Adding Spring Curb Appeal to Your Home
Now that you’ve cleaned your home’s windows and door and completed other seasonal home maintenance tips, here is a May checklist of updates that can add exceptional spring curb appeal to your home. After inspecting your windows and doors, and checking the hardware to determine if locks and window frames are in good shape and functioning properly, it’s time to make a summer checklist of home improvements that can take your exterior and interior to the next level.
Open Your Home to More Light
Changing your window treatments to a lighter fabric and brighter colors are a standard go-to for homeowners who want to reflect sunny spring and summer seasons within the home’s decor. When you open your home to more sunlight, even the dreary winter season can seem more cheerful. So why not make a spring home improvement change that will benefit your family all year!
According to a NC State University study, more natural light in the home can benefit vision, boost energy levels, provide better sleep quality, and improve your mood. Here are some creative ways to allow more light to filter into your home. And if you discovered damaged or drafty windows, here’s your chance to increase your home’s efficiency and beauty:
- Add Sidelights to your entry door- Narrow, vertical panes of glass that flank your home’s front entry door that adds light into the homes foyer and provide greater visibility to your home’s landscaping. Consider a complete redesign of your window and door openings to increase your home’s overall curb appeal.
- Consider door sidelights that have exquisite design patterns which include etched glass, stained glass, or beveled and leaded glass sidelight windows.
- Install Transom windows – These fixed pane windows are mounted above an entry door or above other windows in the home, acting as a type of skylight without the need to modify the home’s roof. Many homeowners are updating walls to include a collection of different sized windows called ‘window groupings’ as a creative interior design option.
Because of the height of transom windows, homeowners still have the privacy they desire while enjoying a beautiful starlit night sky or waken to a stunning morning sunrise.
- Update to Architectural Style Windows – Today, modern homes feature multiple styles of oversized windows that can turn a bleak space into a dynamic room flowing with energy. Picture windows, along with Bow and Bay Windows offer a striking architectural effect while dramatically increasing the home’s natural lighting.
If your home is of an architectural style such as a Dutch Colonial, Craftsman, or Victorian period home, the window styles may have been changed by previous owners. Speak with a professional window and door installer about restoring your home’s true architectural style window.
- Change Window Trim – If your windows are in great condition, but you feel they still need an update, consider changing the window trim to a different style. The true look of a window from the outside of your home has everything to do with the window trim.
While updating the windows exterior trim, you can opt for a better quality material that is low maintenance, does not rot, and can be painted to add striking visual contrast.
The Difference Your Doors Can Make
As you inspected your home’s door frame and hardware and completed your to do list around the house, also consider the difference your doors can make. Most homeowners consider doors as purely functional — access and security. But, one glance at this Architectural Digest of unique and beautiful door ideas, you can see how you can create contrast and style with replacement doors for your home’s interior and exterior.
- Replace Patio Door with French Doors
- Add Door Seating or a Widow Seat
- Install a Double Entry Door
- Install an Antique Door or a Patina Finish
- Frame Door with Boxed Planters
- Try a Non-Traditional Glass Panel Door
You can significantly change the exterior and interior impact of your home by adding oversized windows or a window grouping and upgrading your doors to a modern style that is either classic or eclectic. RWC Windows, Doors, and More offers design services and can guide homeowners in navigating the wide variety of home improvement design ideas that are now available.
*Note: This is an updated version of the blog post below, originally written in May 2018.*
It’s that time of the year again; spring, when you have to give your home a tune-up to return it to its former glory. The winter season can leave your home exterior in bad shape, and therefore it’s important to undertake some spring home maintenance to avert costly repairs or replacements in the future.
Two of the crucial areas of your home to inspect thoroughly during spring are windows and doors. Well-kept windows and doors are vital for the home’s security, air conditioning, and even aesthetics. Winter can be tough on these structures, causing them to operate inefficiently or lose their aesthetic value. The experts at RWC windows and doors recommend the following spring home maintenance tips to ensure your home’s guard stays up!
1. Inspect your windows and doors thoroughly
A lot can happen to your windows and doors during the past winter or summer seasons. An annual check-up is necessary during spring. Check for both minor and major problems so that you can know what needs fixing or replacement. Some of the common issues you may find with your structures include loose nuts and bolts, rotten wood, loose weatherstripping, chipped paint, squeaking hinges, clogged door tracks, and more.
2. Clean your windows and doors
You can clean dirty window glass surfaces with water and a cloth or soft sponge to remove dirt particles or other foreign materials that may have accumulated over time. You may add some glass cleaner to the water but make sure it does not have scouring agents. When cleaning your exterior doors, consider their stain or paint finish. It is advisable that you request advice from a professional on the best cleaning products to use on the doors.
Also, clean sliding door tracks and window casings to ensure that the doors and windows close without making noises or jamming on the tracks.
3. Repair or replace worn out hardware
Inspect all hardware parts of your windows and doors for tight-fitting or wear and tear. If bolts and nuts are loose, try to tighten them with a screwdriver. If they are worn out or damaged and need replacements, contact a professional to handle it for you. In addition, check all the moving parts on windows and doors to see if they are well lubricated. All gliding parts should be well lubricated at least once per year to reduce friction and prolong the life of hinges and bearings among others.
Test the door and window locks to see if they are operating seamlessly. Your main exterior door should remain sturdy at all times for security reasons.
4. Repair or replace the weatherstripping
The sealant or caulking on your windows or exterior doors is imperative in keeping these structures watertight and ensuring energy efficiency. Check the weatherstripping to see if it’s broken, loose, damaged or has gaps. If it’s destroyed and requires minor repairs, you can do buy a sealant and handle the repair on your own by following the manufacturer’s instructions or calling the experts at RWC for expert advice. But if it’s extensively damaged, have a professional look at it and possibly replace the whole weatherstripping.
5. Install window treatments and coverings
Consider installing window coverings such as blinds, shutters or draperies. They will not only help improve your home’s aesthetics but also boost your energy savings. They help reduce heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter.
Tuning up your home’s windows and doors this summer will go a long way in helping you identify and resolve issues early before they become expensive problems in the future. Contact the professionals at RWC windows and doors today for timely, affordable, and reliable inspections and repair for spring home care!
Takeaways:
The spring maintenance checklist for your windows and doors include:
- Inspecting windows and doors thoroughly
- Cleaning them and their components
- Lubricating, repairing or replacing their hardware
- Fixing or replacing weatherstripping
- Installing window blinds, shutters or drapes
