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Spring e


Hudson - Litchfield News | May 4, 2012 - 11


Area News Group


Home e


Improvement


Replace or Repair? That’s the Home Improvement Question Maintenance and improvement are both essential realities of


home ownership. From windows and skylights to gas ranges and front doors, everything in your home will eventually need some work. But how do you know when something simply needs repair, or merits being replaced? Of course, each situation will be as unique as the home in which it occurs - and as individual as the homeowners themselves. A few good rules of thumb, however, do apply in most cases. When you’re considering repair or replacement, ask yourself these questions: * How old is the malfunctioning item? * How extensive/pervasive is the problem? * Will the cost of repair approach the cost of replacement? * Which course - repair or replace - will yield the maximum energy efficiency? * How does the cost of repair measure up to the value it will pro- vide? How does replacement stack up using the same measure? To help you get an idea of how these rules apply, here’s what some experts have to say about home elements that frequently raise the repair/replace question:


Skylights While many modern


skylights are energy- efficient, qualify to use the Energy Star mark and are leak- free, if you have an older, plastic model it’s probably a good idea to replace it. Not only are these older plastic bubble-type skylights often faded and unsightly, reducing visibility, they are not UV resistant, are not energy efficient, and are much more likely to leak. “There are millions of those unattractive,


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cracked and yellowed plastic skylights still out there,” says Ross Vandermark, national product manager of VELUX America, which markets the warranted “No-Leak Skylight.” “Replacing them with new energy-efficient, double-pane (insulating) glass models is quick and easy. They don’t leak, they look better, they reduce UV rays and provide substantial energy savings.”


In fact, based on an estimate of 15 cents per kwh/hr, replacing an old plastic skylight with an Energy Star-qualified VELUX skylight can save a 2,000-square-foot home about $194 a year on cooling costs, a company study shows. Add skylight blinds - which are available in a variety of styles that can be remote-controlled, including blackout to block light, light filtering to diffuse light, or Venetian to adjust light - and the energy savings can be enhanced even more. And blinds in colors and patterns can add a fresh look to your room decor. What’s more, depending on the age and condition of even older glass skylights, it’s not a bad idea to consider a modern, more energy ef- ficient model. To learn more about replacement skylights, visit www. veluxusa.com.


continued to page 14- Replace or repair


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