3 Tips to Help You Choose the Perfect Exterior Windows

Homeowners looking to renovate their residences often focus all their attention on new appliances and paint colors. Very few homeowners consider the impact new windows can have on the design of their home.

Window selection should reflect the architectural style of your home, as well as your own personal sense of style. Incorporating new windows into your renovation budget will allow you to transform the way your home looks from both the inside and outside.

Use these helpful tips to select the exterior windows that will embody the style and elegance of your home.

1. Identify the Window's Purpose

The selection of exterior windows should always begin with the identification of the purpose the window serves. All windows have the ability to let natural sunlight into your home, but some windows can serve other purposes as well. Sliding glass doors are essentially windows that act as an entryway into your home.

Some windows are decorative or ornamental and don't open to allow air into your home. The perfect exterior window will not only be beautiful; it will address any lighting issues you have in your home. You can opt to install a solar tube in a darker area of your home where a traditional window isn't feasible. You can add a skylight in your living or dining room to help the space feel more open.

If you take the purpose of a window into consideration during the selection process, it will be easier to identify which exterior windows are right for your home.

2. Consider Your Landscape

The landscape surrounding your home should also be taken into consideration when you are investing in new exterior windows. Because windows allow the outside environment to become a part of your home's interior, you must consider the impact a given style of window will have on your interior design.

If you have a particularly desirable view from your home, you can use an exterior window to transform this view into an interior focal point. A large picture window will offer an unobstructed view of the landscape that lies beyond your home.

If your home doesn't have a great view, you might opt to use exterior windows to create a focal point by relying on unique shapes and colorful glass instead. A series of unique smaller windows will give you access to the sunlight and visual interest you desire without allowing the outside environment to become highly visible when you are inside your home.

3. Factor in Ventilation

Exterior windows can help reduce your cooling costs and improve the comfort of your home's interior by offering ventilation. It's important that you select the right windows for your renovation if you want to increase the amount of ventilation your windows provide.

Operable windows are the preferred option in rooms where ventilation is important. An operable window can be opened to help move air throughout your home. Some examples of operable exterior windows include horizontal and vertical sliding windows, crank windows, and casement windows.

Fixed windows cannot be opened, which prevents them from contributing to the ventilation of your home. You must factor your unique ventilation needs into the equation when determining which exterior windows are right for your home.

Exterior windows have the potential to improve the overall design of your home, but only if you select the right style of window during a home renovation.

You must take into account important factors like purpose, view, and ventilation if you want to end up with exterior windows that will serve as an asset well into the future. Contact Wadsworth Glass Inc. for help finding the perfect exterior windows for your home.