The snow has finally appeared in Milwaukee – and it was a wakeup for some of us here at Weather Tight: It’s Winter! Winter in Wisconsin is a time to bundle up and run the heat. But how do you balance staying warm and saving money? Here are five tips to save money this winter – without spending a penny!
-Use the sun to your advantage! Open your curtains and blinds during the day to help warm the rooms. As the sun beats down, it will warm up your home for free! Don’t forget to close them at night to keep the warmth inside.
-When using a dish washer, wash full loads only. Running two half-full cycles can DOUBLE the cost! Wait until your dish washer is full to get the most for your energy and water usage.
-Use the energy-savings options on your appliances. Many new appliances have energy-savings modes that you can turn on to help cut down on electrical and heating costs. It is especially useful on dryers and dish washers.
-If you use a self-cleaning option on your oven, start the self-cleaning process directly after using the oven. This will help save money by using the heat that is in the oven from cooking to start the cleaning process rather than having to build up heat from room temperature.
-Lower your water heater to 120° or ‘low’. You will still have hot showers and clean laundry, and you will save money since the water tank will not have to work as hard to keep water at a higher temperature.
If you are in the market for new appliances, be sure to find the ENERGYSTAR® label before you purchase. In order to qualify for an ENERGYSTAR® rating, appliances must reduce energy and water usage by 10-50% compared to standard models in the industry. They may cost a little more in the beginning, but will save you more over time.
Some of the most obvious signs that a door needs to be replaced are visual. Some of these signs include the age of the door, peeling paint or cracks in the door, and even damage to the wood and stain from the sun. Other times you can feel a draft through the door on a windy day.
Unfortunately it isn’t always just that easy to tell when you door needs to be replaced. By having gaps between the threshold and door, you could be losing as much heat as having a 3″ square hole in your wall! Here are a couple of tests that you can try on your entry door to check for energy efficiency issues, the dollar bill test and the flashlight test.
Dollar Bill Test:
Open your entry door and place a dollar bill on top of the threshold (bottom of the door frame) and close the door. Next, try to move the dollar bill to one side of the door and over to the next. Does it move, or is it a struggle? If it can move, that is a place where air can move freely in and out of your home.
Flashlight Test:
Have two people stand on either side of the closed door. One person will shine a flashlight around the perimeter of the door. The light will shine through any cracks or gaps in the seal. Can the second person see any? If so, it’s time to replace your door to increase the energy efficiency in your home.
These tips are just some of the interesting facts that you can learn from our owners, Tod and Todd during their videos, Home Improvement Tips with Tod and Todd. Although our series is done for 2011, you can still view all of the videos on our website by going to http://www.weathertightcorp.com/videos-page.php. All of the videos are sorted by projects, so scroll through the list to find the videos that have to do with projects that are on your to-do list.
When: Friday November 25th
Hours: 11am-3pm
Location: West Allis Showroom-11400 West Oklahoma Avenue, West Allis, WI 53227
Join us Black Friday November 25th from 11-3 for a Huge Showroom Sale and Craft & Gift Show. Featuring: overstock windows starting at $99, 18 months no interest/payments with 18 can donation to Hunger Task Force.
Craft & Gift Show: Avoid the mall and shop for gifts from some of the most popular gift suppliers. Vendors include: Lovely Bracelets, The Crafty Ones, Party Lite, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, Grandma Vinny’s Cookies, Mary Kay, Tastefully Simple, Dove Chocolates, Celebrating Home, Just Relax! A place to escape reality! Massage & Wellness, Modern Woodsmen, L’Bri, Fresco Art, Usborne Books, & Avon.
Below is a post from our friends in Massachusetts. If you need siding be sure to give Weather Tight a call. If you are wondering why your paint is peeling, read this article for some helpful information.
Thank you to Weathertight for a chance to share some information with their readers!
Among other things we are a painting contractor in Massachusetts and one of the most common questions we receive is “what causes paint to peel on my house?” Most people assume it was just done poorly last time, or “the last painter didn’t use primer”–we hear that one a lot! Sometimes that may be true, but usually it’s a much deeper problem.
If you have significant peeling paint it’s likely that you have 1 of 3 conditions:
A really old paint job: Even a house that was properly painted every time will eventually start to peel especially in U.S. climates that see 4 seasons and varying amounts of moisture. If your home falls into this category, you have 2 options: Either paint more frequently (which is expensive) or bite the bullet and go with siding replacement. The second option will pay for itself in 2-3 paint cycles and add resale value to your home.
A moisture problem: Moisture isn’t just a problem from the outside–although in many cases it is. Moisture can also be from an inside source escaping through the walls thus causing loss of paint adhesion. Sometimes there are ways to correct or minimize this, but what’s causing it? Is it condensation from winter heat escaping through the walls? is it a leak? is it a moist climate? No matter what the problem is, in most cases trial and error will not lead to a long-term fix. I’ve witnessed countless people try gimmick after gimmick with the hope of solving this problem only to replace their siding after wasting lots of money.
