When it comes to increasing the value of a home, most people immediately picture full kitchen remodels, bathroom renovations and other large-scale projects. These are all great ways to make your property more attractive and valuable, but the price tag can often run into the tens of thousands of dollars.
If you’d like to give your home value a boost without breaking the bank, few things are more cost-effective than installing new windows and doors. To learn more, let’s take a look at why these modest upgrades can deliver a huge bang for your buck.
Buyers Love Energy Efficient Windows and Doors
Between rising energy prices and increasing environmental awareness, home buyers today are more energy-conscious than ever before. If you’re interested in making your home greener and more efficient, your windows are a great place to start.
Save on Energy Costs
A stunning 25 to 30 percent of residential heating and cooling costs are wasted on heating gain and loss through windows. Energy efficient windows can slash that waste significantly, reducing the rate of heat transfer and potentially saving you hundreds of dollars per year on energy costs.
Measures of Energy Performance
Beyond the fit of the door, it’s important to consider the energy performance of your exterior doors as well. The most important measures of energy performance are solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) and U-factor. A lower SHGC is best for warm climates, while a higher SHGC is better suited to cool climates. Regardless of climate, a low U-factor will help you keep in more of the heat in your home.
New Doors and Windows Can Boost Your Curb Appeal
It may seem like a small detail, but installing a new set of doors or windows can completely alter the look and feel of your home. Think about it: what’s the first thing you see when you walk up to a home? The front door!
An aging, weather-worn door sends the wrong kind of message to a prospective home buyer. A fresh coat of paint or stain may help temporarily, but if your existing door has seen better days, why not use the opportunity to add some real value?
Ranked as One of the Best Investments
A new entry door is consistently ranked as one of the best home improvement investments available, offering a 96.6 percent return on your investment, on average. Replacing other exterior doors, including sliding glass doors, can also seriously boost your home’s value for a relatively modest up-front cost.
Though windows are often viewed as more of a functional upgrade, they can provide a great visual boost as well. You’ll find a dizzying array of options to fit nearly any look, allowing you to craft exactly the aesthetic you want.
More Natural Light
New windows can also let more natural light into your home, which is always a big hit with home buyers. If you’re looking for a more dramatic change, you may even consider upgrading to bay or bow windows. These windows may require a larger investment, but they provide a striking look and even add a bit more living space to your home.
You’ll Feel More Secure – and So Will Potential Buyers
No one wants to believe they may not be safe in their own home, but unfortunately, an average of seven homes are broken into across the United States every minute. It’s an unsettling thought, but you can regain a little peace of mind with new doors and windows meant to improve your security.
Steel Entry Doors for Security
One of the most effective security upgrades you can make is to outfit your home with a new steel entry door. About 34 percent of burglars simply come right through the front door, but that’s much harder to accomplish when they’re facing a locked door with a core and a frame made from high-strength steel.
Reinforced Glass Windows
Windows are common points of entry for criminals as well, but there are several ways you can make life more difficult for would-be baddies. Perhaps the best option is reinforced glass windows, which includes tempered, laminated or even polycarbonate glass.
These materials are much more resilient than traditional glass panes, requiring far more effort to break and thus representing an effective and affordable deterrent. It’s a seemingly small detail, but if you’re looking to boost the value of your home, there are few things more valuable than peace of mind.
Whether you’re looking to add value to your home, save some cash through improved efficiency or just make your house a little more attractive, it’s hard to go wrong with new doors and windows.
Few home improvements offer as consistently strong a return on investment, and even if your home never hits the market, you can sit back and enjoy a more comfortable, efficient and secure home for years to come.
