You have found your dream home, a beautiful old colonial with a wonderful history to it. The only problem is that it needs to be updated to suit your needs. Or perhaps it is an older ranch home with all the floor space you have imagined, but is a little worn looking. If an older home appeals to you, you probably already know you will have to put some work and money into it. One of the cheapest, easiest and fastest way to add value to any home is to replace the windows. In an older home, this adds even more value. Vinyl replacement windows are the best choice for this type of improvement.



They are beautiful to look at, are energy efficient, maintenance free and very easy to keep clean. Why should you consider replacing you windows in the first place? The windows in older homes are made of wood. Wooden frames can easily rot over time; the caulking flakes off, allowing water or moisture seepage. This causes more water as well as air to be able to leak into the house. Besides the ugly look of rotting window frames, you are throwing energy dollars away as the heat escapes through these old windows.

By installing vinyl replacement windows, you can eliminate these problems. Vinyl windows do not rot and they cannot peel because there is no paint on them. The little bit of maintenance that vinyl windows need is some cleaning with a mild detergent once in a while. And even that is easier than wooden windows with all those separate panes. If you are a handy do-it-yourselfer, you can install vinyl replacement windows. If you have ever replaced any kind of window, you will see that installing vinyl windows is even easier.

Here is how to get started on this project:

1) Remove the old window, and cut all the old caulking away with a utility knife.

2) Getting a volunteer to help, push the old window out with a little pressure.

3) After the old window is gone, make sure the open window area is thoroughly cleaned of any old paint, dust and debris. It is essential to have a clean surface when you put the new window in to make sure you have a good fit and it is well insulated.

4) Measure the opening of the window and the new window to be installed. You can put shims in to adjust for any differences to make the window fit perfectly.

5) Attach the new window with screws.

6) Squeeze a seal of silicone caulking all around the edges of the window for a strong airtight seal. Once your new vinyl windows are in, you will want to care for them properly. Washing vinyl windows is very easy. They tilt inwards so you can reach the outside of the window and clean from the inside. No more ladders against the house in order to clean the upstairs windows.

You will not need storm windows with vinyl windows because they are already double paned and fully insulated. If you like the look of mullioned windows, vinyl windows come with the dividers installed between the panes, so the windows are easier to clean, but you keep the traditional look you like. There is everything to love and nothing to dislike about vinyl windows; they are the perfect addition to add easy to care for elegance to your home.