This post features content inspired by one of our premier partners at Marvin Windows & Doors

We are excited to announce that Marvin has moved to a dealer direct model with Kuiken Brothers at the start of 2021, which means that your next order of Marvin products will be placed by us directly with Marvin, instead of a regional distributer. This decision was made with you, the building professional in mind!

Failing windows and doors will not only make your favorite spaces less comfortable, they may also have a negative effect on your health. Here’s how to know when it’s time for replacement.

As time goes by, the performance of your windows and doors will diminish. Weather-stripping gets damaged, seals fail, components get brittle and break. How do you know when it’s time to replace them? There are some obvious signs like cracked glass, drafty rooms, or that they’re hard to open and close, but some signs are more subtle. This handy guide will help you discover when it’s time for an upgrade.

Discomfort

Let’s start with the most obvious sign you need new windows and doors: comfort. Your home is your sanctuary, your retreat. There should be no space more comfortable than your home. If your favorite rooms never seem to warm up in the winter or stay cool in the summer, your windows and doors are likely substantial contributors to your discomfort. Most modern windows are better engineered, made with more effective materials, and today’s glass outperforms glass of days gone by in nearly every category, which all translates into more comfortable rooms.

High Energy Bills 

It only makes sense that if your windows and doors are underperforming, your energy bills will be higher than they should be. Even if you can afford the extra money, heating and cooling the outdoors is wasteful and consumes more natural resources than is necessary. If you’re not sure what your fuel and electricity bills should be, ask your neighbors what they pay. If their house is built like yours and their family is a similar size, their bills should be roughly the same. Just make sure to explain why you’re asking.

Ghostly Curtains 

If your curtains are moving around even when the window is closed, the cause could be a drafty window. There are a couple reasons why windows become susceptible to air infiltration. It might be that the window’s seals and gaskets have outlived their usefulness, or maybe the window was improperly installed in the first place, and the draft is not coming through the window itself but from the area between the window and the wall. If that’s the case, you may want to opt for new full replacement windows instead of inserts so the installer can properly insulate around your new windows.

You Can See the Light

Beautiful views of the outdoors can be a great thing, unless those views are being seen between a door panel and the door jamb. You should see no light around the perimeter of your door panel. If you can, your door is either out of alignment or the weather-stripping has worn out or is missing altogether. Water infiltration, which can lead to rot and mold, is also a concern with inadequately sealed doors.

Foggy Glass 

For over 40 years, most windows have been made with dual pane glass, that is, two panes of glass separated by a small space. To improve insulation values, glass manufactures fill the space between the two panes with an inert gas like argon. Eventually, the seal keeping the gas in place fails, and the gas escapes, at which point the glass surfaces in the middle are prone to condensation. And when that condensation dries, it can leave behind an irritating foggy film which can’t be reached to be cleaned off. In addition to obscuring your view, a broken seal will negatively affect a window’s performance.

Musty Smells 

Poor performing and improperly installed windows and doors can lose their ability to prevent water from entering a home. And where there’s water, you’ll often find mold, which can be a real health concern, especially for those with mold allergies. Sometimes you can see the mold, but it could be growing inside your walls and the only sign might be a musty/moldy smell. Using tools like moisture meters and infrared cameras, a window and door professional can evaluate the situation and let you know if your windows and doors maybe contributing to the problem.

They Won’t Budge

Do you need a crowbar to open your sliding glass door or double hung window? If you do, you’re ready for new windows and doors. A stubborn window or door is not just inconvenient, it can be dangerous. If there’s a fire or other emergency, a stuck window or door could mean the difference between a safe outcome and disaster.

Bugs and Critters 

Like teenagers, unwelcome pests are constantly on the lookout for food and shelter, and if they find access to them in your home, they won’t wait for an invitation. Bugs and critters will attack the weakest areas first, like gaps in caulking, missing gaskets, worn-out weather-stripping, and the insulation around a window. New windows and doors and modern insulation methods do a better job of staving off the assault of cold, hungry pests on the move.

You Yell A Lot 

Maybe you’ve heard the news? There are more people in the world than there used to be. If your once tranquil boulevard has become a bustling thoroughfare, you’ve certainly heard all about it. In fact, you’re probably hearing a delivery van rumbling by right now. New windows and doors can be fitted with three panes of glass and special laminations that will help prevent outdoor noises from making it necessary to yell to be heard.