Mill-glaze: When wood clapboard is milled, often the tannins from the cedar are heated by the saw blade which creates a waxy like surface that paint won’t adhere to. When installed smooth-side out, the glazed surface of cedar clapboards will often reject paint altogether and as you can imagine create a massive nightmare. This problem will never be solved with paint and usually requires replacement of the affected areas. Some painters will try to sand down the surface and re-paint. Our experience has been, this is expensive and never works 100%.
Your best solution is to work with a trustworthy contractor who can go over all your options and make educated recommendations. Study after study show that replacing your siding is a great investment if you plan on being in your home for a long period of time.
When: Saturday October 22nd
Hours: 10am-2pm
Location: West Allis Showroom-11400 West Oklahoma Avenue, West Allis, WI 53227 &
Brookfield Showroom-14640 West Capitol Drive, Brookfield, WI 53005
Join us for the Weather Tight Halloween Event. We will have safe trick-or-treat for the kids with prizes for best costume. For adults we will have free energy efficiency clinics where you’ll learn about r-value, heat loss vs. air infiltration, home energy savings tips, and much more. The first 20 customers will get a free home winterization kit (limit one per household).
One time each year, Qualified Remodeler magazine comes out with a list of the top 500 remodelers. Weather Tight was chosen as the 67th top remodeler in the United States in 2011!
The elite group is chosen by several different factors, including revenue, however Qualified Remodeler magazine expressed that most of the companies share common attributes that set us apart from our competition:
-Excellent Business Acumen
-Commitment to Customer Service
-Insightful Sales Techniques
-Strong Customer Loyalty
We wanted to take this opportunity to thank our customers and staff for helping us become the company we have grown to be over the past 25 years. We are proud of being placed in the top 100 nationally, among companies that serve larger markets.
When: Saturday September 24th
Hours: 10am-2pm
Location: West Allis Showroom-11400 West Oklahoma Avenue, West Allis, WI 53227
Join us for the Weather Tight Border Battle-25th Anniversary Event. We will have food and games for the entire family including hot dogs, chips and drinks for 25 cents each. There will be opportunities to get entered into our grand prize Green Bay vs. Chicago tickets for the game on Christmas night. There will also be opportunities to win other door prizes. In recognition of our 25th anniversary, we will be offering a selection of product upgrades for $25. Hope to see you there!
Red Cross Donation Event
Hours: 10am-2pm Event is free.
Location: West Allis Showroom-114th & Oklahoma
On Saturday, June 25th, Weather Tight will be hosting a donation drive for the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund on from 10am to 2pm.
Visit our West Allis showroom located at 114th and Oklahoma Ave during the event and for $0.25 you can enjoy a delicious hotdog, chips and soda to celebrate our 25th anniversary! Nothing beats a whole meal for under one dollar and all proceeds earned will go directly to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
We will also have our overstock windows for sale and they will be on display in our West Allis showroom. These windows are discounted to sell and to top it off, 50% of all overstock sales will be donated to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund!
When you set an appointment for an estimate anytime during the day on June 25th, 5% of your project will be donated to the American Red Cross.
Don’t have a need for any additional remodeling projects? You can always stop in and enjoy great food and make a donation to the American Red Cross.
Remember, if you are unable to attend this event for any reason, you can call to set your appointment on Saturday, June 25th and 5% of your
project will still be donated to the American Red Cross –even if you do not attend the event!
Hours: 10am-2pm Event is free.
Location: Both Showrooms West Allis-114th & Oklahoma & Brookfield-146 & Capitol (free leashes and frisbees only)
West Allis Location Only
11am Pet Fashion Show and Photo Shoot
12pm Pet Contests-Largest Dog, Smallest Dog, Owner/Pet Look-a-like, Best Costume
Bring your pets to enter into our contests.
Join us for Pounds For Pets on Saturday June 4th at our West Allis location. The event is designed to collect pet food for local animal shelters. For every can, item, or pound of food donated you will get 1% off your Weather Tight purchase up to a maximum of 20% off. The H.A.W.S mobile unit will be onsite with pets available for adoption. Elmbrook Humane Society will also be at the event sharing information about their organization. Bring your pet to enter in our Pet Fashion Show and Pet Contests. Our Brookfield location will have free dog leashes and frisbees available.
Traditionally there has only been one way to install a vinyl window. Weather Tight is pioneering a new cutting edge installation technique that is far superior.
Traditional replacement windows are installed inside of the existing window opening. The new window is made in a new frame, but is inserted into the existing wood jamb.
Pros:
In most cases, you can keep the existing interior casings– if they are in good shape
The installation is faster, and is a little less expensive than the new method.
