Vinyl Windows: A Smart Replacement

Vinyl replacement windows are a smart investment. They are one of today’s most popular replacement window options because they are attractive, effective, and increase a home’s resale value.

Vinyl windows have several practical benefits. For one, the material is great for insulation because it has the highest  R-value of any window material. R-value measures a window’s ability to trap air inside and prevent outside air from coming in. They are more energy efficient because they keep your home cooler during the summer and warmer during the winter.

In addition to the fact that vinyl replacement windows are good insulators, they are also very easy to maintain. Vinyl windows need almost zero attention after they are installed. Aside from the occasional hosing down and glass cleaning, they are low maintenance because you never have to paint them or refresh the material.

In terms of durability and security, they rank as one of the best as well. Vinyl windows usually have excellent locking systems that are set into the frame, so they are not easy to force open once they are securely sealed.

Vinyl windows are available in all kinds of styles, which make it possible to match them with any architectural style. They come in double hung, single pane, and rounded options in addition to the most basic, traditional styles.

Vinyl replacement windows also very budget friendly and are considered to be one of the cheapest choices when it comes to replacement windows. They are less expensive both in initial and long term cost compared to wood and aluminium-framed windows. People usually enjoy their biggest savings after vinyl windows are installed. It is common to experience utility savings up to 50%, and the government also offers tax credits of up to 30% of the price of the windows or $1500.

Jennifer Fields
Oklahoma City & Edmond Real Estate Agent
405.330.0031

Choosing the Right Type of Window Glass

Although window are an essential part of every home, not all of them are created equally. Windows have become far more advanced and specialized over years with many more options now available. Choosing the right type of glass for your windows is an important decision.  Every type of glass has distinct properties that may make it more appropriate for one particular function over another.

Here are some of the more common types of window glass and the distinctive qualities of each.

1. Tempered Glass. This type of glass is heat-treated and shatterproof. It crumbles into blunt pieces when broken, reducing the chance of injury. It is also very durable, so it is often used in things like doors and storm windows. Tempered glass is not an energy efficient option, however.
2. Patterned Glass. This type of window glass is covered with patterns or designs which are often translucent and can be colored or plain. It is a perfect option for areas where both natural light and privacy are needed. The patterns prohibit anyone from looking through the glass, but allow enough light to enter through the glass to light the room.
3. Tinted Glass. Due to the remarkable benefits that tinted windows provide to car owners, several homeowners also choose to have them in their homes. Tinted glass reduces the intrusion of UV rays into your home and also increases the level of privacy. Tinted filming has also been proven to considerably decrease the amount of time it takes to shatter glass, since the shards of glass are kept together by the film. This makes it more difficult for someone to break into your house through the windows.
4. Low Emissivity Glass. This glass is energy efficient, coated on one side with a thin metal coating that reflects transmitted heat, and reduces heat transfer. It can reduce heat transfer up to70%. It does not, however, reduce the amount of light that passes into the room.

Jennifer Fields
Oklahoma City & Edmond Real Estate Agent
405.330.0031

Benefits of Vinyl Flooring

If you have decided to rip up the old flooring  in your home and lay down something new, you might wonder which types of materials will be best for the look you want and the budget you have. Certain rooms in your home may have more choices when it comes to viable options; however, when we’re talking about the bathroom or kitchen, vinyl flooring offers the perfect solution.

Vinyl flooring is often called resilient flooring. It is versatile and durable flooring that continues to increase in popularity. Vinyl floors are an excellent, attractive flooring choice that can bring style and elegance to your interior, while also offering great functionality.

In fact, vinyl flooring offers a number of advantages. The biggest advantage of vinyl flooring is, of course, the cost. Vinyl flooring is very economical compared to other sorts of flooring, which makes it very budget-friendly. It is also easy to install, which means DIY-ers with basic skills can lay them down themselves instead of having to incur the costs of hiring a professional. Vinyl floors last a long time and don’t have to be frequently replaced, which also saves you a lot of money in the long run.

As far as durability goes, nothing compares to vinyl.  It will not rip or tear when installed over proper sub-flooring and can sustain the weight of heavier items and appliances. It is able to withstand the most highly trafficked areas in a home without sacrificing aesthetic appeal.

Another reason vinyl flooring is so popular among homeowners is its cleanliness and hygiene. Vinyl wood flooring is water resistant and almost seam-less, so it prevents bacteria growth and mold build up. It has a high resistance to moisture because it is covered with three surface coatings of wax, which also minimize dirt build up and scratch marks.

Jennifer Fields
Oklahoma City & Edmond Real Estate Agent
405.330.0031

How to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

Keeping our indoor air quality clean is important. Although you naturally feel safe inside the comforts of your own home, the quality of your air may actually be harming your health. It is important to take measures to ensure that you have high quality air in your home, as it will make a difference in how you breathe and will help reduce your risk of suffering from allergies.

