Saving Money on Windows

Tips for saving money on windows as suggested by the ThriftyFun community.

Shop Around

If you are having your windows installed professionally, get several bids. Make sure the installers are bonded and experienced.

Get Tax Savings For Low-E Windows

Check your state and federal taxes to see what sort of deductions you might be eligible for if you replace your old windows with something more energy efficient. This will save you come tax time, with energy bills and also when you sell your house.

By Stew

Install Them Yourself

Most of the retail places that sell windows will also arrange for someone to install them. If you can, just buy the windows and hire your own person to install them. If you have the know-how, install them yourself and save even more. But a word of caution: be sure they are correctly installed or you will just be throwing your money away. Poorly installed windows may leak, rot or just allow heat to escape in the winter. All these things will cost in the long run.

By Jimmy

Buy Recycled Windows

I have a couple places in Salem OR that sell recycled windows. One is Habitat for Humanity and the other is a private company. If you can get quality windows, even at a discount building material store, you will do well to get smaller ones that have the wooden or metal/plastic frames in the windows. Why? Two reasons.

One, if a small frame is broken, it's cheaper to replace. Two, when the wind blows, the frame keeps the structure stronger. I lived in a house on a hill on the coast and the original wooden sash and small windows that were 5x7 foot size, are still in the house which was built the same year as me, 1954!

By Sandi/Poor But Proud

Another Vote For Recycled

Many building products are now recycled by outfits who promote re-using building parts instead of filling the landfill with them.

By Jacqueline Vasan