Cons:
By installing a frame within a frame, you lose out on glass space.
Because the casings are never removed, there is no way to tell if the gap between the jamb and the stud is properly insulated. If it isn’t you can get a new window that’s still drafty around the edges!
The new Full-Frame replacement windows are installed by removing the entire window – including the original wood jamb to the rough openings (or studs).
Pros:
By removing the wood jambs, you won’t lose glass space and in most cases you gain glass space.
The window comes with new exterior vinyl brick mould. This allows for more architecturally correct contours than is usually found on the aluminum bent on-site for the traditional replacement window installation.
New casings are pre-stained and pre-assembled to give an updated appearance to the entire window opening. The only thing you have to do after the installation is to enjoy the view.
There is no need to have a carpenter in your home, saving considerable installation time and reducing the hassle that comes with it for you as a customer.
Cons:
A little bit more expensive than the traditional installation.
Your neighbors will be jealous
To learn more, watch Tod & Todd’s video about the full frame replacement and compare for yourself! http://youtu.be/ir1-wuCCw5Q
Roofing ventilation doesn’t get discussed like roofing, windows, or siding, but is a very important part in your home. Ventilation helps with ice damming, attic moisture, and excessive heat. This video from Tod & Todd the owners of Weather Tight will help you answer the question “do you have enough ventilation in your home?”
Home Show & Weather Tight 25th Anniversary – May 21st
Hours: 10am-4pm Event is free.
Location: TheHome Show is at our West Allis location 114th & Oklahoma Ave.
Join us for our spring Home Show on Saturday May 21st. There will be a wide variety of vendors including: home security, window treatments, closets, carpeting, heating & air conditioning, landscaping, kitchen remodeling, appliances, second floor home additions, and bath coverings. All vendors will be offering door prizes. Weather Tight will also be celebrating its 25th Anniversary. 25% off all Weather Tight products.
We have been hit by a ton of rain this spring! Do you have gutters that are missing or not working properly? This video helps answer the question “When Is It Time To Replace My Gutters?”
Spring is here! That means a few nice days and allot of rain. You may have experienced ice damming this past winter or have seen some shingles blown off your roof. When do you know if its time to replace your roof? Tod & Todd the owners of Weather Tight will help answer that question.
Weather Tight is hosting an Easter Egg-stravaganza on Saturday, April 16th from 11 am -3 pm in both showroom locations!
Brookfield – 146th & Capitol Dr.
West Allis – 114th & Oklahoma Ave.
An Easter Egg Hunt will be available for the kids, while the adults can test their luck and pick an egg from our Easter Basket of Savings! Do you have what it takes to choose the egg that is worth 50% off your next project? Come in and see how much you can win! (The Basket of Savings will be available in both showrooms during regular business hours until April 24th).
The Easter Bunny will be making an appearance at the West Allis location only!
Weather Tight is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt for Savings in both of their Milwaukee-area showrooms. This event runs during regular business hours April 4th-24th.
The Easter Egg Hunt for Savings allows homeowners to come into our showroom and select an Easter egg from our basket for a chance to win up to 50% off their project! Everyone is guaranteed to win – there’s nothing to lose! While you’re there, be sure to talk with our showroom staff about your upcoming project, take a look at our display models and set up your free, no-obligation estimate.
Stop by either of our showrooms before April 24th to see if you can find the egg worth 50% off!
You may have seen the shortened version of some of Tod and Todd’s home improvement tips on TV lately. The second video in the series focuses on siding. How do you know when its time to replace your siding? Watch the video to find out.
You know your windows need to be replaced. There is no doubt about it. It’s something that you have been putting off for a variety of reasons, they are drafty, inefficient, leaking – there is a reason why you know it’s time to get them replaced. With winter almost over, you breathe a sigh of relief. You should be able to wait until fall to replace them, right?
Before you decide to wait until fall to replace your windows, here are some interesting facts on why you should replace your windows today:
A crack as small as 1/16th of an inch around the perimeter of your window can let in as much outside air as leaving your window open three inches!
In warmer months, leaks throughout the home (including those that make your windows “drafty” during the winter months) bring in moisture-filled air. This causes the cooling system of your home to work longer to take out the moisture, which wastes money and energy.
The lack of insulation around the frame of your window can cause energy to escape through the perimeter of the window. When the windows are replaced, Weather Tight insulates around the window during installation to prevent this from occurring.
Check out more information on why you should replace your windows with Weather Tight vinyl replacement windows by going to www.weathertightcorp.com/windows/
Tod Colbert and Todd Schulz, the owners of Weather Tight have created some videos to help with common home improvement questions. The series of videos covers a variety home improvment topics including common roofing, window, and door issues that face homeowners. The video below helps homeowners answer the question “Is it time to replace my windows”. Enjoy the video!
