It’s often said that purchasing a home is a major milestone for a family, that comes with pride and happiness. In all the organized chaos that comes with the closing of a residential real estate transaction, sometimes the most little noticed, but important issues, go unnoticed. Such a problem is the windows and doors.
Door Functionality It’s imperative you check all the windows and doors for efficiency. If they’re not efficient, they can become an expensive to replace, not just the doors and windows themselves, but in terms of household energy consumption. A walk through of the home’s interior should show that the doors line up with their frames, and close tightly, without any rattling or stickiness. Door knobs and handle hardware should be firmly attached, twist and turn without hesitation, and locking mechanisms lock, and unlock with ease. Inspect the door frames for gaps when the door is closed. Visible gaps are a highway for cold air to enter during the winter, and exit during the summer. Left unrepaired, your utility bills will skyrocket. They same holds true for windows. Older homes most likely are single pane windows. Exposure to the elements will crack, and dry out perimeter caulking. When his happens, windows will shake and rattle during wind, rain and snowstorms. You risk a loose window pane cracking, or shattering, and like doors, your heating, and cooling costs will swell. Take note of the direction of the living, and recreation rooms of the house face. If they face the South, you can expect an abundance of natural lighting, yet the opposite happens if the living room faces the North or East, If so, there may be a significant decrease in sunlight. Are shrubbery, and trees in front of the windows, stopping the sun from shining through? Abundant sunlight brings warmth and happiness into a room. Age and Condition Get close up and personal with the window panes. Window panes and storm windows have are spaced apart with an air barrier in between. A thermal window is a single insulated pane which provides greater energy efficiency. Make sure there are screens in the window assembly. Not set in place and visible during the Winter months, when Spring and Summer roll around, you’ll take notice real quick, if there are screens in the window assembly, once bugs and mosquito begin invading your home. Window and Door Style With the technical elements of the doors and windows checked for functionality, look closely at their styling. Are the doors smooth or full of nicks, and gouges? Does the initial appearance appeal to you? Is the door flat or have and engraved panel design? Is is painted a dark color? Is the door paint chipping and flaking? If the answer is yes, then you’ll either be spending your free time stripping the doors, resanding, and refinishing them to suit your appearance. If you don’t have the time, then purchasing new doors become a bit expensive. Bad windows are a homeowner's nightmare, but homes that have bay windows, and sliding glass door windows have some curb appeal to them. Bay windows add a bit of romance to a home's appearance, and sliding glass doors make it easy for family members to go in and out of the house, and into the backyard for playing, skimming or barbecuing. Invest some time in the inspection of the doors, and windows and you'll feel confident about purchasing the home of your dreams.
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