Merry Christmas

Posted by: Ken Mariotti

Nearly thirty-four years have past since President Reagan delivered his first Christmas address to the nation December 23, 1981. We hope you will find this message inspirational and we wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas.

View Reagan's message to the American People at Christmas.

Reimagine Winter with Skylights

Posted by: Ken Mariotti

HGTV 2015 Smart Home

The success of HGTV is that it stretches our imaginations. For years now HGTV sponsors a contest and selects one home that best represents the design and building trends for the year. This year’s 2015 Smart Home features a modern farmhouse in the very hip Austin, Texas. It’s “modern” in that it’s a fresh take on the classic traditional farmhouse style. The architect’s use of skylights to reimagine the space caught my attention as we slip into the annual winter darkness.

In the last decade, builders installed recessed lighting in ceilings in an attempt to brighten the dark corners of a home. Now with technological advances like solar power, built in shades, and always clean “Neat®” coated glass, VELUX® skylights are replacing artificial lighting with natural lighting.

As the winter turns the skies darker, windows barely capture light depending on the time of day, whereas skylights provide balanced daylight that fills even remote corners of a room.

Natural light bath

2015 Smart Home Children's Bath Skylights

How common is it to see windowless interior bathrooms in homes? Take a look at the Solar Powered Fresh Air Skylight by VELUX in the HGTV’s Modern Farmhouse children’s bath. These solar operated skylights don’t require wiring, which is a real advantage over the traditional manual or electric models. Small bath ventilation can be a real challenge, especially in winter and this remote controlled skylight can easily be opened to release unwanted condensation.

Master bedroom privacy

Today’s homes are built closer together than ever before, making privacy a key concern for homeowners.  Likewise, homes are shrinking, leaving less wall space for windows. The use of skylights in the HGTV’s Modern Farmhouse incorporates new shade technologies that keep out the light for better sleep and keep the bedroom private. The factory installed blinds operate by remote control to easily open and close the blinds to keep out light. You can also program the control to draw the shades during the heat of the day to keep the room cool or to open the skylights to manage temperatures throughout the day.

2015 Smart Home Master Bedroom Skylights

Powered by the sun

The skylight uses the power of the sun to open and close. A small solar panel resides on the exterior of the skylight to capture available daylight and charge a small, concealed battery. Even on cloudy days, the solar panel will continue to charge. If your skylight is open and it begins to rain – the rain sensor will automatically close your skylight.

Sensor control

VELUX KLR 200 Intelligent Touch Remote Control for skylights and blinds - comes standard with every electric and solar powered skylight. You can open or close your skylights at your convenience. Or program them to open and close during scheduled times of the day to refresh or protect your home.

Velux Remote Control

Installation

Woodland installs skylights using a variety of different installation methods that vary based on your particular home’s location. Depending on your needs VELUX offers products that make the installation process as easy as possible. The three most common installation methods are: deck-mounted, curb-mounted and self-flashed.

Tax Credits

The revolutionary No Leak Solar Powered "Fresh Air" skylight is eligible for a 30% federal tax credit, which according to VELUX, is saving eligible homeowners an average of $850 on product and installation.

Check out the HGTV 2015 Smart Home and reimagine what winter could be by adding VELUX skylights in your home.

Want that model home feel? Focus on the detail.

Posted by: Ken Mariotti

Earlier this year our blog titled “Want that model home feel? Aim high”, suggested that the very act of creating taller windows and doors in your home increases the wow factor found in model homes. The desire to create that model home feel in your own home is a sentiment many homeowners express. Another design secret is the importance of detail.

Once a home’s style is determined, what makes that style come alive is attention to detail. It’s important that you take the time to select the windows, doors and other objects in your home beginning with three design principles.

Marvin Windows

Think about what you don’t see

Oftentimes design is about thing that you don’t add, rather than the material that you do create. In other words, good design requires you to consciously do less. I’m reminded of a couple that selected arched windows and then they proceeded to cover the beautiful design under lavish window coverings. It’s hard to design minimally because we feel that convention dictates otherwise. Try to resist the urge to over decorate. Remember less is more. Open space creates focal points.

Andersen A-Series

Refine to the finer details

Fine-tune a space, the elements, alignment or scale of your windows and doors with the size, shape and existing features in the room. Get the detail right by focusing on proportions and lines of sight. For example, window grills can be used discretely as design elements, rather than simply repeating the identical pattern throughout.

