Window Installation: What Happens to My Old Windows?

Are you getting new windows installed soon? You might be asking yourself: what do I do with my old windows?

Most homeowners have no need for old windows once their new ones are installed, although DIYers have thought up some pretty creative uses for old windows. But what happens if you don’t have any use for them? What should you do with these unwanted old windows?

There’s no need to do any research on what to with your old windows if you hired Aspen Home Improvements for your window replacement! We will make your life easy. When you replace your windows with Aspen, we’ll haul away your old windows for you!

Once your windows are installed, the only thing you will have to think about is sitting back and enjoying the beautiful view from our award-winning windows!

Are you thinking about upgrading your old windows soon? Contact us today for a Free Estimate! One of our home improvement specialists will give you a quote and work with you to plan your window replacement project.

Be Prepared for Colder Weather

Fall is creeping up on us; the official start is September 23rd, which means cold winter weather is sure to follow! It’s time to prepare for the winter season and get our homes in shape to help us bare the colder temperatures.

Let us help you figure out what needs to be done with this quick checklist to prepare your home for winter:

• Keep your feet warm with cork or carpeting: No one likes waking up and walking on a cold hard floor in the winter. Try swapping out tile floors for cork. A sustainable and green flooring option, cork can help keep the floors warm and still look beautiful. Another option is carpeting, which can turn any room into a cozy space.

• Check your exterior for peeling paint: Peeling or blistering paint is an indication that your home’s current paint is no longer protecting the siding. To prevent deterioration, repaint your home’s exterior before winter arrives. If you need any repairs, we can help fix your home’s existing siding, and if your siding is at “the point of no return,” you might want to think about replacing it before snowfall arrives. Find out more about the siding we offer and our siding repair and replacement services around Central, PA.

• Service your heating system: It’s probably been a while since you’ve used your heater, so it’s a good idea to have it looked at before the winter arrives. You don’t want to be stuck in the cold waiting for a repairman to arrive, prevent this by preparing and getting it serviced ahead of time!

• Caulk your window: For under $5 you can help keep the heat from escaping your home on those cold winter nights. Along with keeping you warm, caulking can help keep water from getting into openings around the window frame, freezing, and causing cracking to occur. If you’d like even more energy efficiency from your windows, check out Aspen Home Improvement’s selection of Energy Star windows.

• Inspect your roof: Loose or missing shingles can cause a big problem with the changing temperatures and snowfall. Your roof is meant to protect your home, make sure it can do it’s job by maintaining it before winter comes. If you need help with your shingles, our Lancaster roofers are here. From repairs to roof replacements, contact us for a free roofing estimate.

Make sure you’re ready before winter hits; it’s coming up fast. And remember to get outside and enjoy the warm weather while you can!

The Latest Door Trends

Doors are the entryway into your house, so shouldn’t they be the perfect reflection of your style?

We have served many homeowners who were unsatisfied with the way their home looked and felt because they were unhappy with their current entrydoors. Once we replaced their old doors with our top-quality, long-lasting doors, they fell in love with their homes all over again.

Deciding on what style, color, or design you want your new door to be will be the hardest part of the remodeling process. We hope to make your decision easier! We have brought you the latest door trends to consider for your door replacement.

Casual-chic front doors. Some homeowners believe the more elaborate the door, the better. That isn’t always true, especially if you have a more casual style. We have seen entry doors with intricate patterns cut into the material and doors with nailheads perfectly placed to create a stand-out pattern. But what about something simple and chic, like this aquamarine door adorned with a brass doorknocker? Sometimes less is more!

Vintage front doors. With rustic style making a comeback this year, homeowners love the look of repurposed doors! Some venture to seek out barn doors to include within their homes but, for entry doors, some have even used doors from old offices.

Solid wood front doors. Some trends go back to the classics. Homeowners are seeking out solid wood doors again because of their elegant, beautiful aesthetic appeal. The advantages of a solid wood door? They can withstand a lot of wear and tear. The disadvantages? They are quite a bit more expensive, and often require more maintenance.

Large glass panel front doors. Let the sunshine in with a large glass panel front door! With spring here and summer right around the corner, we are all for an increase in natural light. Not only do these doors make your home appear bigger, but, in the warmer months, they may be able to save you money on energy bills.

Are there any other front door trends that you have seen? Let us know!

If you are in the market for a door replacement, read over this list and contact our team of home improvement specialists! We will schedule a time to come out to your home and discuss your options!

You can even check out our home financing options! We put home improvement back into your budget.

How To: Maintain Your Siding

Any homeowner knows that the home improvement process doesn’t stop after the renovation process is complete. Every project needs to be maintained every year so that your hard-earned money does not go to waste. Some renovations require more frequent maintenance than others, however, so it’s important to talk to your contractor about the best care practice.

