While we walk through the front, back, and garage doors to get inside our homes, windows are another entry and exit point to the outside world. No matter the type or style of home you live in, it has windows with some lock feature. It could be a sliding window lock, hinge wedge, or sash lock, but all home windows lock for safety.
While fall is when most homeowners will open their windows during the day to bring in some fresh air, it’s important to remember to close and lock them for the night. What happens if your window is damaged or the lock doesn’t stick? Or if your window seal is damaged? Keep reading to learn about some window safety checks and how to ensure locks and seals are ready for fall.
Why is it Important to Have a Functioning Window Lock?
Windows allows us to see and feel the outside world while remaining safe inside our homes. We can check the weather, feel the cool fall breeze, and watch our kids get off the school bus by looking through the windows in our homes.
Most homeowners close their windows at nighttime and lock all the doors as part of a pre-bedtime routine. When you close the windows in your home, do you lock them too? If not, you should start to, especially with winter around the corner. Why is it so important to have a functioning window lock? There are a couple of great reasons: safety and to close gaps where outside air may enter the home or where inside air can escape.
Lynchburg is a safe place to raise a family, with a relatively low crime rate compared to other cities across the United States. However, there is always a chance for crime, and burglars often enter homes through open windows. If you leave home with your windows open, there’s a risk of burglars entering your home through the windows. Even if your windows are closed and unlocked, there is still a chance for someone to enter the house. Locking your windows keeps burglars out and, in return, keeps your family safer.
Along with adding extra safety to your home, a functioning window lock tightens gaps between the window and frame, keeping cold outside air out where it belongs. Fall and winter nighttime lows can be freezing, and having a functioning window lock to secure the window and make for a tighter seal will keep your home warmer. If you have drafty windows, leaving them unlocked can make it easier for heat to escape the house and for cold outside air to enter the home.
How to Check if Window Seals Are Ready for Fall
Unfortunately, older windows are often drafty due to damage and wear and tear throughout the years, like cracks and gaps. The older the windows in a home are, the likelihood they are drafty or have some air from inside the home escaping and cool air entering is pretty high. To maximize savings on your heating bills this fall and winter and to make your home warmer and more comfortable, you should check if the windows are sealed.
Some window drafts can be bad, while some are minor. If you have a super drafty window, you’ll probably notice your curtains moving from large amounts of outside air blown through faulty seals in the window. You may also feel a breeze if you stand directly before the window or place your hand near the seal. Forceful air entering the home means you have a major drafty window. You might not feel a small draft, but there are ways to check – grab a lit candle and very carefully hold it as you move it around the window’s seal. If the flame flickers, air enters your home through a small crack.
How to Get Window Locks & Seals Ready for Fall
Now that we’ve explained the importance of having a quality window lock and how to check for a faulty window seal, let’s discuss how to get window locks and seals ready for fall. Let’s start with locks – you need functioning window locks to keep your home safer and warmer this fall and upcoming winter. See if the lock can be repaired by contacting the window installation company that installed the windows.
For seals, if there isn’t a major draft, reapply caulk to the inside and outside along the window. You can also opt for installing new weatherstripping for a tighter seal on the inside of the window. However, applying caulk and weatherstripping are temporary fixes that will need to be done repeatedly, almost like putting a band-aid on an injured window. The best thing you can do to ensure your window locks and seals are in great shape for fall is to install replacement windows from One Stop Home Improvement Shop.
Window replacement is crucial when your windows show signs of drafts and wear and tear. The value of investing in replacement windows is priceless. They eliminate drafty windows and, therefore, maximize energy efficiency. Replacement windows also reduce allergens and increase curb appeal. They also ensure safety with functioning window locks that better protect your home.
Replacement windows from One Stop Home Improvement Shop are of the utmost quality regardless of budget. We install MountainView Windows that offer superior energy efficiency and meet and exceed all ENERGY STAR® standards. Our windows feature a multi-chambered frame design, premium glass packages, and optional gas fills. All these features mean our windows are energy-efficient, exceeding standards and reducing your energy bills. They also have composite reinforced locks for enhanced safety. Contact us today for a free estimate for installing replacement windows!
One Stop Home Improvement Shop can help with all your home improvement needs, whether you need help with an insurance claim or a quote for installing a new roof or gutter system. We’re here to help every step of the way throughout the entire process. Contact us today for a free consultation!
