Today, environmental consciousness is more important than ever. Due to global climate change, making sustainable choices for your home has never been more crucial. One oft-overlooked aspect of home sustainability is the selection of doors and windows. These simple components of your home play a vital role in comfort, energy efficiency, and your environmental footprint. Keep reading to learn six tips for choosing windows and doors that will enhance your home’s sustainability.

#1. Opt for High-Quality Insulation

As your home’s main points of heat exchange, the right doors and windows can improve your home’s energy efficiency by reducing the need for constant heating and cooling. Look for windows and doors that offer superior insulative properties and reduce the amount of heat exchanged. 

Double- or triple-paned windows with air between the panes are effective barriers against temperature fluctuations. Additionally, doors with solid cores, along with proper weatherstripping, prevent drafts from entering your home, which ensures your home maintains a comfortable temperature year-round.

#2. Embrace Energy-Efficient Glazing

Another way to increase your home’s energy efficiency is by using glass with energy-efficient glazing. Low-emissivity coatings reflect infrared light, which prevents heat from escaping your home during the colder months and minimizing heat gained during the warmer months. This means your HVAC system won’t have to work as hard to keep your home at a comfortable temperature, reducing your energy usage and improving your home’s sustainability.

#3. Window Placement Matters

If you’re building a new home, there are a few things you should keep in mind when it comes to window placement. Windows are a great way to incorporate passive solar design into your home. Passive solar design involves harnessing the energy of the sun for heating and lighting. 

Choosing larger windows lets in lots of natural light, and placing them strategically to maximize the sunlight your home receives decreases the need for artificial light during the day. Plus, natural light provides many benefits to both physical and mental health. 

#4. Prioritize Sustainable Materials

The materials used in windows and doors significantly impact their overall sustainability. When choosing products for your home, look for products made from responsibly sourced wood or recycled materials. Window and door frames are especially important. Wood, vinyl, and fiberglass frames offer increased insulative properties, while aluminum frames conduct more heat. If you choose aluminum frames, make sure it has a thermal break to decrease heat transfer.

Additionally, look for products with Energy Star certification. This indicates the product’s compliance with energy efficiency and sustainability standards.

#5. Consider Proper Ventilation

In addition to providing insulation and natural light, windows and doors also influence indoor air quality. Good air quality is an essential part of ensuring your family’s health and wellness, and too many particulates such as dust and allergens circulating throughout your home can lead to respiratory health issues.

Choosing products that allow proper ventilation promotes healthy airflow and reduces the need for mechanical ventilation systems, which can consume a lot of energy. 

#6. Professional Installation is Key

If your windows and doors are installed improperly, even the most energy-efficient, high-quality products cannot perform optimally. Improper installation can lead to air leaks, decreased insulative properties, condensation on the glass, and reduced energy efficiency. 

To ensure your windows are installed properly, enlist the help of experienced professionals who adhere to high standards and provide high-quality services. 

Improve Your Home’s Sustainability With Products and Services From Peak Windows

If you want the job to be done the right way, you need products and services from a professional, experienced window and door installation company. At Peak Windows, we prioritize honesty and integrity, so you can count on us to provide excellent service and high-quality products. Plus, all our products are covered by a lifetime warranty, so if anything goes wrong, you can count on us to make it right.

We value sustainability and want to provide eco-friendly solutions for our customers, which is why we offer many Energy Star products that can contribute to your home’s sustainability and save you money on your heating and cooling costs. Additionally, our convenient financing options make new windows and doors more affordable for everyone. 

If you’ve been dreaming of new windows and doors for your home, now is the time to take action! Give us a call at (385) 770-4635, come visit us in Logan or Farmington, Utah, or fill out our online contact form. We’re excited to hear from you!

You interact with doors all the time, but chances are, you’ve never given them much thought. In addition to protecting your home and providing privacy, doors are a great way to add style and flair to your home. When choosing the right doors for your home, keep in mind these seven tips to maximize functionality and improve your home’s appearance.

1. Determine Your Needs and Budget

Whether you’re building a new home or simply updating the features of an old one, the first things to consider when choosing doors for your home are your needs and budget. Consider each door’s purpose, how frequently it will be used, and the level of security it requires. In addition, determine whether you would benefit from doors that provide enhanced insulative properties and increase your home’s energy efficiency.

Understanding your home’s unique needs will help you determine where to start and help you narrow down your options.

2. Match the Style of Your Home

Believe it or not, doors can do a lot to define the overall design aesthetic of a home. There are endless styles available, from modern to rustic to traditional, and choosing the right type of door ensures it blends seamlessly into the rest of your home’s design.

For instance, if you’re a fan of the farmhouse style, try some sliding barn doors as a focal point in your dining room or living area. If your home has a lot of vintage charm, wooden interior doors will fit right in. For minimalist homes, sleek and simple doors are best.

Additionally, consider the amount of space you have in your home. For tight spaces like small bathrooms, consider pocket doors. For large, grand spaces, French doors can add an elegant touch. In smaller rooms, you may want to forgo closet doors altogether and instead opt for curtains.

With a little extra care, you can take your home’s style to the next level by choosing the right doors.

3. Focus on Material Quality

Ensure your doors have increased durability and longevity by choosing high-quality materials. Doors can be made of all kinds of materials, including wood, metal, glass, steel, vinyl, and fiberglass. Each material serves a specific purpose — for instance, metal doors are appropriate for exterior entry points, while glass doors are good for showers. 

