If you’re moving to a new home in Nevada, don’t cut corners on weatherproofing. Knowing how to weatherproof your house will protect your investment, reduce your long-term expenses, and improve your everyday comfort.
Why Does Weatherproofing Matter?
Nevada’s harsh desert climate creates unique challenges for homeowners. Everyone knows about the extreme heat and high rates of solar gain that raise temperates indoors when they rise outdoors. But the drastic temperature drops of cold desert nights often take new residents by surprise.
Many homeowners hope to reduce their initial costs with DIY weatherproofing. Unfortunately, DIY weatherproofing is often no match for the rugged Nevada conditions. Experienced professionals help ensure that the job is done right the first time.
The Benefits of Weatherproofing Windows
Your windows are often the weakest points in your house.
Inferior materials and installation allow excessive heat transfer from outdoors to indoors, and vice versa. This places a heavy burden on your air conditioning and heating systems (and your energy bill) to maintain stable, comfortable temperatures indoors.
Consider upgrading to one of the modern energy efficient window replacement options. Fiberglass replacement windows offer a number of benefits that make them perfect for Nevada homes:
- High insulation and low thermal conductivity, keeping the heat outside during hot weather but holding warmth indoors during cold weather
- Low expansion and contraction due to temperature shifts, preventing leakage around the seals
- Superior longevity compared to vinyl window panes
Professionally installed fiberglass replacement windows will rapidly pay for themselves in the energy savings they provide. And although cold weather isn’t usually top of mind for Nevada residents, fiberglass is excellent at weatherproofing windows for winter as well as summer, increasing your savings year round.
When you’re weatherproofing windows, also consider adding a low-E coating to the material. These coatings reflect ultraviolet and infrared light to significantly reduce solar gain inside your house, but allow visible light to enter, unlike older window tints, which blocked visible light as well.
The Benefits of Weatherproofing Doors
Like windows, doors are a critical weak point in your home’s protection against the desert outside. There’s not much you can do to prevent some heat transfer when coming in or going out. But there are ways to minimize it.
When weatherproofing doors, consider similar factors as when you’re weatherproofing windows. Different materials insulate better than others. Fiberglass is an excellent option for doors as well as windows.
The lower heat conductivity of fiberglass, and its significantly higher durability and longer lifespan than even weatherproof wood, make fiberglass doors a strong choice for Nevada homes.
Fiberglass works well for weatherproofing sliding door and French door features as well. Patio door weatherproofing is critical for bringing down energy costs, since the large clear panes on patio doors can allow more heat transfer and solar gain than solid doors do.
Professional vs. DIY Weatherproofing
Although DIY weatherproofing may sound like a manageable project for a proactive homeowner, professional window and door installation and weatherproofing remain your most reliable way to maximize your home’s energy efficiency and long-term cost savings.
Imperfect installation and faulty seals allow more heat to pass through, leading to larger fluctuations in indoor temperatures and a greater burden on your AC and heat.
Poorly sealed windows and doors also let dust and water in. With Nevada’s high winds, dust storms, and occasional flash rain storms and floods, dust and water incursion are the last thing you need. Expert technicians can ensure that your windows and doors are tightly sealed against the elements.
AHE Windows and Doors is proud to serve Las Vegas customers. Schedule a consultation with us today to learn how we can reduce your energy costs and increase your comfort at home today!
