What Are the Best Apartment Window Replacement Options?

Apartment window replacement might seem an intimidating proposition for many property owners and apartment managers. Why? Because of its seemingly complicated nature. Luckily, the guide will help you find the quickest, easiest route.

How Do You Know When It's Time to Replace Your Apartment Windows?

One of the requirements of Florida's landlord and tenant laws, as highlighted in Alco's Property Manager Growth Guide, is that property managers keep a building in reasonable living condition.

Part of that stipulation is ensuring that you can identify when your property's windows need replacement. Some indicators are apparent, while others will require you to have a keen eye. Below are a few tell-tale signs to look out for:

• Broken or cracked windows
• Condensation between panes
• Air leakage
• Moisture on the inside of the panes
• Problems with opening and closing

Picking up on the above indicators and acting promptly will set you apart from the crowd. It's essential to find ways to "score points" with your residents, which in turn earns you more referrals for your property management business.

What to Consider When choosing Apartment Window Replacement

1) Thermal Performance

A window with improved energy efficiency will save you and your tenants many heating and cooling costs.

So, how can you tell that a window has good thermal performance? The National Fenestration Rating Council provides U-factor and R-factor ratings for different glasses. These ratings measure and compare the thermal performance of windows and doors. The U-factor indicates the rate at which the glass conducts non-solar heat. A window with a lower U-factor will provide better energy efficiency and vice versa.

The R-factor, on the other hand, is used to measure the glass's thermal resistance. A higher R-factor indicates more robust insulating effectiveness. Therefore, windows with low U-factor ratings and higher R-factor ratings are the most efficient replacement options as they'll keep heating and cooling costs down.

2) Weather Protection

The geographical location of your property disposes your apartment to unique environmental factors that you should consider before picking a replacement window.

Suppose your property is in areas like South Florida, which are prone to storms and hurricanes. In that case, you'll need to pick impact-resistance replacement windows that can withstand airborne projectiles and strong winds.

3) Acoustic Performance

No one enjoys living in a noisy apartment. Noise can come from different sources depending on the location of your property, including highways, kids' playgrounds, lumbering, etc.

To improve the experience of your tenants, look for a window with good noise reduction properties. Windows constructed with multiple layers of composite material generally offer good acoustic insulation because the layers act as a buffer between the apartment and the outside world.

4) Average Cost of Installation and Maintenance

Window installation is a considerable investment. As such, the installation and maintenance costs are crucial factors to consider when choosing replacement windows. Generally, the average cost of the windows is usually between $75 and $1200 per window, with impact windows costing up to $1,500 per window. These prices are exclusive of installation costs which average between $100 and $300.

The installation and maintenance cost will vary depending on multiple factors, among them being the quality and type of window in question.

For instance, vinyl windows are the most affordable option in the market. They're also energy efficient. The downside is that vinyl expands seven times more than glass, making these windows susceptible to seal failure in high-temperature fluctuations.

Fiberglass windows offer better energy efficiency compared to vinyl windows, but they're slightly more expensive. Like vinyl windows, fiberglass windows don't allow for color customization, thus limiting their curb appeal.

Wood windows offer the most customization flexibility but are also the most expensive option. Although installation is a one-off expense, wood windows have higher maintenance costs because they must be stained almost annually.

What Are the Best Apartment Window Replacement Options?

The market offers many options for window replacement, including vinyl windows, wood windows, fiberglass windows, and impact-resistant windows, among others.

Each of these options has its pros and cons. Vinyl windows and fiberglass windows are cost-effective, but they have a lesser curb appeal since they usually can't be painted to fit a custom palate. As mentioned above, wood windows are highly customizable but cost more to install and maintain.

For your apartment window replacement, you'll need an option that provides tenants with conducive living space. As a bonus, you'll also want to reduce property management costs in the long run. A great option is impact windows.

What Are Impact Windows?

Impact windows use glass elements commonly utilized in the manufacture of automobile windshields. These products feature two thick glass-bound layers using ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) or polyvinyl butyral (PVB). Both create a spider-web effect when cracked as opposed to shattering.

This property provides more protection from severe storms and flying debris, increasing the popularity of impact windows among property owners and managers in South Florida.

Besides being able to withstand high stresses, impact windows also have other benefits such as:

1) Improved Energy efficiency

The dual-layer construction protects cold air from getting through the window during winter, saving tenants and property managers from high heating costs. Likewise, during summer, impact windows can block out most of the outside heat.

2) Protection from Sun Damage

Impact windows also offer excellent protection from the sun. UV rays from the sun are notorious for their destructive properties to furniture, flooring, curtains, and more. Impact windows block UV rays, which saves you repair and replacement costs from sun damage.

3) Discounts on Insurance Premiums

Due to their efficiency and safety standards, many insurance companies offer attractive discounts on their premiums for apartments with impact windows installed. 

4) Better Acoustic Performance

The thickness and sturdy frames used in impact windows can reduce external noise by as much as 40%, providing a more peaceful living space. Because of this feature, impact windows have become a popular option for new constructions and renovations, even in areas with low severe weather occurrences.

Trust Alco Windows and Doors With Your Next Apartment Window Replacement

If you're in the market for apartment replacement windows, it's time to take a plunge and try impact-resistant products.

Alco Windows and Doors specializes in providing top-quality impact glass installation services across South Florida. Whether it's a retrofit or a replacement project, our team is always ready to offer excellent services to help you transform your apartment.

Don't compromise the quality of your property because of the high initial cost of impact windows. You can choose from a variety of different financing options to get started.

Call us today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about the benefits of using impact windows for your next apartment window replacement project.