Winter brings along a lot of fun and joy for many people, especially for the youngest ones, but the snow and the cold can also have a few downsides.
For homeowners, it is usually the season that means taking a little extra care of their homes in order to keep them damage-free, warm, and comfortable.
And since doors and windows are the first line of defense against the outside elements, as well as the most exposed part of your home, winter can take a significant toll on them.
Read on to discover how and find out which issues to look out for during winter.
Risk of Ice
During the cold winter months, ice is very likely to form in any gaps and openings around your windows and doors.
These gaps are the places where the warm air escapes and comes in contact with the cold outside air. And since the warm air is also rich in moisture, it will most probably freeze once it meets the cold air.
Ice will then form, making it difficult to open your windows, leading to additional cracks and damages to the window and door frames, as well as to the weather stripping.
This is why it is important to check the weather stripping regularly and replace it frequently. It will minimize the risk of gaps and cracks and, therefore, ice formation.
If, on the other hand, your windows and doors are already damaged, worn out or simply dated, the best solution would be to replace them with a more durable and efficient solution, such as uPVC windows and doors.
Frames Can Warp and Shrink
Some materials are more likely to warp and shrink under the influence of extreme temperatures, moisture, and humidity.
Wood is one of those materials and if your window and door frames are wooden, they are more likely to experience such issues.
During extreme cold and freezing temperatures, as well as high humidity, wooden frames can start to bow and warp unfavorably, sometimes even shrink, leading to structural damage and failure.
Wooden frames would, therefore, need to be treated often with sealer or paint in order to minimize these damages.
However, today there are many other resistant, durable, and maintenance-free materials available for your doors and windows, such as uPVC and aluminum. Opting for one of them can save you a lot of stress and cost on repairs.
Draughts
Old and dated windows and doors, as well as windows and doors that are poorly fitted or made out of low-quality materials, are usually the main causes of draughts in your home.
They will very often have gaps or cracks that develop over time, leading to warm air loss and letting the cold air enter your home.
Apart from making your home colder and less comfortable, this can also cause your energy bills to increase significantly as you will have to turn up your heating.
Installing weatherstripping is a helpful but a short-term solution. Installing a quality and energy-efficient new windows and doors, on the other hand, is a long-term and highly cost-effective solution for your home.
Conclusion
Now that you know how winter can impact your doors and windows, it will be easier to stay on top of any issue that comes your way.
And if you want to stay ahead of those issues and prevent them altogether, don’t hesitate to call Classic Window Replacements for the best windows and doors in Dublin.