding and damage your home.

By installing new siding on your entire home, you can take advantage of the latest developments in siding. Vinyl siding from companies like Thompson Creek Window Company lays flat, hides any imperfections in the underlayment, has fewer seams and is foam laminated to add extra insulation to your home and block noise.

Thompson Creek siding is also thicker and 300% more impact-resistant, providing your home with lifetime protection from ice, hail, winds up to 165 mph and other damaging weather conditions. And with vinyl siding, you never have to climb a ladder again to paint your house.

With the state of our economy, homeowners today are more interested than ever in easy, budget-conscious ways to add value to their home.

Christine Romans, a veteran CNN money correspondent, says that at the peak of the remodeling frenzy in 2005 a homeowner could recoup 80% of the cost of a state-of-the-art kitchen. But today the value a homeowner can get from a big renovation project is falling fast.

So homeowners should be smart about which improvements to invest in. Don Zeman, experienced home contractor and host of the home improvement radio show, Homefront, says there are key home improvement projects that can make life in a current home more enjoyable in the short term and pay big dividends for homeowners when the time comes to sell the home. Projects that Don recommends include:

• Replace old, leaky windows with energy efficient vinyl replacement windows. Not only will new windows make the whole house look better, but Energy Star-compliant windows help save on energy bills all year long.
• Trim out exterior windows and doors. If there is old, rotting wood around windows (or no trim at all), a good choice is low maintenance all-weather PVC millwork, which resists insects, rot and termites.
• Bump out to a bay window or bow window. Along with adding extra living space, bay and bow windows add instant visual interior and exterior appeal to homes. People value the extended space that can add room for a window seat, highlight a Christmas tree or simply bring more light into the home.

The crisp spring air, longer days, warming breezes, the landscape coming to life after a long winter. The signs of spring are invigorating, and encourage many homeowners to get outside to get their yard and home exterior ready for summer.

But exterior maintenance can become tedious and time consuming, especially if your home isn't new. Worn out gutters may be clogged with debris pulling away from the roof. If the downspouts aren't configured correctly, you could see landscape erosion. Your wood siding may be peeling, splitting or warping, and at the very least need power washing. Your window frames and sills may need sanding and repainting.

Now imagine your home with a low maintenance exterior. Vinyl replacement windows that never need sanding or repainting. A gutter system that never clogs or pulls away from your home. Downspouts carrying rain water away from your home efficiently and effectively, eliminating landscape erosion. Vinyl siding that is thicker, stronger and better insulated.

Thompson Creek Window Company is your local source for homeowners in Maryland, Washington DC and northern Virginia for products that decrease the amount of maintenance your home requires. For over 30 years, Thompson Creek has become the mid-Atlantic’s premier home improvement replacement products company with our vinyl windows, siding, doors, and rain gutters. All of our products are custom-manufactured, installed and serviced from our family-owned and operated facilities in Landover, Maryland.

Thompson Creek knows that our customers want replacement home improvement products that beautify their home, increase their home value, curb appeal and return on investment, save them money in energy costs, and will incur no additional maintenance or costs in the long run.

In her new book, Smart is the New Rich (Wiley Publishing, 2010), Christine Romans talks about home improvement projects and which ones make the most financial sense. Romans, a veteran CNN money correspondent, says that at the peak of the remodeling frenzy in 2005 a homeowner could recoup 80% of the cost of a state-of-the-art kitchen. But today the value a homeowner can get from a big renovation project is falling fast.

Romans contends the "post-bubble rule of thumb" is that exterior remodeling, small, or strategic improvements give homeowners the best bang for their buck. She specifically cites door and window replacements as allowing homeowners to recoup more than 80% of the cost of the project. Romans says finishing a basement, attic bedroom or a new deck are other projects with higher returns. Home office remodels and sunroom additions add the least resale value to a home. Roman also says that new replacement windows in the mid-Atlantic and northeast deliver better return on investment than in the south.

She sums up which remodeling projects make the most sense: "In general, remember, in a tough housing market the renovations that make the most sense are the improvements that add curb appeal."

To increase your home's curb appeal while helping maximize your investment, consider Thompson Creek Window Company. Thompson Creek windows, siding, doors, and rain gutters all increase your home value as well as energy efficiency. Thompson Creek windows qualify for the new 2011 energy tax credit. Our gutter system is guaranteed never to clog or pull away from your home. Our vinyl siding will insulate your home and block up to 45% more noise than regular siding. You will increase the curb appeal of your home with a new entry door, sliding glass door, or French doors.

Almost without exception, replacement windows, will add value to your property. This happens in two ways.  First, when it's time to sell your home, the new buyer will negotiate your asking price downward when they factor in the cost of replacing old windows.  Second, studies show that the two most important items on a new homebuyer's list are energy efficiency and less exterior maintenance.  New windows will improve the energy efficiency of your home, and give you a maintenance-free solution.