Tip 1

Turn off lights when you leave the room and unplug appliances, or choose energy-efficient appliances and lightbulbs, such as LED. Don’t forget to turn down the temperature on your water heater!

Tip 2

Air conditioners use more energy than other types of cooling systems, so if you have a choice between central air conditioning and portable units, choose the latter. Parts of BC are hotter than others; if you’re in a region where the temperature isn’t consistently above 25 degrees Celsius, you might not need central air conditioning. A fan could be all that you need.

Tip 3

Of course, energy-efficient windows can go a long way in reducing those hydro bills! Our windows are made from high-performing Fibrex® which is twice as strong as vinyl and blocks thermal transfer nearly 700 times better than aluminum. They’re also ENERGY-STAR® certified, exceling even in the harshest of climates.

Tip 4

Change the air filter regularly on air conditioners and fans. Air conditioners draw in large quantities of dirt and dust from the outside, which eventually builds up on your unit’s cooling coils and reduces its efficiency. A dirty air filter leads to higher hydro bills as it reduces airflow through the system.

Tip 5

Open windows whenever possible to allow cross breezes into your home. This can help with air circulation and reducing humidity levels. Opening windows at night is particularly effective at cooling a house down, just make sure you have a screen to keep the critters out!

Tip 6

Install solar panels on your roof. These panels use natural sunlight to generate power and do not require any fuel or external source of energy to produce electricity. You’ll have to spend some money upfront to install them, but you’ll be able to enjoy free energy for decades without incurring any additional expenses!

Tip 7

Make sure your thermostat is set correctly for the season. In winter months, turn it down as low as possible while still being comfortable indoors. In the summer months, turn it up as high as possible. This will allow you to save money on heating costs during winter and cooling costs during summer by only turning on your HVAC system when necessary.

These strategies will help keep your home cool this summer without breaking the bank. Cutting down on the amount of energy used in your home is important to reducing your carbon footprint as well as helping during a time when many of us are feeling extra pressure on our wallets. We hope that these tips accomplish both of these goals for you this summer, and if so, we encourage you to share them.

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 7 Ways to Keep Your Hydro Bill Under Control in Summer appeared first on Renewal by Andersen of British Columbia.

Skylight windows are a popular window option due to all the benefits they offer. The first benefit is likely the most obvious: they offer significant natural light due to their placement. This advantage is augmented by where the window is placed: a skylight can take a dark space to a bright, welcoming room just with the additional light. They can also increase the overall ventilation and can even help lower your energy bills thanks to the natural heating of the extra sunlight.

Skylights are much more complicated to install than standard windows and it is important that the installation is done correctly to avoid causing structural damage to your roof.

Looking for expert advice on how to install a skylight on a roof? The window installers at Renewal by Andersen® of British Columbia are here to help!

What to Consider for Installing a Skylight – From the Experts

When planning and considering where to install a skylight, the placement of the window is one of the most important factors. Here are a few skylight installation instructions to consider:

• What is the pitch of your roof? If it is under 15 degrees, it is considered flat (which has fewer options). Roofs over 15 degrees have many options from which to choose.
• Will there be multiple skylights? If so, determine how far apart they should be based on your ceiling and roof’s structure.
• Do you want your skylights to be within reach? If you don’t mind them being out of reach, you will need a remote to open them (or a pole).
• What direction will the skylight face? West- or south-facing windows will bring in the most light and also produce the most heat. There is no wrong answer, but you should account for solar heat depending on the direction of the skylight(s).

Skylight Window Installation in British Columbia

Do you want to use skylights in your window replacement? The experts at Renewal by Andersen of British Columbia will ensure your new windows are installed properly, creating the look and feel you want with all the added benefits that skylights offer.

We offer window replacement services in BC, the Lower Mainland, Richmond, White Rock, Surrey, Victoria, and surrounding areas. Give us a call today at (604) 800-5176 and schedule your free consultation with our team of experts who can assist in choosing the skylight window for your home.

The post How To Install A Skylight: Instructions from the Experts appeared first on Renewal by Andersen of British Columbia.

We’ll quickly look at the pros and cons of vinyl windows, and then show you the best alternative to vinyl windows for Vancouver.

Vinyl Windows Pros & Cons

Pros of Vinyl Windows

• As stated above, vinyl is very cost-effective. It’s substantially cheaper than aluminum or wooden frames. This is part of what makes it such an attractive option for many people.

• Cleaning vinyl frames is much easier and quicker than wood and aluminum as well. It’s less prone to staining and most marks can be easily wiped off.

• Vinyl also has fairly good insulating properties. It’s a much better insulator than, say, aluminum, which has a much higher thermal conductivity rating than vinyl.

Cons of Vinyl Windows

While vinyl enjoys many benefits, there are some major downsides.

One of the biggest issues, especially when considering vinyl windows in Vancouver, BC, is vinyl’s propensity to warp and sag. This is particularly noticeable in darker vinyl, which absorbs more heat over time. Once the vinyl starts to sag, it loses much of its insulating benefits largely because large gaps start to form around the frame.

Vinyl also has fewer styling options than some other materials, limiting its usefulness in different types of houses. While function should always come first, aesthetics are an important consideration whenever building and renovating a home.

The Best Vinyl Windows Alternatives

The most well-known window alternatives to vinyl are wood or aluminum windows.

• Wood is sturdy and strong but will rot over time when exposed to the elements. Vancouver’s biting cold during winter is particularly harsh on wooden frames.
• Aluminum is likewise strong but lacks the insulating properties of vinyl or wood.

The ideal alternative, if you’re on the market for vinyl frames, is Fibrex. Fibrex is made of a combination of wood pulp and PVC. This gives it the strength of wood, the weather resistance of plastic, and the insulating properties of wood and vinyl. It withstands the extremes of temperature that vinyl can’t, and to top it all off, it’s environmentally friendly — all the wood pulp is sourced from sawdust left over from wood manufacturing

Fibrex windows are also 2x stronger than vinyl windows and are virtually maintenance-free.

If you’re looking for an affordable, long-lived, insulating material for your windows, contact us today and ask about the best alternative to vinyl windows; Fibrex.

The post Best Vinyl Windows Alternatives in Vancouver appeared first on Renewal by Andersen of British Columbia.