Borrow from what you see

Andersen Visualizer

Get inspired by studying spaces similar to the space in your home that you intend to remodel or build. Today, many manufacturers offer visual tools that allow you to be your own designer. Andersen provides a visualizer to select your trim and sash colors. Andersen Renewal products offers a visualizer that allows you to upload a photo of your home, replace your existing windows with Renewal windows to see the effect. Likewise, Simpson Door's visualizer lets you choose your home style and select from a variety of door styles and colors to create the look you want. It’s as though you have your own personal designer.

When you walk into a model home, you can be certain that professionals created that beautiful space. Becoming a professional at your craft means you’ve created a lot of bad work and made a lot of mistakes on your journey to becoming an expert. Build your skills by decorating less, creating focal points and experimenting.

If you want that model home feel focus on the details like a professional does. Visit our showroom to touch the products, see the colors in different lights and get advice from professionals who can help you avoid common mistakes.

Happy Thanksgiving

Posted by: Ken Mariotti

Kolettehall.wordpress.com

In his first Thanksgiving proclamation, President Reagan wrote: "America has much for which to be thankful. The unequaled freedom enjoyed by our citizens has provided a harvest of plenty to this Nation throughout its history. In keeping with America's heritage, one day each year is set aside for giving thanks to God for all of His blessings. ... As we celebrate Thanksgiving ... We should reflect on the full meaning of this day as we enjoy the fellowship that is so much a part of the holiday festivities. Searching our hearts, we should ask what we can do as individuals to demonstrate our gratitude to God for all He has done. Such reflection can only add to the significance of this precious day of remembrance. Let us recommit ourselves to that devotion to God and family that has played such an important role in making this a great Nation, and which will be needed as a source of strength if we are to remain a great people.

This is the genuine spirit of Thanksgiving.

Installation Blunders You Can Prevent

Posted by: Ken Mariotti

HDTV is a popular TV channel featuring remodeling wonders. The shows begin with a demolition phase, which is instructive. It’s not uncommon to uncover unwelcome discoveries behind the walls, while the poor homeowners look on hopelessly. At Woodland, we hear stories and witness similar problems all the time when we install replacement windows. It’s a crying shame to see how badly windows can be installed whether new construction or previously remodeled. At Woodland we have a holistic approach to window installation, which is why we prefer to install the windows we sell and why we don’t install windows we don’t sell. 

When purchasing replacement windows or new windows, remember that it’s as important to spend as much time understanding window installation as it is researching different window brands and styles. Even the best-made window can’t make up for a bad installation. What’s most unfortunate is the likelihood that a bad installation can damage far more than your new window if water is allowed to seep into the walls.

If you’re planning to purchase windows, educate yourself about some key installation facts first. Be aware of the common practices deployed by inexperienced or lazy window installers throughout the industry. Learn the facts and trust yourself to spot the gaps. When you’re ready to sign an installation contract make sure it spells out in detail the work that will be done and the materials that will be used. And above all know the skill level of the installer(s), visit the company showroom, ask for the contractor’s license and proof of insurance, get references and personally examine one of the jobs they’ve installed.

Here are some important facts and the common practices to look out for as you select an installer and during the installation process.

Fact:

Windows come with manufacturer installation instructions.

Common practice:

These instructions are lost, not on the job site, or the installer assumes he knows what he doesn’t know, unless he’s installed that exact window previously.

Fact:

Window installation and replacing existing windows is a skill built by learning professional techniques, apprenticeship, and experience.

Common practice:

A framer from construction team, a subcontractor or a handyman does the installation.

Fact:

Windows need to be measured and ordered to precise specifications and according to building standards. Building knowledge means understanding how a window fits and calculating precise allowances for wall depth and the window profile. New energy efficient windows are generally thicker than your old windows they are replacing and the extra thickness must be anticipated and framed properly.

Common practice:

Someone orders the windows and someone else makes it fit. An inexperienced installer typically installs the window with the extra thickness stuck out past the exterior wall and past the 1x4 facings. The same thing happens if a window is ordered wrong for the opening. Any attempt to cover the protruding or receding edge of the window is highly likely to either leave a gap or create a shelf. The installer caulks the window, but when the caulk breaks down water is trapped and creates a leak.

Fact:

The manufacturer made and shipped window parts needed for a proper fit and installation.

Common practice:

Johnny, the installer, grabs whatever he needs from the truck, old latex caulk, insulating foam or trim. He finishes the installation and throws out the unused drip cap, exterior flash or other parts that the manufacturer shipped in the box with the windows.

