Windows And Doors: Understanding Energy Performance

Homeowners who are shopping around for windows and doors are most concerned about performance. After all, a window or door that isn't performing up to par means that energy is leaking out and because of this you could literally be sending money out of the window. Luckily for homeowners, the National Fenestration Rating Council provides ratings on all types of Energy Star windows. Companies that manufacture windows and doors aren't required to use these rating systems, but many of them do. Before you purchase a new window or door, learn about what these ratings mean.

Understanding The U-Factor

The U-factor is the rate that a window, door or skylight conducts non-solar heat flow. Just like in golf, a lower number is better -- a lower number designates a higher level of energy efficiency. One thing to consider when comparing U-factors is whether it is covering the entire window or door or just the glass. However, if you're getting the U-factor from the National Fenestration Rating Council, and not the manufacturer, you can be sure that the rating covers the frame and spacer material, as well as the glass.

Understanding Solar Heat Gain Coefficient

Another rating to consider is the solar heat gain coefficient. This measures the solar radiation that is released into the home. The lower the solar heat gain coefficient, the less heat is released, which is ideal for climates that are warm most of the year. On the other hand, a high solar heat gain coefficient means that the window will help keep a house warm in the winter and in cold climates. There is no one perfect solar heat gain coefficient for all climates so you should choose the right one based on where you live, as well as the orientation of the wall.

How Companies That Install Windows And Doors Can Help

If you're not sure what type of window or door is right for your home, work with a company that installs them. They'll be able to help you choose the right one for each exterior surface of your home. A wall that faces west might require a very different type of window than one that faces north, so make sure to consider the orientation and any shading done by large trees or other landscaping.

While the ratings are important, these ratings won't matter at all if the windows and doors are installed incorrectly. Look for a company that is experienced in installing them correctly and professionally. When interviewing companies, ask what type of warranty they offer -- the standard warranty from the manufacturer isn't enough. To make sure you're working with a qualified company, ask them what additional warranties they offer to their customers. Some won't offer anything additional, but some will offer up to a five-year warranty on labor. Your manufacturer's warranty isn't valid if the installation is done incorrectly so it's vitally important that your windows and doors are installed perfectly the first time.

New windows and doors do more than just provide your house with a facelift. The right ones will improve your home's energy efficiency, as long as you choose them properly. If you're still confused when looking for the perfect window for your home, work with a company that installs them for guidance. They'll be able to help you choose the best type for your house.

Opal Enterprises provides many home improvement services, including installing Wheaton doors and Elmhurst windows. To ensure customers are receiving the best, Opal Enterprises uses the right Naperville windows and doors for each home. To see a gallery of finished projects, visit their site.

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Why to Install Window Blinds in Your Home

Window blinds can be used in homes, offices, and commercial establishments, as well as individual rooms and outdoor areas.

PROTECT YOUR HOME

Window blinds can keep out heat and protect your home from the elements, particularly blockout and sunscreen options. Whether you need to protect your home from the summer heat of Brisbane or Cairns, or protect from the elements in Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide window blinds can offer great protection to your home furnishings. Eco blinds, do not degrade from heat and wet in the same way wooden blinds do, and prove a very popular choice. Ecowood venetian blinds are made from PVC and can retain the look of wood.

One of the main purposes of window blinds is to block out sun, rain, and other environmental factors that can damage your home furnishings and fixtures. Heat and moisture can fade wooden furniture, and moisture can damage electronic appliances. You can protect your home from damage while letting in enough light and heat to keep your rooms at the right temperature and comfortable.

CONTROL BRIGHTNESS AND SHADE

Blinds allow you to keep out just the right amount of sunlight to shade your room while keeping it bright enough. Venetian blinds are particularly good for this. The rotating blind slats give you full control over the brightness, shading, heat levels, and even the direction and angle of the light that gets in. Another option is blockout blinds or screen blinds. Sunscreen roller blinds allow you to let light in to your home whilst not damaging furnishings and fixtures. Blockout mean you can completely block out the sun.

A great option is to fit dual roller blinds. Dual roller blinds are both sunscreen and roller blinds on the same bracket sat one behind the other. This means you can have either type across your window depending on the time of day or temperature. These are also known as double roller blinds.

BLINDS AND CURTAINS

While curtains cover up windows well, wind can easily blow them aside and leave your window exposed. A good option is to combine blinds and curtains, curtains can be then closed or open without affecting your window area. Also window blinds can be anchored to the sides and bottom of the window, making them more resistant to wind and impact. Most are also weighted at the bottom by rods and cords, which add to their strength and resistance.

