Wow. What crazy weather we’ve had these last few months. From thunderstorms with 50-mile-per-hour winds, to damaging golf ball-sized hail, to the horrible tornadoes that ripped through the southern and mid-western parts of the country and caused so much devastation. I don’t ever remember seeing such extreme weather patterns in my lifetime.

The heartbreaking stories on TV—and the scare of a tornado actually touching down about 20 miles from my home—caused me to do a bit of research. I learned that, although tornado season typically starts in March, it doesn’t reach its peak until May to June. Now that’s a scary thought, considering that killer tornadoes during the first four months of this year have already claimed more lives than all of last year (according to the nation's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma).

So what can homeowners do to protect their families and homes? Making homes stronger and more formidable is one good idea—from strong concrete walls and foundations to windows and doors that can stand up to the toughest weather conditions and offer better protection. People living in coastal areas around the Gulf are certainly familiar with hurricane or impact windows and doors—but those products aren’t just for hurricanes. Windows and doors that are hurricane rated pass rigorous tests and stand up to some of the harshest conditions imaginable—so they’re actually useful for all areas of the country. They include strong laminated glass that cannot be penetrated—which means it keeps deadly flying debris out of homes and away from families. Whether a home is located in hurricane territory, “Tornado Alley,” or an area prone to earthquakes, impact windows and doors can be beneficial.

So why does a replacement window manufacturer think about housing starts. Historically there was a direct link between housing starts, used home sales, and remodeling sales levels. With the housing collapse in this country a few years ago that relationship has become quite fuzzy at best. We used to be able to forecast our business increases or decreases pretty accurately using a six month lag to used home sales in the markets we serve. Housing starts didn’t have much correlation to our business, but there was a connection between starts and used home sales that could give you a longer forecast horizon, but that gets really complex.

In 2008 and 2009, our business along with the entire construction and remodeling industry really went into a nosedive. In 2010 we started to see some life come back into the remodeling sector, not dramatic, but certainly better than the bottom. The Energy Tax Credits at the end of 2009 and 2010 also gave a big fourth quarter boost for those that wanted to take advantage of the credits. The weather in 2011’s first quarter impacted the entire country and slowed sales dramatically. But we are seeing a true awakening in the remodeling industry starting in March of this year.

Normal trend was someone wanted to buy a new house so they may fix up the old one with new windows to try to get a better price before selling it, but they frequently bought the lower end type products. The bigger trend was someone buying a used home who wanted to fix it up for themselves – that’s were they looked for the best product – the best value - around. That is still happening and used homes are starting to increase in sales, albeit still well below the levels enjoyed a few years ago, but at least a definite rebound.

The new trend is people staying put. It is really tough to sell a home today, and if you could sell it you would be forced to take a price substantially lower than the home was worth even a few short years ago. So people are making the decision to stay put. They are looking around and doing some of the improvements that will make their life more comfortable and more enjoyable. Luckily new high performance, maintenance free, vinyl replacement windows and doors fit that definition perfectly. Many homeowners are finding that the reductions in their energy and maintenance costs are virtually covering the monthly payments for their new windows. They learned that they were paying for their new windows whether they bought them or not, and now they are more comfortable, they’ve added value to their home, and they look great.

Each year, Earth Day (April 22) marks the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. According to the Earth Day web site, “The idea came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the student anti-Vietnam war movement, he realized that if he could infuse that energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda.”

His efforts paid off and, on the 22nd of April, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment. That first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

In 1990, Earth Day went global – bringing environmental issues to the forefront in 141 countries. Over the last 40 years, the Earth Day organization has executed successful environmental campaigns on issues ranging climate change and drinking water to voter registration and saving the whale.

Today, the Earth Day programs focus on greening schools and promoting environmental education, accelerating the global green economy, and the “A Billion Acts of Green®” program—which is the theme for Earth Day 2011. A Billion Acts of Green inspires and rewards simple individual acts and larger organizational initiatives that further the goal of measurably reducing carbon emissions and supporting sustainability. The goal is to register one billion actions in advance of the global Earth Summit in Rio in 2012.

The environment is something everyone should think about—it’s vital to our lives in so many ways. And most people know about the “standard” environmental issues that receive much publicity—such as recycling, planting trees, etc. What many individuals might not know is that making home improvements can also be good for the environment. For instance, replacing older, less efficient windows with new, high-performance windows can save a significant amount of energy. Insulating homes more effectively can also save energy. And both of these energy-efficient home improvements positively impacts the environment! It’s something to consider this Friday, April 22, as we celebrate the 41st annual Earth Day—there are ways everyone can help protect the environment—and some of them even have a positive impact on home energy costs as well.

For more information on Earth Day and the “A Billion Acts of Green” program, visit www.earthday.org.

Like most – or at least many -- states, Pennsylvania is facing serious economic challenges in 2011. Every day there’s news about state cuts or budget problems in one area or another. So I was surprised to read that there’s still a state program in Pennsylvania to help consumers purchase energy-efficient product and/or make energy-efficient home improvements.

The program I read about is called the Keystone HELP (Home Energy Loan Program), and is supported principally by the PA Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Treasury Department and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. It allows eligible residents to get low-cost loans for purchases of things like high-efficiency Energy Star qualified windows and doors, insulation and heating and air conditioning systems. Interest rates for consumer loans through the program are as low as 2.99%.

