Happy Halloween

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 

From Your Friends at Century Glass!!!

We Hope You Have A Safe 

and Fun Holiday!

Energy Efficient Holiday Decorating

Whether it’s Halloween, Christmas, or another celebration, the holidays are the greatest time of year, but also the most expensive. From costumes and candy, to Thanksgiving feasts, to gifts for the whole family; the Holidays are also the most stressful on the family wallet. So today, we’re going to give you some tips to keep those winter bills from going up, so you have more money to spend on getting down. With just a few small tricks and tips, you can save tons of cash on holiday decorating to reallocate wherever you see fit.

The first small trick you can do to save money when you choose to start decorating for the seasons is to throw out those old string lights. Now, everyone loves to use string lights, but they’re notorious energy eaters and an extremely festive family can find themselves left with a hefty electricity bill at the end of the season. To help ease the burden, but to also prevent cutting back on the decorating, use LED lights to light up your house. The LED’s require much less energy than traditional holiday light strands, and you’ll definitely tell a difference by the time the bills roll in. Additionally, if you choose to use ENERGYSTAR® products, there are often many local rebates and coupons available for use at local hardware stores. Invest in a timer. You can attach it to your lights to limit the amount of time your lights remain on, and also will prevent prolonged light use from forgetting to shut them off. Also, the use of reflective surfaces and reflective decorations can help magnify light and reduce the overall amount of light needed. Play with some creative ways to maybe even reflect some of your neighbor’s grandiose display onto yours. Now sit back and enjoy that beautiful, energy-efficient display!

Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is right around the corner and soon little trick-or-treaters in a variety of costumes will be on their way in search of candy. Keep in mind these safety tips when prepping for the upcoming crowd of hungry children!

1. Have a clear path - Make sure there are no objects in the way of your front door - look out for toys, trash, yard waste or even decorations.  Tape down any cords you may have plugged in so they don't cause anyone to trip.
2. Keep your yard lit - Turn on your porch light if you are welcoming trick-or-treaters.  If you have Jack-o-Lanterns out, try to use LED candles to light them instead of live flames.
3. If you have pets keep them inside the house or locked up.  They may be frightened by all of the visitors and it's best to plan ahead for their peace of mind and the protection of others.
4. If you're out of candy or not participating, turn all your lights out to let trick-or-treaters know.  You can even put out a "No Candy" sign if you don't want there to be any confusion.
5. Remember if you are handing out candy not to include homemade goods - some parents are wary of having their children eat homemade food from strangers especially with allergy concerns.

So pick out a bag of your favorite candy and enjoy handing it out this Halloween - just make sure to save some for yourself!

Repair or Replace? - The Great Debate

So you’ve been thinking those windows look a little drab or worn out? Often many will simply jump to getting new windows before truly assessing their situations. Often you will find that most windows aren’t quite ready to throw in the towel just yet. It’s understandable why many do, though. New windows boast a much more appealing aesthetic and are often more effective than older windows at retaining heat or keeping cold out, however; replacement of all windows is immensely expensive and the ultimate energy savings are minor compared to the savings you could see by doing some cheaper home projects (sealing air gaps, reducing water heater temperature, or replacing light bulbs, etc.) To not only optimize energy efficiency but also spruce up your windows for the several more years they have in them, check below to see exactly how you should approach the situation. Sometimes though, there is no option but to replace, so the hard part comes in deciding which to choose. We put together this explanation to help you sort out where your windows stand, and what options you have when it goes to rectifying their issues.

Probably one of the biggest and trickiest problems people have with their windows is rotting wood that allows free movement of air in and out the house. The reason rotting wood is considered tricky is simply because often the appearance is much worse than the actual damage, leading owners to falsely believe a replacement is needed. Sometimes replacement will be your only option, but make sure to take a close look below the top layer of the wood. Minimal rotting can be fixed with a small application of epoxy. Any substantial damage to the sill or framework is worth replacing, since the cost of repair would only cost slightly less than a new window installation (on average anywhere form $100 - $150 more). In this case, replacement would most likely be the best choice for the long run.

Another issue that almost guarantees need of a replacement is a broken pane. The cost of hiring someone to remove the window, install a new pane, then put the window back in is virtually the same as replacing it with a new window. The real only time to not replace a window with a broken pane is when the window itself is vintage or unique and would cost hundreds upon hundreds of dollars to replace. Since most of us don’t have this problem, it is usually safe to say replace.

What about foggy windows? A window that has a permanent fog in between panes has a broken seal. Basically this means that due to excessive expanding and contracting from temperature changes, the seal along the window has broken, allowing condensation to form between the panes causing a permanent “fog” that will not go away. With “blown” windows, as they’re called, only a repair is necessary. Installing a new sash is less costly than a replacement and refreshes the life and look of a window.

In general, any windows reluctant to open or close, or that have jammed parts are easily repaired with simple replacement of hardware. This project is easy for any non-handyman to do, and only costs the small amount for the hardware itself. The only time a handyman should be called for something as small as this is if your windows were installed before the discontinuation of lead paint treatments on windows (1978-ish). This is for your safety only; the handyman will be trained on the proper routines for dealing with lead paint treated windows.

Ultimately, it comes down to proper assessment when deciding between repairing and replacing your windows. But with this guide, that will prove no issue for you! We at Century Glass have made sure to include all the information you need to make a confident decision and get your windows back into tip-top shape!