Below are some helpful tips on ways you can improve the quality of your indoor air:

• Install flooring that enables you to breathe easier. There are flooring options available these days that have a lower retention of allergens. Dust and allergens cannot accumulate as easily, which drastically improves air quality.
• Have your cooling and heating systems checked and cleaned regularly. Dirt can accumulate in your air ducts and air filters, and if it continues to pile up, it begins to disseminate into the air. Having your ducts and filters cleaned regularly will reduce the allergens in your air and will also help your systems function more efficiently.
• Minimize the use of pollutant-producers. There are things we use at home that are full of chemical pollutants that are harmful to the body. Examples include harsh cleaning agents and paints. Explore more natural-based materials to use inside your home.
• Control the moisture content in the air. Moisture causes mold and mildew buildup, which can be extremely harmful to your health when breathed in. Take measures to keep the air inside your home dry by using exhaust fans in your bathrooms, drying dishes well before placing them in your cabinets, using dehumidifiers, and not overwatering your plants.
• Ventilate your home properly. Keep the fresh air in and the bad air out. Proper ventilation allows air to circulate. To properly ventilate your home, keep your doors and windows open when the weather is nice, so fresh air can enter and replenish the air inside your home with fresh air. Mechanical ventilators can also help cleanse the air during months with harsher weather, when it is not feasible to keep your home open.

Jennifer Fields
Oklahoma City & Edmond Real Estate Agent
405.330.0031

Free Standing Kitchen Cabinets

After living in your home for a while, it’s natural to feel that it’s starting to go out of style and that you need a change or want to increase the resale value of your home. These types of often desires can easily be solved by rearranging your furniture, purchasing new decor, or doing small renovation projects in key areas.

The most common place for home renovations is the kitchen. The kitchen is usually the gathering place for most families, so it’s important that it feel updated and comfortable. If you are lucky enough to have a lot of free space in your kitchen, installing a set of free standing kitchen cabinets can transform the look of the room without experiencing the overcrowded feeling that overhead cupboards can sometimes create.

Free standing cabinets have a unique charm that is timeless. They are highly practical, and are often modular, so they can be shifted from one place to another. This allows you to partially rearrange the layout of your kitchen at any time, giving you the liberty to easily make changes when you start to get bored with the look.  Most of these cabinets are also made to order, so you can have something that is perfectly in sync with the rest of your kitchen cabinetry and decor. Free standing kitchen cabinets are also very economical and come in a wide range of colors.

If you’re looking for an easy, cost-friendly way to update the look of your kitchen and/or create more storage space, free standing cabinets are a perfect solution.

Jennifer Fields
Oklahoma City & Edmond Real Estate Agent
405.330.0031

Keeping Your Pets Safe During Home Renovations

Home renovation projects are great for updating your home and freshening its look. The down side, of course, is that such projects can be stressful – not only on you, but also on your pets. With the loud noises from tools, “strangers” (contractors) walking around your home, and constant commotion that they’re not used to, your pets can become very nervous and unsettled.

That said, it is important to keep your pets safe during home renovations. Here are a few tips:

• Isolate your pets in a more peaceful part of your home. Let them stay where they can sleep and rest without chaos in their surroundings. If your entire home is messy and noisy due to a huge renovation project, ask a friend or a relative to let your pet stay with them during work hours.
• Check your doorways and windows. Home renovations may require that you have an open entry, but this can present an opportunity for your pet to easily get out. Be careful to keep doors and windows closed when they’re not in use and try to keep your pets in a guarded area when the doors must be open.
• Check for sharp and dangerous objects lying around. You don’t want your pets to swallow anything toxic or hurt themselves on any materials. Keep your pets away from the work site if at all possible, but if it is inevitable that they will be around, just be sure that you keep everything neat and organized to avoid putting them in danger.
• Have a microchip inserted into your pet so you can easily track them if they run outside.
• Entertain your pets. Try to keep them busy and distracted. If your pets are focused on their toys or other entertainment, they will feel less stressed and less impacted by the chaos.

Jennifer Fields
Oklahoma City & Edmond Real Estate Agent
405.330.0031

The Beauty of Engineered Hardwood Floors

Engineered hardwood flooring is a wonderful material for household flooring. It is a product made of a core of hardwood, plywood, or high density fiber and a top layer of hardwood veneer that is glued on the top surface of the core. The more layers you have, the greater the stability you can expect.

The best part about engineered hardwood flooring is that it can be placed right on top of a radiant heat system without experiencing any of the shrinking, buckling, or cupping you would experience with natural hardwoods. If you live in a particularly humid or damp climate or you are wanting to refloor a humid or damp room, this is a great material to use as well.

