Archive for 2010
Friday, June 18th, 2010
Yesterday, we finished another project for the Eli Home, an organization that provides shelter and support services for women and abused children, here in Orange County. One of their shelter homes had old, poorly performing windows and they needed to be replaced. Luckily, the Eli Home recently won a grant through the Pepsi Refresh Project as a “shovel-ready” project that would positively impact the communities it supports, and were able to use this grant to help out with the window replacements.
We went out to the home to scope out the work needed, and found out that the home’s stucco siding was coated in old lead-based paint, and we’d be required to use the new protective procedures put in place by the EPA’s recent Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule. Which was absolutely no problem, as we had recently gotten our installers trained and certified through Milgard’s dealer training program. So not only were we able to install the windows using the necessary steps to ensure the residents’ safety, we were able to use donated, energy-efficient windows, thanks to Milgard’s Temecula manufacturing plant.
Watch the video! Click here.
Tami Galloway, Director of Development for the Eli Home, was happy to give us a quote about the process: “Our goal is to provide a safe place for women and their children to start building toward a positive future. These new windows and the extra effort given to ensure this healthy living environment are truly a blessing.”
We’re just happy that everything aligned like it did so that we could do this project. The fact that we received lead paint training from Milgard, then they donated the windows, and our own initiative to accumulating the necessary equipment and supplies to perform a lead-based paint installation. It all results in a wonderful show of support for an organization that performs a much needed service in our community.
Many homeowners may not know that lead-based paint stopped being used on residential structures in 1978, but is still a serious health risk for children as well as adults. The EPA estimates that approximately three-quarters of the nation’s residences built before 1978 (64 million dwellings) contain some lead-based paint. Home renovations, such as window replacement, that disturbs stucco, siding and other surfaces with lead-based paint, results in paint chips and dust that carry dangerous lead content.
We are proud to be certified on how to handle, contain, and clean up the dust and debris resulting from renovations on these pre-1978 homes, as we want to keep our customers healthy and happy.
For more about how the Eli Home Eli Home provides a safe place for battered and abused women and their children to stay, as well as counseling and support services to these families in need in the Orange County area, visit www.elihome.org for more information.
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Posted in Community | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, June 9th, 2010
Glass panels can be installed in both the door and in the sidelight panels that flank the entry door
After this bout of June Gloom, summer will be in full swing. It’s during this time that most California homeowners start thinking about the amount of natural light in their home, and that includes their entry door. Why live in California if you can’t enjoy the renowned weather?
Today’s Windows and Doors offers a wide range of glass designs that transcend any “big box” store cookie-cutter model. We find that many customers already have an idea of their ideal design in mind before they’ve passed through our doors, realizing that we can provide more customization than the chain stores.
At Today’s Windows and Doors, customers can choose their preference of pattern in the leaded material housing the glass, called “caming,” as well as the type of decorative glass inserts. We provide the customer with an almost unlimited selection of glass types including wave, water, baroque and seeded glass, plus a rainbow of color choices. As for the caming, wrought iron styles have proved to be a popular recent trend. (more…)
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Posted in Entry Doors | No Comments »
Sunday, March 21st, 2010
A Jeld-Wen® Dutch door in a Craftsman style
Have you ever seen a Dutch door and thought how nice it would be to have one? With the warm weather quickly approaching, there’s never been a better time to have one installed.
For the last few years, door manufacturers are reporting that Dutch doors are more popular than ever. What is a Dutch door? It’s an entry-door style that’s been in use in America since the 1600s. Dutch doors are split horizontally, usually in the middle, so that the top half and bottom half of the door can both open and closed. Originally, back in the early days of our country, a Dutch door was installed to allow fresh air to enter a house while stopping any wandering cows, sheep or other barnyard animals from visiting!
Although few Southern California residents need worry about a cow coming up their driveway, Dutch doors are still a practical—and good looking—way to open your home to the fantastic California weather without using a screen door to keep the kids and the dog from getting outside. When you keep the top half of the door open, you can easily keep in touch with the neighborhood’s activities, but with the bottom half closed, you can have some security and privacy at the same time. It’s also a great choice for your door out to a backyard or patio, so you can keep an eye on the kids playing out in the backyard.
The best thing about choosing a Dutch door is that you have almost as much choice as you would with a traditional entry or interior door. Hadn’t thought of a Dutch door for interior doorways? They can be perfect for laundry rooms, too! With the top half open, air can flow in and out for drying, but close both top and bottom when the washing machine or dryer is on and keep the noise inside. Another great way to use it is for children’s rooms, especially during naptime—the little one gets some privacy, but it allows the parents to take a peek when they like to check on them.
If the thought of a beautiful and practical Dutch door appeals to you, Today’s Windows and Doors can help you find the style to suit your home and budget with a free, in-home estimate. Summer is right around the corner…
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Posted in Entry Doors | 2 Comments »
Sunday, March 21st, 2010
At the start of 2010, Today’s Windows and Doors completed a project with Andersen® that helped change the lives of abused mothers and children in Orange County.
Andersen® donated nine 100 Series windows to retrofit one of the shelter houses for the Eli Home, a charity dedicated to breaking the cycle of abuse of women and children based in Santa Ana, California. Today’s Windows and Doors provided the labor to remove and replace the old windows in the house, built in 1940.