Here at Aspen Home Improvements, there has been a high demand for siding replacements, so our team of professionals has been hard at work completing these projects around Central PA! All of these jobs have inspired us for Transformation Tuesday! Here is a recent siding replacement Before & After we did on a beautiful home in Nottingham, PA:

It was so rewarding to see how happy the homeowners were after they first got a glance at how glossy and polished their new home was!

To see more pictures from this project, click here. We love sharing our home improvement projects on Houzz – it’s like keeping a memory album of all the happy homeowners we have worked with over the years.

Have you recently completed a siding project?

Are you planning on replacing your siding soon? (First, contact us for a FREE estimate!)

Whether you have brand new siding or plan to renovate soon, it’s important to care for the exterior of your home. Luckily (and thankfully) siding is relatively easy to clean. Your siding accumulates a significant amount of dirt, grime, and mildew because it is exposed to the elements every day, which is why yearly maintenance is crucial.

Vinyl Siding Institute says that the best tools to use are a soft cloth or a long-handled, soft-bristle brush. You can use a cleaning solution made from 70% water and 30% vinegar for lighter stains. Or, for heavier stains, 1/3 cup powder laundry detergent, 2/3 cup powder household cleaner, 1 qt liquid bleach, and 1 gallon of water will work just fine!

• AVOID: undiluted chlorine bleach, liquid grease remover, nail polish remover, or furniture polish. These can scratch the surface of your siding!

You can use a pressure washer, even though most manufactures are warning homeowners to stay away from this method. If you find this method easier, just make sure you are spraying at eye level and straight ahead. Spraying at an angle may cause water to be forced behind the siding, causing further damage.

Keep your home looking like new with these maintenance tips! The effort is worth it. Not only will you prolong the life of your siding and save money, but a clean home also increases your curb appeal!

If you have any further questions about siding or siding maintenance, contact our team of experts today!

Is Your Home Improvement Project Worth the Cost?

The short answer? Absolutely!

You were probably expecting that answer, though. But do you know why bigger home improvement projects will pay off in the end?

If you are planning on staying in your home for a while, you want to make sure you are getting the most out of your home. If your roofing, siding, windows, or doors are broken or not installed properly, then, not only will you be uncomfortable, but you will be paying expensive energy bills.

If you are planning on selling your home in the near future, then these home improvement projects will increase the value of your home.

By spending money now, you will be able to earn back your investment either by remodeling your home’s faulty features for your own benefit or when you eventually put your home up for sale.

So, how can you make the smartest investment?

If you want to maximize the potential of your home, think exterior. This includes roofing, siding, doors, and windows. Not only will these changes enhance the beauty of your room, they will enhance the protection of your home. If you plan to sell your home, you will be able to get up to 80% back on your investment!

So now that you know why bigger home improvement projects will be worth the cost, it’s time to ask where – where to start so that you can start checking off your list of renovations. Easy – start with Aspen HomeImprovements! We offer a wide selection of options in roofing, siding, doors, and windows – and they are all top quality products.

We’re proud of the products and award-winning services we are able to offer you and are only happy when YOU'RE happy. That is why we offer you a Lifetime Warranty on our products as part of our services!

Interested in getting a free estimate for your own home improvement project? Contact a member of our team of home improvement specialists today!

Online Home Improvement Resources

Finding the right fit for your home can sometimes be a difficult task.

You want to replace the front door, but what will your new door look like? The windows need replaced, but what style would look best?

Fortunately, homeowners like yourself have a few different resources online to help you make your home improvement decisions.

To make the process easier during your home improvement process, we've provided you with a few of these resources.

Here are three different spots to get ideas for your next home improvement project –

Houzz. Houzz is a great resource when you’re searching for the perfect home improvement project. On Houzz, you can browse through pages like ours to put together an “Ideabook,” which is similar to a scrapbook of photos of real and completed home improvement projects you’d love for your home. Search through individual projects or a collection of the type of project (windows, doors, etc.) to collect ideas for your next project.

Porch. Ready to make the next step in your home improvement project? A new online tool for homeowners, Porch can help you look through photo albums of individual projects. Following your project, you’re able to provide a review for your project for your neighbors to see. If you’ve had a project completed already – or when your project is completed – you can endorse companies for skills for the services involved in your project (window/door/siding installation, etc.).

Pinterest. Pinterest is always filled with ideas from home improvement to smaller, crafty projects to complete around the house. Pin these photos to your own boards to keep track of the projects you might want to add around your home, no matter how big or small.

Do you have a specific question about your next home improvement project? Contact our team of home improvement experts!