Many Livermore homes are prime candidates for replacement windows. A good portion of them were built in the last century, before window technology became what it is today. The windows you’ll often find in older homes have aluminum frames and single panes of glass. Aluminum and glass, on their own, do very little to keep out the heat and cold. When homeowners replace their old windows with windows that have vinyl frames and two panes of glass, they notice a substantial difference in the comfort level inside their homes! Not only do their homes stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, without excessive use of air conditioners and heater, they are also quieter.
Because Livermore can see some high temperatures in the summer months, it’s important to purchase replacement windows that help keep out the heat. Homeowners should look for replacement window brands with a good Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) rating. SHGC ratings are given out by the National Fenestration Rating Council, a nonprofit organization that provides standardized ratings on replacement windows and patio doors, making it easier to compare products that appear very similar. A window’s SHGC rating tells you how well a window keeps out unwanted heat from the outside. SHGC ratings are on a scale of 0-1, with a lower number being better. The lower the number, the less energy you’ll have to use to keep your home cool when the outside temperatures go up.
Custom Exchange is a replacement window company serving Livermore and the surrounding areas. They sell replacement windows from several different manufacturers, including the Simonton and Monte Verde brands. They have chosen to sell these two brands, in particular, because the do well in the East Bay Area climate, and they come at prices that are affordable to most Livermore homeowners. Simonton and Monte Verde windows both have great SHGC ratings compared to many of the other windows on the market—especially those that come at similar price points. Both brands of windows also come with a lifetime warranty—which means the windows are covered in the case of defects for as long as the purchaser of the windows owns their home.
According to Michal Kuron, owner of Custom Exchange, it’s not just about the brand of windows you purchase, however. You also want to make sure the windows you choose are professionally installed. According to Kuron, “Window installation is a very specialized skill. I would highly recommend going with a replacement window company in Livermore that uses their own team of trained installers—as opposed to one that outsources the installation to subcontractors.”
To learn more about Custom Exchange and the replacement windows they sell, visit their website: https://www.customexchangeinc.com/
