Staying Prepared During the Cold Weather With Replacement Windows and Doors

Getting your home ready for the colder weather that Pittsburgh can experience is important. There are many items throughout your home to check and winterize, such as your old patio doors and windows, which can be prone to drafts.

Let's explore how you can prepare your home for the winter season with replacement windows and doors.

Check Your Home Thoroughly

There are several items to check on around your home to ensure that they are working and ready for the cold weather. For example, you will want to check your gutters and drainage areas to ensure they are cleared. You will also want to check your roof to ensure there isn’t any damage, and if there is, be sure to get it fixed so that if you have rain, sleet or snowfall, your roof is prepared to handle it.

Another task to check off before it gets too cold: turn off the water flowing to your home’s exterior to ensure it doesn’t freeze and cause your pipes to burst. If you have a fireplace, you can prepare your chimney for use by cleaning it out and gathering firewood for the upcoming season. You may also want to get your other winter supplies, like shovels, driveway salt and snow blowers, out of storage.

You can prepare inside your home by checking on your furnace or heating system to ensure it is working properly. As the season changes, you should also check that your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working.

Consider Replacement Windows

Windows are an essential part of your home and are vital in keeping your home energy efficient. However, if your windows are old, they can cause drafts. Drafts can make your living space uncomfortably cold and your utility bills may increase since your heating system will naturally work harder to regulate your home's temperature. To help manage this, installing new energy-efficient windows is a great solution.

At Pella, we offer ENERGY STAR-certified windows that can help keep your home at a comfortable temperature year-round. In addition, our windows are durable in the winter weather and are engineered to be long-lasting.

Our team of local window replacement experts has worked with many homeowners in and around Pittsburgh. For example, we replaced an old, drafty window in a State College, Pennsylvania, home with a new energy-efficient one. We installed a new vinyl double-hung window that was able to achieve the aesthetic and performance quality that the homeowners wanted. We matched the window to the rest of the home. The vinyl double-hung window will also provide outstanding energy efficiency to keep the house comfortable year-round and help lower the utility bill.

Our window professionals are here to help you pick out the best windows for your needs, including ones that are high quality, have excellent performance and fit the aesthetic of your home.

Get Your Patio Ready

Another area of your home that you must get winter-ready is your patio. Start by covering up or taking in any outdoor furniture that could be ruined by the harsher winter weather. You can also get a firepit for your outdoor area to keep you warm and entertained outside.

Another critical part of your patio that's easy to overlook is its doors! Our door professionals in Pittsburgh can help you choose a patio door that will match your needs. Popular patio options for Pittsburgh homes include hinged and sliding patio doors, which are easy to use. Our doors are also energy efficient and have a tight seal when closed to ensure that no cold air enters your home. Plus, even in the wintertime, when you are not using your patio doors as much as you would in the summer, they are still stylish. Sliding patio doors are great for updating your home and can bring in lots of natural light while providing clear views. Hinged doors, on the other hand, add a touch of elegance to your home.

Here are some replacement patio door projects we’ve done in the Pittsburgh area:

This Erie, Pennsylvania, home had an old French patio door that took up space when opened and let in a lot of chilly air that was worrisome for the coming winter. Our team replaced the hinged door with a new wood sliding patio door to reduce the amount of space it would take up when opened and allow for more flexibility in furniture placement. The new doors also feature triple-pane glass, which gave the homeowners excellent energy efficiency. The triple-pane glass also allowed us to install blinds between the glass for added privacy and control over the light entering the home. Overall, the patio door upgrade helped achieve the homeowner’s style and efficiency goals before the winter.

This Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, homeowner replaced their two worn-down patio doors with two new wood sliding doors. The new sliding patio doors provided many benefits, including improving the home’s overall functionality and energy efficiency and tying the style from inside and outside of the house together.

Our window and door professionals are here to help make your home more comfortable for the colder months. So, start by checking replacement windows and doors off your winter checklist by setting up a free consultation today.