Blinds Shades

Posts Tagged ‘Carpentry’

Because wood shutters are natural insulators they can be used to lower your energy costs by keeping the elements out. That was their original purpose and why you almost never see a historic house that does not have shutters. Shutters are not just decorative any more than ceiling fans are only decorative. Many now use ceiling fans to reduce the costs of heating and cooling their homes and shutters are even more effective.

Shutters and ceiling fans became less essential because of the introduction of heating and air conditioning. Just as ceiling fans made a comeback to save energy, it would be wise to start using shutters again to save money by moderating temperatures in our homes.

Stand near a window when the sun is shining on it and touch it with your hand. No matter how cold it is outside that window will be extremely warm. On cold days and especially when the wind is blowing directly on your windows, the area near them will be colder than other areas.

During the summer you can close the shutters on the window the sun shines on directly. In the summer, keep the shutters closed on the window where the north wind blows strongest. You can adjust your shutters quickly seasonally, daily, or when a storm is predicted.

Shutters also protect your furniture, draperies, carpeting and flooring from sunlight damage caused by UV light. Did you know that three quarters of the materials commonly used in carpet (olefin, wood and nylon) have poor resistance to sunlight? Even polyester, which has good sunlight resistance, can be damaged.

In draperies, constant exposure to the rays of the sun is destructive to the fabric of your drapes. Dark and bright colors are especially affected by color fading and streaking. Over time, sunlight causes drapery fabric to deteriorate and dry rot. Cotton, rayon and acetate are more affected than acrylic or polyester.

While fabrics used in furniture upholstery are affected similarly to draperies, other types of furniture are also damaged by the sun. Especially susceptible is leather furniture. Even wood is damaged by the drying affect of sunlight. Position furniture away from direct sunlight when possible or close your shutters to shield it from the sun.

By reducing your heating and cooling costs and protecting the investments you have made in furniture, flooring, carpeting and draperies, shutters are extremely beneficial. The next step is to decide what shutter styles you prefer and where to buy them. The lowest prices and best quality come from buying direct from the manufacturer – but they can be a real challenge to locate. Visit our Pricing Exterior Shutters Hubpage to see a photo slideshow of types of shutters and find manufacturers who sell directly to the public.

Save money and buy better quality Wood Shutters by buying directly from the manufacturer. Manufacturing plants can be challenging to find so visit Frank Wright’s Hubpage for more details and where to buy Wooden Shutters. Don’t miss the beautiful photo slide show there.

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For more on Blinds Shades and Window Blinds Treatments

Cheap Mini Blinds

Curtains Blinds

Blackout Window Blinds

Faux Window Blinds

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In older homes the traditional wooden box sash window is standard issue, sash window restoration and the environmental benefits it affords are worth the time investment and overall will save money. Sash windows are still regarded as the best choice for style and luxury in home design.

When looking for someone to restore your sash windows get quotes from a few reputable companies, maybe someone who was referred to you and make sure they arent cutting corners. A fast and inexpensive job could mean that your windows arent being fully restored and you will have to do the work again at a later date to get it right.

Sometimes you will only see a broken sash cord and think that is all that needs to be repaired but the entire window assembly shoud be looked over for problems that might exist and it is worth the time it takes to do the job right. If your window is beyond repair then your repairman should tell you so and offer a replacement option that closly resembles what you have.

The time it takes and the cost of the project are dependent upon the number of windows in question. Typically you can expect a couple of windows a day will be done if the repair is a simple one.

Most important is the integrity of the wood and sealing it with a few coats of paint to protect it. Weather seals and double glazed glass with re-balancing are all important things to do in the restoration process to ensure your windows are draft-free keeping heat in and giving you beautiful windows for many years to come.

For the do-it-yourself person there are a few things to keep in mind when undertaking a restoration. You need to remove all paint to the bare wood on the sash, box, and sill to insure the integrity of the wood. If you find you need to fill in any areas make sure to us a high-quality two part resin-based product. Fix the joints and have spare parts around if needed. Replace sash cords that have rotted, replace pulley wheels that are no longer working and re-balance. Install weather seals at the top, bottom, sides and meeting rails. Top it off with a fresh coat of high resilient, four coat exterior paint.

As a good practice it would be best to replace all the ropes inside of the sash as with time they will rot and leave you with an unbalanced window that is hard to operate. Replace the rope, re-attach the counterweights and balance. While doing this, replacing the pulley wheel might be a necessity as they get painted over and get stuck and create stress on the rope. There are many metal finshes to choose from or an economical steel/nylon wheel is available. Sometimes you can salvage the pulley by applying a little lubricant to get the wheel turning again.

If a sash, box or sill needs to be replaced use oak and traditional joinery methods to get the same integrity as in the original window construction. Replicate all existing window details to match the other windows on the house. Double glaze when done. Finish off with period hardware. Reuse and repair rather than replace for a truly green solution.

Creating a beautiful and distinct look for your home will be easy when you have London Sash Window Company visit today! Having your sash window repairs completed now will raise the value and beauty of your home fast!