1. Close all doors.

   One way to prevent dust from spreading all over your home is to keep the doors closed. This way, the dust is contained in one area and the doors will block most of the dust from entering other rooms. Try to keep as much dust as you can in one area for easy clean-up.

2. Take out the dust.

   To minimize dust accumulation during your window replacement, you can set up fans that face outdoors. However, you must also be aware of the direction of the wind outside since strong winds can just blow the dust back in.

3. Cover your vents.

   Consider covering the HVAC vents in the areas of your home where the window replacement will take place. In doing so, you can avoid the dust from getting blown throughout your home. If the weather is pleasant, you may choose to turn off your HVAC while the pros are doing work.

4. Put tarps or drop cloths on top of furniture.

   Dust can settle on top of your furniture and other interior fixtures. Relocate them in the days before the installers work on your replacement windows. If some of the items can’t be removed, make sure to cover them with tarps or drop cloths.

We offer window replacement services in the Greater Vancouver Area, the Fraser Valley, Victoria, Nanaimo, and Campbell River. Give us a call today and schedule your free consultation with our team of experts.

The post 4 Tips to Minimize Dust During a Window Replacement appeared first on Renewal by Andersen of British Columbia.

U-Factor and Insulation

To understand what U-Factor is, we must first discuss home insulation. Every home has an enclosure known as the “energy envelope,” which includes the roof (or attic, depending on how insulation is installed), the exterior walls, and the fenestrations: entry doors, skylights, and windows. An ideal energy envelope should maintain stable indoor temperatures by keeping heat transfer to a minimum, reducing the need for heating and cooling systems to compensate, resulting in energy savings.

Simply put, U-Factor measures how well a product—replacement windows, in this case—keeps heat from escaping the energy envelope. Ratings are indicated as a number between 0.20 and 1.20; the lower the value, the better its insulation is. Therefore, when choosing replacement windows, look for values close to 0.20. Custom replacement window companies like Renewal by Andersen take your energy requirements into account during design and will make sure that these are translated into low U-Factor values once built.

Window Insulation

Replacement windows present a challenge when it comes to insulation. Unlike walls and roofs where spaces can be filled with conventional insulation, windows are made of glass, which happens to be a naturally conductive material. This is why traditional windows often feel cold from the indoors: heat leaks through the glass panels.

This is the reason why Renewal by Andersen replacement windows feature double-pane High-Performance Low-E4® glass packages as a standard component. Eliminating contact between interior and exterior surfaces virtually eliminate heat conduction, which results in low U-Factor values. Combined with specially-designed insulated spacers, our exclusive Fibrex® material frames, and precise installation process, you can expect exceptional energy performance throughout its life span.

Renewal by Andersen of British Columbia is the leading replacement window contractor in Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, and Victoria. Give us a call at (604) 800-5176 or fill out our contact form. We serve customers in Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, and Victoria, BC.

The post Everything You Need to Know About U-Factor appeared first on Renewal by Andersen of British Columbia.