Fact:

Materials have become highly specialized and performance depends on using the correctly specified materials. Have you ever applied a sealant that never hardened?

Common practice:

Lacking the knowledge about building physics such as water penetration, it’s common for installers to leave an open space between the replacement window and the building water resistant barrier, such as Tyvek. The membrane must be sealed to the window on all sides or the barrier is violated and air or water will enter the home. Finish carpenters learn how to cover gaps or create symmetrical openings using trim to shore up rough carpentry. This doesn’t work with windows because the window installation is the barrier between outside elements and the interior of your home. A poorly placed trim piece to cover a gap doesn’t stop air or water infiltration and could actually become a basin for water to become trapped.

We’re all busy and we want the people we hire to do the job right. Unfortunately, we can’t assume it will be done right. Fundamental errors in window and door installation can result in water leaks, air infiltration, poor operation, and structural problems. The best we can do is be clear about the job we want done, hire a professional company and don’t be afraid to look for the signs it’s being done right.

We don’t use sub-contractors for window anddoor installation and we hope you won’t either.

Installation and The Big Mistake

Posted by: Ken Mariotti

Marvin Ultimate Casements

It’s hard to say why it happens, but time and again, homeowners make the big mistake when replacing their windows. After spending untold hours researching window brands they buy their windows without any knowledge about installation and they make the big mistake.

The big mistake is signing a sales order for your new windows and afterwards, beginning the installation discussion.

At Woodland Windows and Doors, we think window and door installations done improperly may not be immediately obvious, but can lead to serious long-term problems. There are some things that as a business, you just have to invest in, in order to ensure the job is done right. We at Woodland think that installation is one of those things.

The big mistake happens because homeowners don’t realize all the things that can go wrong with window installations if performed by an inexperienced installer. It’s important to purchase your windows from a window dealer with their own installation team.  Windows can be ordered wrong, arrive defective or the opening needs modifying. We know the pitfalls and we know that the surest way to deliver an expert job is to control every aspect of it, with trained people who are committed to the perfect outcome.

Marvin Integrity Casements

In a previous post, “Installation and Why Our Installers are Woodland Windows and Doors Employees”, we relayed several customer stories about botched installations and poor customer service.  There is no shortage of stories from customers who make the big mistake and here are a few more that we’ve come across.

We thought we’d save a fortune if we install the replacement windows on our own.

We watched videos and the process was straightforward. We’re DYIs and figured that we didn’t need to spend around $300-$400. per installed vinyl replacement window, when we could save at least $100. per window by doing the installation ourselves. What we didn’t count on is how long it would take. We’d been told that professional installers could completely install 10-20 windows in a day, but it took us six weekends to do the job. After spending money on insulation and caulk, and our time, we didn’t save much money by doing the job ourselves.

We were remodeling our home and the contractor found someone to install our new replacement windows.

We didn’t know anything about windows, so we let our contractor determine what windows to order and who would install them. Shortly after the job was complete we noticed that we heard more freeway noise with the new replacement windows than we had with the old windows. Our general contractor finally determined that the subcontractor hadn’t properly insulated or shimmed, and the windows were ordered without the correct glazing or for the proper wall width. Our contractor is fixing the problems and we see some improvement, however we won’t have the results we were expecting. Our mistake was not bothering to ask our contractor what type of window was going in the house and who would be installing them.

Andersen 100 Series French Doors

We bought our replacement windows from Home Depot and contracted with them to do the installation.

We regularly shop at Home Depot for our needs, so we assumed they would also have good brands and the best value for our replacement windows. The installers botched the job, including reusing our 25 year old fiber insulation for example. Home Depot has sent out contractors to correct the problems, but they can’t seem to get it done correctly. Only after making this mistake did we learn what others already know, that many subcontractors working for the big box places are transient and are working for less than the going because they need the work, but don’t necessarily have the knowledge or experience.

Installation, whether you are replacing your old windows or having new windows added to your home, requires careful planning, flawless execution, and superior response times to address those unforeseen problems. It’s a process that must be owned from the beginning to the end. Did the person who measured your job, check their measurements before the order was placed? Or did that person walk through the job with the installers? The best way, the only way, to achieve a flawless level of performance is to build a professional team of skilled people who don’t just show up, but who own the work down to the last keeper – if it doesn’t lock the job’s not done. 

We don’t use sub-contractors for window and door installation and we hope you won’t either. Don’t make the big mistake.