Project Gallery

The project gallery is now up at www.HomeSealed.com. You’ll see just a snippet of some of the projects that we’ve recently completed including replacement windows, vinyl siding, decks, and doors, and roofing.
check it out here: Remodeling Gallery

Window condensation

“What is the deal with window condensation?” This is a question that I hear pretty frequently especially in the colder months. Unfortunately, I even hear it sometimes after a client has already gotten replacement windows. Basically, window condensation occurs when warm, moist air on the inside of your home cools and contracts and its moisture condenses. Most of the time this will happen on the coldest surface in your home which often is the glass of your windows. “Does this mean my windows are bad?” No, most of the time it does not mean that. By getting replacement windows you will have a warmer temperture on that interior glass surface, therefore reducing the likelihood of condensation, however if your home is damp enough, even the best windows in the world can develop condensation. This could be a sign of a moisture problem in your home. Sources of moisture are people, pets, plants, cooking, etc. Problematic sources of moisture could be basement issues, as well as improper ventilation in the attic or other areas. Getting your home completely sealed with new windows, insulation, etc. came sometimes make these problems appear worse as moisture used to be able to escape through those same areas.
“What can be done to address this?” There are a few things that you can do to regulate the level of moisture in your home. 1: Increase ventilation. Make sure attic vents are open and clear, make sure all exhaust fans from kitchens and bathrooms are properly ventilated out of the house (not just into the attic). 2: Monitor the humidity level in your home with a humidistat or humidity monitor. If necessary, run a dehumidifier in the basement to keep the indoor humidity level around 30-35% or less in winter. A few other small things would be to group plants in one room and avoid over-watering, and also keep window treatments open when possible to allow warm air to circulate across the glass and keep its temperture up as high as possible.

Energy saving tips

Now that we are in the middle of winter, it becomes a bit easier to tell where you home’s heat retention shortcomings reside. Maybe your walls are cold, your basement is freezing, or you can feel (or even see) a cold draft coming in around your doors and windows. Obviously it would be ideal to get replacement windows, doors, or insulation, but sometimes it just isn’t in the budget. Here are a few tips to save you some money, and add some comfort in your home for a low-cost.
As mentioned in previous posts, windows and doors can be a huge source of heat loss. There are a few things you can do to improve this short of window replacement. First, is the good-old window plastic. It is ugly, inconvenient, and a pain to apply, however it really does work when properly installed. A slightly more visually appealling option altough it doesn’t work quite as well, would be “seal and peel” caulking. This is a type a clear caulk that you can apply to areas of the windows that experience air-infiltration. It will semi-harden, and be ready to peel off in spring just like the plastic would be. One thing to keep in mind with either of these methods however, is that they can pull paint or finish off when removed.
On doors, you can actually do a more effective, somewhat permanent fix by replacing (or adding) weather stripping around the opening, as well as the threshold. You should be able to pick up the proper products to seal up one door for around $10-$20 from any hardware or home store.