They’re Really old 

If your windows and doors, or the trim around them, were installed prior to 1978, there’s a good chance that they have been painted with lead-based paint. Lead is highly toxic when ingested, and children are particularly at risk. If you suspect that your windows and doors have been painted with lead paint, have the surfaces tested, and form an abatement plan if necessary.

Chipping Paint 

If your windows and doors no longer hold a coat of paint, it’s probably time for an upgrade. What’s likely happening is that water is finding its way past seals and gaskets and into the painted components, causing the paint to fail from the inside out.

A Hurricane is Heading Your Way 

If you live near a coast that is subject to tropical storms and hurricanes, you may want to step up your window and door game. Your windows and doors may have been code compliant thirty years ago, but codes have changed, and that’s because we now have the technology to create amazingly strong impact-resistant products, which are tested by hurdling 2x4s at it at speeds near 35 mph and small steel balls at near 90 mph. And when the storm winds do blow, it’s important to have windows and doors you can rely on, because if the glass, sash, or frame on just one unit should fail, a house in a hurricane can become pressurized, which could cause the walls to be pushed out and the entire roof to be blown off the house.

Your Windows and Doors are Just Plain Ugly 

They say that beauty lives in the details. If you’re not seeing the beauty living in the details of your current windows and doors, it might be time for an upgrade. Every Marvin window and door is made with expert craftsmanship and achieves architectural precision across every style, shape, and size. Thoughtful design, industry-leading performance, and innovative features, inspired by how people live, come together to bring a feeling of luxury, comfort, and security into every room.

Get More Value When You Choose Marvin Windows & Doors from Kuiken Brothers

Kuiken Brothers is the preferred local source for Marvin Windows & Doors for many reasons. We’re confident in our ability to provide you with the best experience from our award winning showrooms, through our experienced and knowledgeable millwork specialists and in-the-field consultations.

Here are just a few of the reasons why building professionals choose Kuiken Brothers as their go-to-source for Marvin Windows & Doors.

Kuiken Brothers Showrooms

We pride ourselves on our stunning showrooms, not only showcasing a standalone window, but windows installed in inspirational, lifestyle settings where you can also choose matching interior and exterior moulding selections.

GPS Tracked Delivery Fleet

Allow our team to bring the product directly to you. Our expansive fleet of delivery vehicles are GPS enabled, allowing us to notify you when your order is on its way. For larger projects we can leave a tractor trailer on-site so that the installer can pull the windows as needed, minimizing potential for jobsite damage. We can provide jobsite direct shipments when applicable.

Complementary Building Materials

Very rarely are window installations just window installations! We offer the complete arrangement of complementary building materials in-stock to ensure that you have all of the fasteners, flashing, housewrap and weatherization barriers ready for pickup or delivery when your windows are ready to ship. Working with an individual supplier for all of these projects reduces the amount of phone calls or e-mails you and your team have to make. We are here to make your window projects a success.

Ready to start Choosing Your Marvin Windows? Visit a Kuiken Brothers’ Showroom Today!

Kuiken Brothers showrooms were built to be an extensions of our builder, remodeler, architect and designer customer’s business. Featuring inspirational, lifestyle installations, our Showrooms are the ideal location to meet with clients in advance of a project where a umber of major decisions can be made. The staff at Kuiken Brothers is happy to walk you through the options that are readily available from our inventory, and supported by a local business should anything come along.

When you enter a Kuiken Brothers Showroom you will not find a hard sell from our sales team. We are on-staff to provide a relaxing, consultative environment for you and your clients. We will guide you through our showroom and answer and questions you may have. Please visit us at your convenience. While appointments are not required, we do recommend that you contact us in advance so that we are able to provide you with a personalized experience.

We hope to see you soon, whether you are looking for inspiration for your dream project, or right in the middle of a project and need to make quick product decisions and selections. We hope to see you soon!

Find a Kuiken Brothers Millwork & Cabinetry Showroom Near You

Typical Showroom Hours*:

7am – 4pm Monday through Friday
8am – 12pm Saturday
Closed Sundays

Please feel free to call in advance to ensure a specific product that you are looking for is on display. Our showrooms are in close proximity to one another, so if one showroom does not have a specific product on display, chances are we can direct you to a local one that does. For a list of phone numbers, click here