DIY Replacement Windows Installation
Sometimes homeowners try to save money by installing their own replacement windows. But even if you’re handy with tools – and never afraid of a big project – DIY window installation can be more challenging than you think.
As the Newport Beach area’s leading replacement installation company, we know the ins-and-outs of every type of window install. In this article we share with you what you need to consider before attempting to install replacement windows in your home on your own.
Windows from Home Depot or Lowes Won’t Work in Your Home
Most people do not realize that windows from Home Depot or Lowes won’t work in your home. This is because there are two different kinds of residential windows: new-construction and replacement.
Home Depot and Lowes only sell new-construction windows. These are used when building a new structure. They have nailing fins on the front of the window that allow the window to be nailed flat to the front of the house.
New-construction window do NOT slip into the opening. You need replacement windows to fit into an existing opening!
Replacement windows do not have nailing fins, allowing the window to fit into the window opening that already exists in your home.
DIY Replacement Windows are Hard to Find
Very few companies sell replacement windows direct to consumers. There are a couple of good reasons for this.
First, a replacement window area has to be measured down to the smallest fraction of an inch – and then the replacement window has to be custom manufactured according to those specs, so they fit into the opening.
When inexperienced lay people try to measure so precisely, they often make mistakes. And then the window manufacturer is faced with an upset customer whose “custom” window doesn’t fit.
Additionally, the installation process itself is much more difficult an entailed than most people realize. So window manufacturers are leery of selling to DIY homeowners, who may damage their windows when installing them by themselves.
Special Tools & Skills are Needed to Install Windows
When installers put in replacement windows, they use specialized tools and techniques to ensure a perfect, weather-tight fit. For example, often window installation requires exterior cladding – hand molded pieces that match the color of the windows and provides a tight seal against weather.
By the time a homeowner buys all of the special equipment and figures out how to use it, the DIY project can take much longer and be much more expensive than hiring a professional window installer.
Professional window installers do this job day in and day out. They have the tools and skills needed to get the job done in a few hours instead of several day or weeks.
Additionally, older painted wood windows may contain lead in the paint. Removing old windows can disturb lead-based paint, creating hazardous lead dust and chips which can be harmful to adults, and especially children, in your home. Window replacement and repairs that create even a small amount of lead dust are enough to poison your children and put your family at risk.
So safety is another reason to entrust your replacement window installation to a professional window company!
Bottom Line on DIY Replacement Window Installation
Because Can-Do Windows and Doors buys direct from the factory, we can typically offer you as good or better prices than you could achieve by attempting to buy and install replacement windows yourself.
And, we do it right the first time and every time. So you know your windows will look great and be sealed air-tight – making them weather proof and energy efficient.
Newport Beach’s Best Replacement Window Company
No matter what your budget, Can-Do will come to your home and help you understand your window choices, and compare window options, to ensure you are getting the highest quality, most durable, beautiful and energy efficient windows for the price.
We have installed beautiful, new replacement windows in thousands of homes across the Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and South Bay area.
We can also assist you in obtaining easy financing, with no money down, so you can start enjoying your new windows (and lowering utility bills) right away.
Call for your free quote
