Replacement windows in Ohio can be a very good or a very bad investment for your home. Your home is built to last – through your generation and into the next, standing as a place of refuge, happiness and beauty for your whole family to enjoy. Of course, with this investment in your family’s future, you will want to make sure that your home is safe, energy efficient and attractive. An investment in replacement windows can beautify your home, make is safer for all who enter and of course, increase your energy efficiency tremendously.
One of the things that matters the most in a replacement window is actually the installation of the window. Under 10% of window installers in Ohio have ANY form of actual training or certification – and the installation of your window can make or break its energy efficiency and its warranty.
By law, Ohio does not actually require and certification for window installers, it is a rather poorly regulated industry, and allows companies around the state to hire contractors and people with no experience to install windows. Ohio, by law, does not require certification for window installers. However, companies that care about the quality of the installation and true customer service, as well as the performance and warranty of the windows they install will have certified, trained, employed installers (not contractors) to remove and replace the windows in your home.
One of the best programs for certification in Ohio is the InstallationMasters ™ training, and this type of training has a direct impact on how well your window is installed and will perform. The InstalltionMasters™ training was formed by the Building Environment and Thermal Envelope Council (BETEC) through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and development by the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA). The certification program is nationwide, and trains installers in both new construction installation and replacement window installation in specifically residential and light commercial jobs.
The program is specifically designed to help installers:
Avoid costly callbacks
Improve energy efficiency, more satisfied customers
Why is this so important? Specifically, many replacement window jobs in Ohio come from older homes. In these cases, the window installation must be done on a solid foundation, where the wall and underlying construction are sound, level and able to withstand the window being removed and replaced. If the window installer is not trained to remove the old window and then specifically address any underlying structural anomalies before the new window is put in, your new, several hundred dollar investment will not be energy efficient. It will let in drafts, the glass may break and the seals may lift if it is not level and seated properly and your warranty may be voided. Many windows have a clause in the warranty that will VOID the warranty if installation is done incorrectly.
When choosing a company to install replacement windows in Ohio, be sure to look for the InstallationMasters™ training certification, that way you can rest assured that your investment in your home will produce the desired results. You want your windows to remain in warranty and the installation to be done correctly the first time, so you may enjoy many happy years with your new, energy efficient windows.
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