PRIVACY PROTECTION

Blinds can shield your room from view by covering up your window. This is especially useful if your rooms have large window areas that can be viewed by people outside of your home or office. Both venetian and roller blind designs provide excellent privacy, blockout rollers completely block your space from public view, which makes your room completely private. However, they block out a considerable amount of light as well, so you may need to turn on more lights to be able to work inside. Also, they do not allow you to look out the window. Sunscreen options, on the other hand, offer excellent privacy without completely blocking out your outdoor view. The same can be said for venetian blinds where the slats can be titled to restrict the views into your home but also allow the light in.

DECORATE YOUR ROOM

With the right color and style, window blinds can serve as a great addition to a room and set off its theme and decor. Wooden blinds that which can also add a warm glow and welcoming feel to a home. Some people even use blinds as the room's focal point, especially if the they are full-length or cover a large window.

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5 Things Windows 8 Learned from Windows Phone 7

If you've had a chance to take the Windows 8 Developer Preview for a spin you would have noticed that a lot of the features and looks are derived from Microsoft's experience with Windows Phone 7 launched two years ago.

Underpinning Microsoft's approach in Windows 8 is ensuring that the operating system can run in a desktop/laptop environment and tablets.

With the increasing popularity of the iPad and other tablets it's only natural for Microsoft to follow the path of simplifying and morphing the most popular operating system for touch input in a tablet configuration.

Lesson 1 - Metro Interface Also Works on Tablets

The most obvious lesson is the user interface. Metro was introduced in Windows Phone 7 as a simple yet functional and appealing interface that makes Windows Mobile devices easy to use.

The interactive nature of tiles and the simplicity of the interface will be found in Windows 8 when launched later this year.

Lesson 2: Web-based Apps Are the Future

The first step was bringing web apps to Windows Phone 7, then with Internet Explorer 10, Microsoft brought a more immersive web experience to the browser.

With Windows 8 you'll get the best of both worlds, site pinning and a seamless full-screen browsing experience. This is an operating system where websites become apps.

Lesson 3: Push Notifications Are Important & Need Not Kill Battery Life

Like other tablet devices and Windows Phone 7, Microsoft will implement a battery-saving method to enable push notifications for emails, apps and more.

Lesson 4: Vetted Apps Make for a Better User Experience

Similar to Apple's App Market, Microsoft will only allow Marketplace Apps to be used in ARM-based Windows configurations.

This will ensure that apps are vetted before they make it to your portable devices.

Lesson 5: Hardware Specifications Improve User Experience

As with Windows Phone 7, Microsoft will have a set of guidelines that OEMs must follow in order to use Windows 8 on ARM based devices.

This will ensure a consistent user experience and set standards for the type of capabilities/components that all ARM-based Windows 8 devices will have.

The key here is Microsoft's ability to deliver on the user experience while ensuring that OEMs stick to the guidelines which will determine how functional and how well ARM-based devices with Windows 8 will run.

What do you think? Is it wise for Microsoft to set standards for ARM-based devices that want to run Windows 8?

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Bifold Windows

Bifold windows are cut down versions of their door counterparts; bifold doors. They are distinguished by having various hinged panels that fold back onto each other when opened. It is important to note that bifolding systems should have an even number of panels. They should not have an odd number of panels as this would mean that one panel would hang loose which is not ideal. As such, two and four panel configurations are most popular.

Bifold windows and doors are fitted with window seals to reduce drafts and rattles. Their frames can be made from timber, including cedar, and powder coated aluminium and can be treated for water resistance. The powder coated aluminium and the hinge work are non-corrosive to ensure their longevity. The powder coating then then also be colour matched as required.

The beauty of bifold windows and doors lies in its ability to open to its entire width rather than half the width which is opened by sliding doors. The panels also fold back onto each other compactly minimising the space used. This also means that you get an unobstructed view of the goings on outside your window or door. You can also select to have your bifold windows open outwards or inwards, depending on what is more functional and where your available space is. Similarly you can also choose to have it hinged on the left or right to direct which side the fold back will occur. Once drawback of bifold windows is because they open up so expansively, they then allow flies to get in. However, where this a concern, a good supplier will also offer pull down fly screens whose railings are integrated into the windowand hidden from view.

Bifold windows are often used to combine living and entertainment areas by opening up say a kitchen window to say a decking. In this way it provides a servery area which supports outdoor dining and entertaining. It can also be a great way of providing ventilation for cooking smells. Bifold windows can also be used as serveries commercially in cafes or restaurants. Or bench to ceiling versions can also provide an al fresco dining experience.

When designing your house, extension or shop, consider the versatility and functionality of bifolding systems to maximise your space, ventilation and views. Not only are they more functional that sliding but they also don't suffer the railing and runner issues associated with sliding doors.

Bifold windows are becoming new trend in interior design, As these bifolds are very compatible with space in home. Moreover giving good look to home.