Although I do feel that any Pennsylvanians considering energy-efficient home improvements should at least look into this program, I’m not endorsing anything here. I just want to make the point that there IS financial help out there. If it’s available in Pennsylvania, chances are there are similar programs in other states.

The other point here is this: The sooner energy-efficient improvements like installing Energy Star qualified windows or insulation are made, the sooner homeowners will see a payback in terms of lower home energy bills.

Deciding to significantly improve your home is a major decision anytime, but in a soft housing market it is even more challenging. You probably don’t want to, or can’t sell your home right now. But to decide to invest in new windows now, to make your home more attractive, more energy efficient, more livable, and reduce the required maintenance is really tough to do.

You know new windows will improve the value of your home. You know new windows will make your home more comfortable and more enjoyable. You know new windows will make your home more secure. You know new windows will save you money on your energy bills. You know new windows will show your friends and neighbors that you are truly concerned with the environment, that you do try to do the right “green” thing. You know new vinyl, high performance; energy saving windows are virtually maintenance free. So what are you waiting for?

I can answer that – to paraphrase a recent past President – “It’s the economy stupid”. You are worried that the payback will be insufficient to compensate you for the investment. You are worried that your home may depreciate in value even further. You are worried that the economy reverses itself again and starts heading back towards recession, and everything gets even worse. You are just plain worried.

All of those things are valid concerns – but – how about a little dose of reality. The economy has been improving for well over a year now. Not great, but steadily improving. History tells us that it would be extremely unusual for us to slip back into another recession.

As far as you and your family’s comfort while you remain in your home – you have to put a value on that – but you know there is a value there. Are your energy bills going down recently? I don’t think so - and you will save energy if you replace your windows with high performance windows – how much you save will depend on a lot of factors – but there is no question you will save. And the maintenance and appearance of your current windows wont change on it’s own.

So bite the bullet, take action and make the decision – replace your windows NOW not later. Get on line and do the research as to who’s windows you want, and what dealer you want to deal with to get the job done, but do it. And yes, don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

This week the National Safety Council celebrated National Window Safety Week. This week serves as a reminder of the importance of year-round window safety and fall-prevention.

As spring arrives, we start opening our windows to let in some fresh air. So, this is the perfect time of the year to evaluate the safety of our homes as well.

Here are some simple window safety tips to consider.

Tip #1 - Make sure your windows aren't painted or nailed shut so you can get out in an emergency.

Tip #2: Keep furniture or anything children can climb on away from windows to lessen the chance of a fall.

Tip #3: Consider having softer bushes or extra mulch below your child's 2nd story bedroom window. It could save a life.

Tip #4: Insect screens keep out bugs, they don't prevent falls. If your window had ventilation limit latches, use them.

Tip #5: Don't install window A/C units in a child's bedroom. The window might be needed in case of an emergency.

Last year, President Obama made a comment about insulation saying it was ‘sexy.’ It was met with chuckles. The president was talking about making homes more energy efficient. But to take this to the next step, there has been much discussion on how we can make our homes more energy efficient.

But replacing windows or putting reflective insulation in your attic may not be viewed as exciting things to do - even if they are extremely effective in reducing energy consumption. Some of us also ask the question, is there anything new with vinyl replacement windows? What can really change with a window?

The answer to these questions are yes, there has been several advances with replacement windows, and these new advances have lead to new options.

For years, vinyl replacement windows were available in white and almond. With the technology advances that have been made over the years, virtually any color you can imagine is available on the exterior of your windows.

These advancements have also given vinyl replacement windows greater acceptance in the marketplace. Also, there are now various grid options and grid styles - not just the flat grids that had been available for years. You can now even order true simulated divided grids from various manufacturers.

Also, there have been several glass advancements. Instead of just double glass options, there are many different types of glass and glazing systems. You can get glass that protects your home from break ins or triple glass systems that are unbelievably energy efficient.

There are even more advancements in technology in the works. For example, there is a new glass system that will be coming on line in the next couple of years, where we as homeowners can control through a switch how much light we want to allow into our homes.

So, upgrades to our homes, which in the past have been viewed as vanilla, now are available with way more than 31 flavors...and growing!

Windows and doors play a vital role in home safety and security. They help prevent intruders from breaking into homes, and can serve as escape routes in the event of a fire or other emergency. However, homeowners—particularly parents of young children—also need to be aware that windows can pose a risk of very serious injury should someone fall from an open window or into a door or window in the home.

That’s why every year, the National Safety Council celebrates National Window Safety Week during the first full week of April—this year that’s April 3-9! National Window Safety Week is designed to heighten awareness of what homeowners can do to help keep their homes and families safer from the risk of accidental falls or injuries in the home, especially when windows are open.

Of course homeowners should be cognizant of window and door safety all year long! When considering new windows, homeowners should thoroughly research the safety and security benefits of the products they’re considering. For instance, have the products passed ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) structural forced-entry tests? What type of frames and locking hardware do the windows feature? And what about the glass? Today’s technology allows homeowners to select windows and doors with laminated glass—like the glass used in auto windshields—that are specially designed for enhanced safety and security.

The bottom line is that keeping homes and families safe and secure is important to everyone—so homeowners should keep safety and security in mind when researching new windows and doors for their homes.