Winterizing Your Home Atlanta GA

(ARA) - Cold weather is on the horizon, threatening to leak into your home and send a chill up your spine. With skyrocketing energy costs and a global movement to “go green,” now’s the time to help keep precious energy from going right out the window.

For many energy-conscious home and business owners, “draft dodging” starts by replacing weathered doors and windows with more carefully crafted energy-efficient designs, like those earning the ENERGY STAR which denotes the most energy-efficient products.

Winterizing for a warmer home

Regardless of the climate you live in, one way to enhance your home’s comfort and energy efficiency year-round is through a window and door replacement. Older windows and doors can shift and warp over time, leaving cracks that invite cold winter air and sizzling summer heat into an otherwise cozy home. When replacing, choose efficient materials, like vinyl, wood or fiberglass that can greatly reduce the flow of heat and cold in and around windows compared with the energy loss of old, cold metal frames.

When it comes to saving energy, most Americans know they can and should do more, starting at home.

“A majority of American homeowners (51 percent) said their windows aren’t ‘green’ or energy-efficient enough,’” said Elaine Sagers, vice president of marketing, Pella Windows & Doors, quoting a recent national study conducted by Kelton Research. “That fact, combined with the new sense of practicality about home improvement, shows that many consumers are truly looking for ways to reduce their monthly utility bills and home upkeep.”

According to the Kelton study, 49 percent of homeowners reported that their utility bills went down after a window replacement project. They also found their homes to be more comfortable (48 percent) and valuable (38 percent), and their new windows to be more aesthetically pleasing (48 percent).

Another step in making a home more energy-efficient is installing new exterior doors. Newer wood and fiberglass models are designed to fit snugly and insulate efficiently. Replacing dilapidated doors can help lower heating and cooling costs.

Energy-saving solutions

“As a leader in environmental stewardship, Pella is focused on delivering innovative designs that enhance energy efficiency and create better views for homes and businesses,” said Kathy Krafka Harkema, Pella Windows & Doors spokesperson.

Pella earned the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year in the windows category in 2007 and 2008. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) commended Pella for its industry leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by manufacturing and educating consumers about energy-efficient products. Pella is also an EPA SmartWay partner, striving to transport goods efficiently to help reduce transportation-related emissions.

For more information on winterizing measures that include energy-efficient windows and doors, or to schedule an in-home consultation, contact a local Pella Window & Door Showroom expert by calling (888) 84-PELLA or logging on to www.pella.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent