One thing you can count on is the weather, it will either be good or bad. It is always different than expected, and won't do what the pundits predict. One of my favorite one liners is "weathermen were invented to make economists look good," and it's probably true. Global warming, global cooling, who knows, definitely not the "experts". I clearly remember not so long ago, during Jimmy Carter's era, a real fear of significant global cooling, the next ice age was only a few years in the future. Well, I guess they were right, weathermen do make economists look good.

We've been lucky this year with a pretty mild winter with low natural gas costs on top, making it pretty good for most people. But who knows what February will hold, or March? We could still make up for all the nasty cold weather in the next couple months - who knows. I think the only thing you can do is be thankful for what you have today, hope for what may come tomorrow, and be prepared if things don't quite go the way you hoped.

Sealing up your home with high performance vinyl replacement windows, new entry doors, and a good check and sealing of all cracks and holes in your home will go a long way in making you more prepared for what may come in the future. With the milder winter, it is a great time to think about new windows right now. Most home improvement dealers are slower at this time of year, are offering specials and deals to keep their crews working, and the weather is mild enough to get the work done now and not have to wait until spring. If you've already done all of this, think about the newest energy saver, reflective insulation for your attic. It really works and offers a great return on investment.

What a difference a year makes - sounds familiar but just think about the weather we were all "enjoying" a year ago. Most of us had record snows, extremely cold temperatures and all in all, a really terrible winter. And then it didn't get any better, it went right into an unsettled spring with torrential rains and flooding, tornadoes all over, even in areas that seldom see them. Then into summer with hurricanes - the first major to go the whole way up the east coast - and tropical storms and thunderstorms with hail and damaging winds galore.

I was thinking earlier today about how chilly it was outside and then I thought back to last year. Yes, it is a little chilly, but I'll take the weather so far in 12 over any we had in 11. Thinking about weather gets me thinking about energy bills. It sounds like we are all going to get a break if we are using natural gas this year, even electricity that is generated from natural gas is to be cheaper. But not heating oil for sure, and not most electricity, so energy costs are still a big chunk of most of our household budgets and one of if not the biggest unknown to plan for. Most of your other costs are pretty much fixed, but heating and cooling costs can sneak up and take a major bite out of your budget unexpectedly.

The best way I know to combat that fear is to insulate your house to the best of your ability. Reflective insulation added to good quality levels of traditional batten or foam is a great start. Then evaluate your windows and doors for air tightness and high quality energy saving glass options and energy performance. Make sure the frames are strong and secure - I highly recommend vinyl frames -as they are impervious to almost all the elements can throw at them. Then do the visual check of all the exterior walls for any cracks or holes and get them sealed up tight.

If you have top quality high performance windows and doors, maximum insulation values, and the house sealed up tight - you can then minimize the hits you will get in the future on energy costs forever.

I read a very interesting article this morning, “Realtors Identify Exterior Replacement Projects as Best Investment for Homeowners.” It has some really good information that all homeowners would be interested in knowing! A couple of the main points of the article are as follows:

1. A recent survey of Realtors found that realtors rated many exterior improvements as among the most valuable home investment projects as part of the “2011-12 Remodeling Cost versus Value Report.”
2. According to the report, seven of the top 10 most cost-effective projects nationally in terms of value recouped are exterior replacement projects.
3. One window replacement project — upscale vinyl — rounded out the last exterior replacement project in the top 10, expected to recoup 69.1 percent of costs.

That last number is pretty amazing! Many people believe remodeling projects aren’t worth the price—but research is telling a different story. Homeowners might want to take that last point into consideration and begin researching premium vinyl replacement windows, since they could possibly recoup more than two-thirds of their costs upon resell. Plus there are the added benefits of better comfort and energy savings that a high-quality window project can bring to people who are staying in their homes longer. It’s really a win-win for homeowners.

To read this entire article, visit http://www.dwmmag.com/index.php/realtors-identify-exterior-replacement-projects-as-best-investment-for-homeowners/

It’s hard to believe, but in another week, the holiday festivities will be over. The gifts given and received, the feasts eaten, and the decorations ready to come down—which means “back to reality” in a way. The holidays are, for many, a whirlwind of decorating, shopping, wrapping, and baking—and many of the day-to-day concerns and chores get pushed aside for the time being.

Unfortunately, my “everyday worries” didn’t give me a break—our furnace stopped working last week (yes, on the day it was only 30 degrees!). And so my holiday cheer was broken up by calling the repairman, purchasing new parts for my old furnace, and receiving a very costly bill in the mail. Just what I need this time of year, right?

But—the experience did make my husband and I re-evaluate our existing furnace and weigh the pros and cons of repairing it or replacing it entirely. As with any home repair or improvement project, we considered the cost, longevity, quality, energy efficiency, etc. before we made our decision.

My point is this: my recent experience made me realize that, regardless what time of year it is, if you have an old piece of home “equipment”—whether it’s a furnace, windows and doors, roofing or siding—it is ALWAYS the right time to at least consider an upgrade. Weigh the benefits of undertaking a particular remodeling project against any downsides you see. You may just be surprised and realize that NOW is the perfect time to upgrade your windows, furnace, air conditioner or whatever it is your home needs!

A fun and lighthearted parody on a very famous poem that everyone knows, that has been passed around for awhile.

Original was written by Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863) wrote the poem Twas the night before Christmas also called "A Visit from St. Nicholas" in 1822.

_________________________

Twas the week before Christmas when all through the house
A draft there was blowing, freezing even the mouse
The Stockings were hung by the chimney and blowing in air
That blew through the windows as if they were not there

The children were nestled all snug in their beds
Because the chill in the room would have frozen their heads
And mamma in her kerchief and I in my cap
Shivered and shook along with the cat

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
Oh joy, it was the men with the ladders
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But a pick up truck loaded with windows and gear.

With a little old driver so lively and quick
I knew in a moment if must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his installers they came
And they flashed to each window and frame.

Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen
On, Comet! On, Cupid! On Donner and Blitzen
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall
Get every window installed, install them all!

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the installer they flew,
With dozens of windows so shiny and new.

And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof
The sounds of the boss saying great job and here is the proof
The house is now cozy and warm
With all windows installed showing beauty and charm.

He sprang to his truck, to his team gave a whistle
And away they flew like the down of a thistle
But I heard him exclaim ‘ere he drove out of sight’
Enjoy your new windows, Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night.

_________________________

Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863) wrote the poem Twas the night before Christmas also called “A Visit from St. Nicholas" in 1822.

I just watched a video clip from ABC Evening News on a builder using only Made In America products in his home construction. The story went on to say that if all U.S. builders would just increase their Made in America content by only 5%, that it would increase U.S. employment by 220,000 jobs. WOW!

The best part is it only increased the cost of the house by about 1%. I bet that if the builders would increase their use by the 5%, then prices would be able to come down at least that 1% due to higher production rates and efficiencies at the supplying companies.

Now consider expanding that thought. What if everyone, all consumers, all business, all government agencies increased their buying of products Made in America by just 5%. I'm not advocating just American owned companies, only that the workers that make the finished product work in one of our 50 states. This isn't a corporate profit thing, this is putting Americans back to work. I'm not against free trade and I'm not advocating a big change that could affect the world economy, I'm talking about a 5% change. I believe it would solve the unemployment problem in one year. If you agree, pass it on to your representatives, this just might make a real difference.

And as always, start with highly energy efficient vinyl replacement windows for your home. Made in America, great return on investment, and a good idea all around.

Have you ever had someone knock on your door and ask if you need new windows, new gutters, new siding, etc.? I have had several of these canvassers come to my neighborhood and home. Sometimes these canvassers come during dinner time, sometimes during a bad time - very rarely at the perfect time. But is there ever a ‘perfect time’ for things like this?

Here are my thoughts on canvassers. Just like any business industry we come across, there are professional canvassers, very slick canvassers, and very unprofessional canvassers. When someone comes to my house representing a particular company, I quickly evaluate the individual, and my impressions of that person transfer to the company they represent. If I have an interest and they are professional, they have an opportunity to set an appointment. But if they are pushy or unprofessional, all bets are off.

Basically, I mirror their treatment and respect for me. If I tell them I’m in the middle of something and they ask if they can come back at a specific time, I’m going to hear them out when they come back. If they keep talking when I say I’m busy, I will politely ‘cut them off’ and let them know I am not interested in their company - even if I am. No second chances if they come across as disrespectful.

Also, I look at the way canvassers are dressed and how they talk. These all reflect the image of the company they are representing. From my experience, I know canvassing can be a challenging job, and they face a lot of rejection. But if they have a great attitude and act professional, I’m going to listen to what they have to say.

Finally, a good canvasser usually can present their information in 2-3 minutes. If it goes much longer, I lose interest and usually cut them off. The professionals know how to deliver the information quickly and concisely.

I read a really interesting article last week titled, “Energy Efficiency Hits from the Doors (and Windows).” The name might sound a bit silly, but it talks about how you can actually feel—and hear!—the difference when you replace leaky old windows and doors with newer, ENERGY STAR qualified models. Comfort, lower energy bills, no drafts or rattling window panes—all benefits that I think many homeowners with old homes would appreciate!

The article also provides an important reminder—consumers can still take advantage of federal tax credits for windows and doors for just a few more weeks. That could save you even more money! However, homeowners who want tax credit benefits must move quickly—because the federal tax credits expire on Dec. 31.

To read this entire blog article, visit http://www.eereblogs.energy.gov/energysavers/post/Energy-Efficiency-Hits-from-the-Doors-(and-Windows).aspx.

We are nearing the end of 2011, and most of the people I talk with say "GOOD"! If you had asked me four years ago how long the recession was going to last, I would have responded probably 6 - 18 months. Historically that's been the case, and many of those we didn't even realize a recession was going on until after it was over and the economists told us about it. This one is different, it seems to be the never ending recession. For our industry, 2007 started getting soft, 2008 was terrible, then 2009 improved a tad, and 2010 improved a very little bit more, then 2011 went right back down to equal to or worse than 2008.

The only difference in this recession to the others I've been through is the politics. Politicians and the media have terrified all of us, taken stupid actions with the stimulus and bailouts, and really screwed things up. What is going to happen next? Will things ever improve? How many times have you heard the term "double dip" in the last few years, something I'd never heard before concerning the economy. Well, I believe the recession is over, and we will see slow steady growth until the election unless something disastrous happens, massive terrorist attack kind of thing. After the election I believe it can go either way depending on who prevails. I don't think I need to embellish that thought.

The thing I have the most confidence in is that people still need highly energy efficient vinyl replacement windows for their homes and business. The market has not been scratched and the demand has been building while this slow down scared people into not making the investments in their homes they need to make. Because of that I believe we will see a pretty good 2012, and a very much better 2013 in spite of the rhetoric. I guess even four plus years of recession can't stop an eternal optimist.

As we approach Thanksgiving I tend to think about what we have to be thankful for. Obviously the most important is our health, our friends and our families. But as a window manufacturer I'm also proud of our people, hard working and dedicated. I'm proud of our highly energy efficient vinyl windows and doors, which I believe do more to help this country's energy situation than wind and solar combined.

Our products save you from needing to buy and consume more energy, so the power companies don't have to generate more, and it saves everyone money. As I understand it, solar and wind still have no pay back. The cost of the systems is far more than any reasonable payback calculation can justify. It just makes sense to save the energy in the first place rather than try to figure out how to generate more of it. Just think of the impact if all the homes in the United States were improved to having the equivalent of R 10 performance in all the windows and doors. I haven't seen a calculation on that, only on everyone using basic Low E's which was significant, but I have to think it would dramatically cut the energy usage in our country, meaning less need for new sources of gas and oil.

If you can avoid needing to generate more power by using less, that has to be a better strategy. So maybe you should be the one to start all this, consider replacing your windows and doors today, using highly energy efficient vinyl windows and doors.

And please have a Happy Thanksgiving.