Choosing the right materials for the doors in your home improves your home’s functionality and can provide features such as energy efficiency, greater comfort, and increased security.

4. Prioritize Security Features

Because they provide an entry point, you should prioritize security features when choosing exterior doors for your home. High-quality locks, strong deadbolts, and reinforced frames play a big role in keeping your home and family safe from would-be intruders. 

If you choose a glass exterior door, make sure the glass is impact-resistant. Tempered and laminated glass are great options for both doors and windows since they are stronger than standard glass and are less likely to break.

If you have a basement, consider basement egress doors. They provide an escape route in case of emergency and allow emergency personnel to access your home if needed. 

Safety is critical, so don’t overlook security features when choosing doors for your home.

5. Consider Energy Efficiency

In order to keep your home at a comfortable temperature and reduce strain on your heating and cooling systems, you want to reduce the amount of heat loss in the the winter and heat gain in the summer. Windows and doors are the main places heat exchange happens in your home.

In order to make your home more energy efficient, you want to reduce heat transfer. One way to do this is to choose doors for your home that have high energy efficiency and insulation ratings and utilize weather stripping and insulated cores.

6. Evaluate Maintenance Requirements

Don’t forget to consider the maintenance your doors require. If you have a busy lifestyle and don’t have much time to dedicate to upkeep, choose doors like fiberglass and vinyl that are durable, low-maintenance, and can withstand harsh weather conditions without deteriorating. 

Peak Windows Provides Doors for Your Home

At Peak Windows, we are dedicated to providing our customers with high-quality windows and doors for their homes and commercial properties. We create custom products in our office in Logan, Utah, to keep costs down and ensure they are of the highest quality possible. Additionally, we provide broken glass repair and replacement services to help you keep your home well-maintained. If you have any questions about our products or services, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

There are many benefits for homeowners who live adjacent to a golf course. The open space, water features, manicured grass, and beautiful trees provide pleasant views, and fewer neighbors means greater privacy and a more serene environment. 

Despite all the benefits of golf course living, there are also some drawbacks. Stray golf balls can damage your home and break your windows, and the close proximity to wildlife can lead to increased dust, pollen, and debris building up on your home’s exterior. If you live by a golf course, follow these six steps to ensure your home is protected.

#1. Understand the Risks

The biggest risk associated with living near a golf course is damage from stray golf balls. If a golfer’s aim is off, their ball can smash holes in your home’s siding, break your windows, or shatter your glass patio furniture. It may vary depending on the location and legal precedence, but usually, golf courses and their patrons are not liable for damage to neighboring homes as long as the player did not intentionally aim for your home.

In addition to damage from golf balls, you may find your home’s exterior accumulates a layer of dirt and pollen from the golf course’s trees, and you may even get visits from critters and creatures. Any open space with lots of flora also attracts native fauna such as snakes, mice, birds, and frogs, and these animals may make their way into your yard or home. 

Understanding the risks of living near a golf course can help you be better prepared for anything that comes your way and prevent significant damage.

#2. Reinforce Windows

If you’re worried about rogue golf balls damaging your windows, invest in some high-quality glass. There are many options out there for break-resistant windows, including tempered glass, laminated glass, and double-pane windows. Each of these types of windows are good options for people who live near a golf course.

Tempered Glass

Tempered glass is heat-treated, then quickly cooled, making it four times stronger than regular glass. When broken, it produces small, dull pieces of glass instead of dangerous shards. This ensures that if your window does break, the danger to you and your family is decreased.

Laminated Glass

When two or more sheets of glass are connected with a thin polymer layer between them, it’s called laminated glass. When laminated glass experiences an impact, usually only one layer of glass shatters. Thanks to the polymer layer, the pieces stay together, and minor damage to laminated glass can be repaired using a special resin. Plus, laminated glass can be made using sheets of tempered glass, providing even more impact resistance.

Double-Pane Windows

Instead of a single sheet of glass, double-pane windows have two panes of glass set into the same frame, a few inches apart. This ensures that if one pane is damaged, there’s a backup, so your home remains protected.

#3. Install Protective Barriers

Protective barriers such as fences or netting can prevent rogue balls from entering your property. Transparent netting is an especially great option since it doesn’t obstruct the views that made it appealing to live near a golf course in the first place.

#4. Perform Regular Window Maintenance

If something does happen to your windows, even if it’s minor damage, don’t procrastinate getting it fixed. Minor problems can quickly escalate, causing major problems that are more complicated and expensive to fix. 

Regular maintenance is imperative to ensuring your windows retain their protective qualities. If you live near a golf course, it’s especially important to regularly check for cracks or chips and clean off any dirt or debris.

#5. Seek Professional Window Inspection

To ensure your windows are in peak condition and are prepared to withstand potential hazards, contact a local window technician for a professional inspection. They can assess the condition of your windows and recommend improvements, repair any damage, or replace broken glass. 

#6. Landscape Planning

Finally, strategic landscape planning can create a natural barrier between your home and the dangers of the golf course. Tall trees and dense shrubs improve the appearance of your property while preventing stray golf balls from hitting your house. 

Professional Service from Peak Windows

Whether you need windows for your newly constructed home or repairs or replacements for older windows, the professional team at Peak Windows can help. In addition to windows, we also install interior and exterior doors, along with basement egress doors. Contact us today to book a service appointment.