It drives me crazy to walk into a store in September and see Christmas decorations right next to the Halloween, or to turn on the radio before Thanksgiving only to hear Christmas carols. So, I couldn’t help but chuckle when I turned on the news this morning to see one of the key stories is that a major retailer is already running commercials for holiday shopping, and apparently people are seriously divided on whether this is a good or a bad thing.

I can’t speak to Christmas commercials in September, but I can say with absolute certainty that now is the time to start if you want to complete any home renovations before the holidays are upon you. Your first instinct on reading this is that you still have plenty of time, but let’s do a little math, and you will quickly come to see that, if anything, you are now on an extremely tight schedule if you wish to complete your project before your holiday guests arrive.

First, have you even decided what renovation you want to complete – windows, doors, roofing, or siding? Let’s assume you want to replace all the windows in your home. Next question: wood, vinyl, or fiberglass? For the sake of our discussion, we’ll look at wood windows. Once you have met with your contractor, selected all the options for your windows, and finally signed the contract, which could take a week or more just to complete this process, the clock truly begins. When it comes to wood windows, production can take anywhere from 4 weeks (an extremely optimistic estimate) to 6 weeks or more. The timeline can become particularly long as the holidays approach, as many manufacturers either decrease or completely shut down production for a period of time in the winter, whether because of decreased product demand, facility maintenance needs, or to allow their staff to share holiday time off with their own families. Once the windows are built and delivered to your contractor, you still have to schedule the installation, which will be dependent on the availability of installation crews, not to mention weather conditions, which could further delay your project, say another 1-2 weeks.

Okay, time for the math: 1 week to make all the necessary choices and sign the contract, another 6 weeks for your windows to be built and delivered, and yet another 2 weeks to complete the installation process. That’s a total of 9 weeks from start to finish. Checking my calendar, I see that by calling your contractor no later than Monday (that’s September 16, if you’re following along), you should probably be able to complete your project in time for Thanksgiving, assuming no further delays other than those we already addressed. If you delay much longer, well, you can do the math on that…

We’ve so far only discussed production and installation schedules as they impact your preholiday renovation project. We should also take a quick look at one other thing that certainly has to be taken into consideration in our area – winter weather. Not only is there always the possibility of snow anytime after Halloween in the Chicago area (on rare occasions, even before Halloween), even if there is no frozen precipitation to battle, temperatures can without a doubt throw a monkey wrench into your home renovation plans. Roofing and siding in particular must be installed only between specific temperatures to avoid material damage that could further delay your project and/or void your material warranty. With unpredictable temperature swings during the fall around here, you could have everything scheduled for the installation of your new siding, only to watch the thermometer drop 20 degrees, placing everything on hold until warm weather returns for a few days. Obviously, then, you should certainly get a jump on any exterior renovations, not only to cut down on the holiday chaos, but to beat the ever changing Chicago weather conditions.

To assure a warmer and less stressful holiday season for you and your family, call us today at (708) 423-1720 or visit our website at http://www.www.evergreenwindow.com to schedule your professional consultation, and get ahead of the holiday rush!

Fall has arrived in the Midwest, and we all know that winter isn’t far away. It’s time to get your home ready for the cold weather. So, what should you do to make sure your home is ready for winter?

First, if you haven’t done so already, replace your old, inefficient windows and doors. You will notice a considerable reduction in your heating costs, and you may qualify for rebates from your energy company (see my previous post for more information on this subject). In addition, many manufacturers are offering incentives, such as free high efficiency glass upgrades or internal blinds in their windows.

If you have already replaced windows and doors, here’s a hint – do not remove your screens for the season. While it used to be recommended to take down screens for the winter, and, of course, to install storm windows, the new, efficient windows don’t require storm windows. And, new screens are designed to withstand harsh weather, making removal completely unnecessary. Leave the screens in place, and then you won’t have to worry about trying to get them back in place properly in the spring.

Next, make sure you clean out your gutters. Nothing causes ice backup more than leaves and debris in your gutters. Also, if you have flexible diverters attached to your gutters, make sure you remove them. Otherwise, water may build up in them, turning to ice when it freezes, making it impossible for your gutters to drain properly. And, if you are concerned about ice forming in your gutters, you can always look into having electrical wiring installed to thaw them. Remember, this is mixing electricity with water, so make sure you have a professional do this installation – this is not a job for an amateur. Check online or in the yellow pages for a certified electrician with experience in this type of installation, and make sure they know what they’re doing.

Obviously, now is the time to have your furnace checked out by a professional. Make sure all the seasonal services are performed before cold weather sets in, replace filters, and, if you have a combination heating/air conditioner unit, make sure you set it to “winter” so that the humidifier will work. If your furnace is getting on in years, now is also the time to look into replacing it. HVAC contractors are offering preseason specials right now, plus, you may qualify for energy rebates, just like for new windows.

Don’t forget to check trees on your property for dead or overhanging branches. The last thing you want in the dead of winter is for a branch to break and cause damage to your roof or take out a power line!  And, if you have a wood burning fireplace, have the chimney cleaned before you start using it for the season to eliminate fire hazards. If you have a gas fireplace, it’s also a good idea to periodically have all the connections checked out by a professional for safety.

Enjoy the autumn weather with occasional warm days while you can, but don’t forget to prepare for the winter that’s just around the corner!