The Best Replacement Windows of 2019

Published on August 15, 2019

When shopping for replacement windows for your home, it is important to keep in mind the goal of your renovation or retrofit. This will not only help you choose the right windows installer and window type, but it will also help you decide on an overall aesthetic. Perhaps you are looking for a gorgeous new bay window to bring in a lot of natural light into your living room. Or maybe your basement windows just need a few touch ups to prevent air leakage. Whatever the reason for your renovations, it is important to get in touch with a professional windows installer and talk with them about the goals for your home. 

By installing replacement windows - or even retrofitting existing ones - you are not only able to transform the look of your home, but you can also drastically reduce the air leakage in your home in the process. As your home’s airtightness improves, so too does its overall energy efficiency. This means a lower environmental impact, a lower monthly utility bill, a more comfortable home, and a higher home resale value. 

Also, through the Home Efficiency Rebate opportunity, there are a number of home reno rebates available for homeowners who renovate for energy efficiency; including a rebate for replacement windows, and for improving home airtightness. If you have any questions about the benefits of replacement windows, the Home Efficiency Rebate opportunity, or where you can find a trusted windows installer in your area, please call us toll-free at 1-866-333-3920. Otherwise, you can leave us a message on our website and we will be happy to assist you. 

Even Bay Windows Can Improve Airtightness

When professionally installed, replacement windows are able to improve a home’s airtightness and reduce its energy consumption. These benefits extend even to large bay windows, which can be professionally installed to ensure that there is no air leakage. This allows you to modernize or upgrade the look of your home without compromising on energy efficiency or insulation. 

If you are wondering which areas of your home are leaking the most air, you should consider having an airtightness test done by one of BSG’s registered energy advisors. An airtightness test can be done before, during, or after anyrenovations are completed, providing you with the locations and severity of every air leak within your home. 

With just an airtightness test, you may notice that a significant portion of your home’s total air loss is only coming from one or two faulty windows. This allows you to accurately target your home’s problem areas, and helps you to choose the right replacement windows for your needs. Whether it’s a bay window in the living room, a basement window on the bottom floor, or a small casement window in the attic, an airtightness test can locate every air leak within a home.    

Keep the Vintage Look of Your Casement Windows

For homeowners who live in an older home with original handmade windows, or for homeowners who are already satisfied with the look of their home, a Magnetite window retrofit can provide you with all of the benefits of new replacement windows - without changing looks or performance. Able to be installed on nearly every type of window (including dual casement windows and skylights), a Magnetite window retrofit is an affordable and effective way of improving the airtightness, insulation, and energy performance of your existing windows without undergoing a full renovation. 

Installed with a custom fit and attached using easy-remove magnets, a Magnetite retrofit allows you to improve the level of airtightness in your home, keep your original aesthetic, and still be able to open up to allow in some fresh air - even in basement windows and casement windows. Every Magnetite retrofit is custom made using 100 percent virgin acrylic, and comes with a five year warranty which guarantees that the product will not turn yellow as they age. 

For more information regarding Magnetite products and their applications, please contact our trusted windows installer for Magnetite products - Great Northern Institute. Their expert installers have done numerous Magnetite window retrofits, and can be reached by phone at 1-800-265-1914 or through their website at www.gni.ca/contact.

You should note that there are no rebates for Magnetite window insulation. However, the costs are significantly lower than a full window replacement in general.

Find a Windows Installer Near You

It can be difficult to find a windows installer that is capable of renovating exactly to your specifications and budget, which means that you may have to shop around to find the best fit for your needs. Fortunately, BSG has a curated list of trusted contractors that makes the search for the perfect windows installer a lot easier.

Named after Jenny of Barrier Sciences Group, Jenny’s List is constantly updated to add and expand upon the fantastic list of contractors that have already been collected. Whether you are looking for bay windows, skylights, or sliding glass doors, you can trust Jenny’s List to find the right contractor. 

Use Rebates to Save on Replacement Windows and Home Improvement Projects

With up to $5,000 available through the Home Efficiency Rebate opportunity, along with the financial incentives from other Ontario rebate programs, it is even easier to see a return on your renovation costs through utility bill savings. Also, the more upgrades you make, the more rebates you are able to claim. To qualify, the first step is to have a certified service organization (such as Barrier Sciences Group) perform an energy audit of your home. This provides you with a complete look at how your home is performing in terms of energy consumption, and clearly outlines what upgrades could be most cost-effectively made.

Once you have had your energy audit conducted and you have been presented with a list of possible upgrades specific to your home, you can use Jenny’s List to help you decide on a windows installer that is able to install your new replacement windows exactly how you want them. From there, a follow up energy audit is required to verify the effectiveness of your improvements. This also provides you with a plan for renovations in the future, and can be used as an attractive selling point for future buyers - since they can move into a home with a plan for future upgrades already laid out in front of them.