Engineered hardwood flooring is available in several different options, the most popular being hickory, oak, bamboo, and maple. Another advantage of this flooring is that it comes pre-finished, which means that it has already been sanded and sealed. You can walk on it immediately after you install it unlike unfinished hardwood, which requires sealant and drying for a few days afterward.

Engineered hardwoods are easy to install. In fact, homeowners can actually install them without the help of a professional. They can be installed via several methods: the nail-down or staple-down method, the floating long-strip wood floor method, or the glue-down method. Manufacturers have also recently introduced the snap-on method, which is an easy option for the eager do-it-yourselfer.

Jennifer Fields
Oklahoma City & Edmond Real Estate Agent
405.330.0031

Choosing the Best Garage Door Opener for Your House

Garage door openers are hugely convenient, as they allow you to enter and exit your garage without having to manually lift the doors. In fact, once you’re in your car, you don’t even have to get out because the sensors can be detected remotely. This is a huge plus during months with extreme weather.

There are several types of door openers and drive systems that are available on the market today. The most common type is the chain-drive, which is the most inexpensive type of garage door opener that uses a chain, similar to that of a bicycle chain, looped around a rail. Although it is the oldest type of opener, it is still the most popular. It is not particularly quiet, but it works well at a great value, and there are units that that hide the chain, thus making it more attractive. The most common downfall of this type of garage door opener is that the chain can grow loose over time.

The second type of garage door opener is the screw-drive. This opener is the easiest to install, and it is quieter than the first one. The screw-drive opener operates by having the garage door slide up and down a metal bar when it is being opened and closed, and it’s the best option if you’re concerned about the safety of your children. Regardless of motor failure, the bar is generally sufficient to hold the door up, so it won’t come crashing down unexpectedly.

The last type of drive is the belt-drive. This opener operates with less noise, but the disadvantage is that it is the most expensive option. It is relatively new on the market and utilizes a metal reinforced belt instead of a chain to make the drive quieter. It is also a little faster than a chain drive opener.

No matter which type you decide to buy, make sure that it has a rolling code security feature to ensure that you have added protection and security for your garage. This is important for keeping little ones in and intruders out.

Jennifer Fields
Oklahoma City & Edmond Real Estate Agent
405.330.0031

Window Grills

If you are concerned about the safety of your hone, but you don’t want to compromise the quality of your house’s appearance, then perhaps you should consider looking into window grill designs. Window grills provide a stylish way to improve the security of your home while adding to its overall aesthetic.

There are many window grill designs available, so they can be a good fit with any style of home. Whether your home is traditional or ultra modern, made of brick or finished in stucco, you can find a window grill to  match. There are also many different materials you can choose from, including aluminium and wrought iron.

Wrought iron is a very easily malleable metal, which can be beautifully molded into shapes and patterns. Wrought iron window grills can range from traditional and ornate to sleek and modern for that reason.  They can also be powder coated to make them rust free, painted, and given different finishes. The most popular finishes for wrought iron grills are nickel plated, patina, chestnut brown, and black.

Grills made from aluminum are also popular because aluminum is strong, but also lightweight.  Because it is lightweight, it causes less stress and strain on the concrete where it is affixed than iron grills do. This makes it easier to fix and maintain.

Jennifer Fields
Oklahoma City & Edmond Real Estate Agent
405.330.0031

Different Types of Underfloor Heating

Most of us aren’t fans of waking up to a cold room during the winter months. Nothing is more unpleasant that setting your bare feet down on a cold floor when all you want to do is snuggle up and stay warm. If you have been looking for new and better ways to heat your home, underfloor heating is a cost-effective and energy efficient solution to consider.

Underfloor heating comes in four different options that heat your home differently:

1. Electrical underfloor heating – This system is the most popular because its installation is relatively simpler and cheaper than other options. This type of system is increasingly being used in bathrooms and kitchens. It uses a continuous wire heating cable laid out under the main floor boards and onto the sub-flooring. The insulation board under the main floor surface heats up and spreads heat evenly around the room. Electrical underfloor heating can be controlled by thermostats, so you can adjust the heat to your desired level.
2. Undercarpet heating – This system utilizes heating pads placed under your carpet, which come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can be positioned under wall-to-wall carpet and even under loose rugs. Undercarpet heating can quickly warm up an alread- insulated area.
3. Forced air underfloor heating – This type of system utilizes a series of ducts that are installed under the flooring, which are connected to a boiler and powered by natural gas. This method heats up the air and delivers heat faster; however, it is not as energy efficient.
4. Wet underfloor heating – This is also known as hydronic heating, which uses a continuous loop of pipes that are embedded in the floor and allow for a circular, nonstop flow of hot water. A central heating boiler provides hot water to the system. This is a very popular method due to its energy efficiency and comfort.

Jennifer Fields
Oklahoma City & Edmond Real Estate Agent
405.330.0031