Tag: replacing home windows

Add More Windows and Skylights to Your Home and Let the Sun Shine In

Skylights installation adds more natural light.

Bring more natural light into your home with skylights installation.

Homes lacking adequate amounts of natural light can begin to feel like dark caves. There are many ways to increase natural illumination in your home. Perhaps you are considering replacing home windows with new models, which protect from UV rays, allow more light and conserve energy. Others might consider installing skylights to add extra illumination and a wonderful view of the night sky. No matter what the design, style or age of your home, there are lighting solutions that can help brighten rooms, as well as your mood.

Benefits of Using Natural Light

There are many advantages to using natural light to brighten your house. Replacing home windows with larger units allow greater illumination and can make the room feel more spacious and comfortable.  Well lit areas can help you feel less cramped and help improve your mood, increase energy and improve productivity. Aside from these aesthetic and health benefits, you can save energy, while reducing reliance on electrical lighting. As a general rule, we all respond, feel and act better in a home lit using natural sources.

Skylights installation enhances the beauty of any home.

You can transform the look of your home with skylights installation.

Proper Placement of Skylights and Windows

When installing skylights, it is important to note they provide an excellent source of natural light, but they can also be a passive source of solar heat. Roof windows or skylights placed on a north-facing roof offer constant illumination, which is relatively cool. These units placed on an east-facing roof can provide a maximum amount of light and offer solar heat during the morning, while those facing west offer afternoon light but can also provide larger amounts of heat, specifically in the late afternoon. Skylights installation typically is beneficial in areas where it’s not practical to add more windows, such as in hallways or in closed kitchen areas. Adding a window in the home’s entryway can also help it appear more welcoming.

Other Ways to Brighten Your Home

Aside from installing skylights and windows, there are other strategies that can help make good use of natural light sources. For example, replacing interior solid doors with French doors helps share light among rooms. If possible, inside walls can be removed to make a space seem roomier and offer shared lighting opportunities. Front doors can be lined with windows providing sidelights or solid doors exchanged for designs featuring paned glass. Adding customized lighting in areas around focal points like fireplaces or artwork can add beneficial light to a room.

If you are considering increasing the natural light in your home by installing skylights or replacing home windows, contact us. At Colony Home Improvement in Massachusetts, we have the experience and expertise to help you achieve optimal lighting.

How New Energy Efficient Windows Can Increase the Value of Your Home

Replacing windows makes your home more energy efficient.

Using replacement windows can give your home a boost in value.

Windows are one of the biggest reasons why homes lose energy. If your home has older windows, it may be time to consider energy efficient replacement windows. Something as simple as replacing older home windows can have a significant impact on your energy costs. However, in addition to improving your energy bills, you can also increase the value of your home.

Increase Sales Appeal

If you are trying to sell your home, it can be difficult to make your house stand apart from the others on the market. This is especially true with the increased number of foreclosures available. To make your home more appealing to prospective buyers, adding energy efficient replacement windows can increase the amount of offers and improve curb appeal, bringing more foot traffic to your home. This can make your home more attractive to prospective buyers.

Low Maintenance, Big Savings

Even though a few home buyers look for a fixer-upper, many want a home that doesn’t need a lot of updates. In addition, they don’t want to spend extra money on their utility bills if they don’t need to. By replacing home windows with energy efficient options, you can increase the chances a prospective buyer will offer more on your home. The energy savings and easy maintenance can be appealing selling points.

A Great Return

Replacement windows offer a great return on the investment you make. It can be unsettling to think about the cost of replacing the windows, but you can often recoup a significant portion of that cost, especially if you want to sell your home. However, even if you intend to remain in your home, energy efficient replacement windows can begin paying for themselves in the energy you will save.

Other Benefits

If you still aren’t sure whether replacing home windows is the right option, there are other benefits to consider. In addition to increasing the value of your home and decreasing your energy bills, new windows can:

  • Improve your curb appeal.
  • Provide protection from the sun’s UV rays.
  • Qualify you for government rebates and incentives.
  • Eliminate dangerous moisture problems that can result in structural damage.

Replacing windows can create a new look for your home, which can be helpful whether you plan to stay in your home or you intend to sell it.

Energy efficient replacement windows can be one of the best renovations you make for your home, especially if you are trying to increase its value or save money on your energy bills. This simple project can improve your home’s curb appeal and make it more attractive to buyers who are looking for energy efficiency and minimal updates.

If you are interested in replacing home windows, contact us. Our MA contractors can help you choose the right windows to look great and keep your utility bills low.