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Microsoft Brings SkyDrive to the Masses

Last week Microsoft announced the expansion of it's SkyDrive service (think DropBox with an extra 23GB) to devices beyond Windows PCs and Macs. Users can now experience a Dropbox-like service on iPads, iPhones and of course Windows Phone 7 devices.

The service is free and includes 25GB for users that have a Hotmail account. Those users who sign up today will get 7GB of data free. Like iCloud, Dropbox and Box.net you have the option to upgrade storage based on your needs.

Plans for SkyDrive start at $10/year for an additional 20GB to $50/year for 100GB. Not bad considering that Dropbox will set you back $200 for 100GB for essentially the same service.

You can download SkyDrive for the following devices: ?Windows, Mac, iPad, iPhone and Windows Phone 7. Of course the key driver for Microsoft is having a cloud storage service that Windows 8 can leverage when it is released later this year. I think it is a better and opposite strategy that Apple took with iCloud and Lion last year.

I personally see the benefit compared to iCloud offered by Apple. You get the storage and the ability to edit Microsoft Office files online, for free.?What do you think about SkyDrive? Will you switch from Dropbox or a similar service?

Learn more about SkyDrive by visiting the official Microsoft website.

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Blind Repair Versus Replacement: Which Option Is Right for Your Window Treatments?

A broken or malfunctioning window treatment doesn't have to send you to the store for a whole new set of blinds. Consider whether blind repair is right for your situation.

If your windows are your home's eyes on the world, then your window treatments are the lids and lashes. From decorative draperies to functional blinds, window treatments add style to a room, control light and temperature, and provide a level of privacy. But when your blinds break or malfunction, they go from being a useful furnishing to a frustrating eyesore. You might be tempted to rip down those broken blinds and throw them away, before heading off to your local window treatment retailer for a replacement set. In some cases, however, blind repair is a more cost-effective and satisfying option than replacement. Keep in mind a few key factors when making the decision.

Common Blind Issues

Though they're simple to operate, blinds are composed of a number of components--and each of these components is susceptible to malfunctioning or breaking, especially if you don't treat the blinds with care. The string or chain to raise and lower the blinds might become tangled or stuck. The cord-lock might stop locking, meaning the blinds won't stay in the raised position. The tilter mechanism, which controls how much light you let in, could stop working. Or you might move the same set of blinds to a different window only to find that they're too short or too long. Some of these issues need a single replacement part to be resolved; others require more complex repairs. Depending on where you purchased the blinds and who installed them, you might have access to blind repair services. Ask about your problem and what it would take to fix it.

Aesthetics

When deciding between blind repair and replacement, consider the aesthetics of the room. Are these your favorite blinds? Are they a central feature in the room's decor? If the answer is "yes," it might be worth calling in a window blind repair expert to see if they can be saved. However, if your blinds are a number of years old and have seen better days, this might be your opportunity to replace them. If you love the look of the blinds, check whether the retailer still manufactures the same model. Or, jump at the chance to redesign, searching for new horizontal blinds or even Roman shades to update the look of the room.

Cost-effectiveness

How much did you pay for the blinds initially? Did you install them yourself or utilize professional installation services? And how much will it cost to fix the problem? Weigh all of the costs when deciding whether to call in a window blind repair expert. Blinds purchased from a big box retailer might not be worth repairing, because you can buy replacement models for the same cost. However, if you consider your window treatments to be an investment in your home and thus opted for upscale blinds, repair of a single component may be much cheaper than complete replacement. Keep in mind that a blind retailer might offer discounted or even free repair services on blinds purchased from their store as part of their product warranty.

Whether you opt for blind repair or replacement, remember that blinds that are treated properly will look their best and last longer. Raise and lower them with care, rather than tugging and yanking. If the cord tends to tangle, tuck it up out of the way until you need it. Whether you spent $20 or $200 on your window treatments, you want to get the most out of your investment.

Penny Jones is a homeowner and a senior Internet marketing strategist at Prospect Genius, a leader in search engine optimization.

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Windows 7 Page Published, Windows 8 Guides Coming Soon

It's been a long time coming and it is finally here, the Windows 7 page on About.com Windows.

We've been working hard at adding Windows 7 content, specifically how-to guides to build up an entire page full of useful content that will help make it easier to learn and use Windows 7.

Here are some of the topics you will find on this page:

More topics will be added to include the use of Windows Live Essentials and other fun stuff you can do with Windows 7.

You will notice that we also combined the Windows XP and Windows Vista tabs to make room for the upcoming Windows 8 tab. The Windows 8 page will be ready before the official launch of Windows 8 to help you prepare for Windows 8 on your PC.

I'm looking for suggestions in building the Windows 8 page, what are you most interested in learning about the new operating system?

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