“Because of the house’s age, many of the windows weren’t functional,” commented Lorri Galloway, Executive Director and co-founder of the Eli Home. “Not only could we not open or close any of them, but they also did not do a good job of keeping out the elements: the cold air came in during the winter, and the hot air was trapped inside during the summer.”
Mark Nelson, who helped with the installation as a representative of Anderson®, explained: “The 100 Series is a relatively new product. It is made from a composite-based material, and works very well in replacements and retrofits.” The Andersen® 100 Series products are also twice as stable and rigid as windows made from vinyl, and were made to withstand the strength of the Southern California sun. Also, the 100 Series products feature frames and sashes made from Fibrex®, which contains 40% pre-consumer reclaimed wood fiber, and the glass contains 12% reclaimed glass.
As the installations were in progress, Lorri Galloway thanked Larry and Donna Cahoon of Today’s Windows and Doors and Mark Nelson of Andersen® for their help in restoring one of their three shelters.
“We are so grateful—this means so very much to us. What it truly does is offer a window into the heart of the Eli Home, and how abused mothers and children have their lives saved and changed here at the Eli Home.”
For more information on the Eli Home, their mission and how to donate, please call (714) 300-0600 or visit their website. Click here to watch a video of Today’s Windows and Doors installing the windows at the Eli Home’s shelter.
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Posted in Community, Window Retrofit | No Comments »
Monday, March 15th, 2010
An example of an entry door with sidelights.
Most people don’t think about the size of their entry door until they want to install a new one. If they start their shopping at one of the big home and garden stores, they may be shocked to find that they don’t see the same size doors on the rack as they see at home. They may also find that the employees at the store aren’t much help in solving their odd-size door dilemma.
Although roughly 60% of the market has a 36″-wide entry door, and another 25% has a 36″- or 32″-wide, double entry door combination, there are pockets of homes in Southern California that were designed and built with 5′-wide (60″) entry doors. Until recently, the big manufacturers have been reluctant to accommodate this segment of the marketplace, which is why they aren’t found at the “big box” stores. And even though there are more 60″-wide entry doors being made, the range of styles and decorative options is still lacking. (more…)
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Posted in Entry Doors | 13 Comments »
Sunday, March 14th, 2010
Today's Windows and Doors is an EPA-Certified Renovation Firm
Did you know that lead poisoning affects one in six children and an unknown number of adults in the United States? That the National Center for Disease Control said that “lead poisoning is the number one environmental health problem affecting children in the United States”?
Most people don’t. Nor do they know that 75% of homes and apartments built before 1980 contain some lead paint, since the government banned the manufacture of lead paint in 1978. At Today’s Windows and Doors, we take the quality and care of our installations, replacements and renovations very seriously, which is why we are certified and registered by the EPA to deal with lead-based paints in homes.
As of April 22, 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency will enforce their Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule, requiring all contractors to be trained how to conduct renovation activities safely to reduce the risk of lead poisoning. The EPA defines “contractors” as general contractors, renovation contractors, property managers, painters, plumbers, carpenters, and electricians, and the rule applies to any of these individuals or companies who work on homes, buildings or schools that were built before 1978.
As a family-run business, we understand the importance of protecting children, and we also want to protect our customers. We are happy to comply with the EPA’s rule requiring a contractor to provide the homeowner with information on the Lead PRE (Lead-Based Paint Pre-Renovation Rule) before starting work. The RRP Rule applies to homes built before 1978 where children are present, and the renovations will affect a painted area of 2 sq. ft. or larger. How serious is the EPA about their RRP Rule? VERY—fines can cost up to $37,500 per incident.
The EPA has listed Today’s Windows and Doors as a Certified Renovation Firm, and have a technician trained in all the EPA compliance rules. And although this may add cost to a select amount of installations or replacements by Today’s Windows and Doors, we agree with the EPA that you can’t put a price on your family’s health and safety.
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Posted in Safety and Certification | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
Do you want or need new windows and doors installed in your home, but are confused about the tax credit everyone’s talking about? You’re not alone—many Americans have been unclear about what it all means to them.
We are beginning the second—and last—year of tax credits for homeowners who install energy-efficient replacement windows and doors. Any windows and doors meeting the energy standards that are installed and purchased between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010 are eligible for a tax credit of up to 30 percent of the product cost, with a maximum claim of $1,500.
Now, I’m not a tax guy, I’m a windows-and-doors guy. Your next question is probably about how to find out which windows and doors meet the requirements, and that’s what I’m here to help you with.
The National Fenestration Council (NFRC) have set, certified and rated the requirements, which have to do with the U-Factor and the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) rates. In the industry, we affectionately call this the “30/30″ rule, and here’s how it works: the U-Factor measures how well the window keeps the heat in, and the SHGC measures how well it keeps the heat from the sun out. The lower the U-Factor, the better a window or door keeps you warm during the cold months, and for us here in Southern California, we like a low SHGC rate, meaning that you’d feel less heat from the sun when standing next to your windows and doors. Every region of the country has it’s optimum combination for both the U-Factor and the SHGC, and the standards are set accordingly, so a window in Minnesota will have a much different rating than a window here in sunny SoCal.
Do your windows have an Energy Star label on them? That doesn’t mean that you automatically qualify. Since Energy Star set their standards in 2007, window technology has improved dramatically, and the government’s qualifying criteria is 25% higher than Energy Star’s standards! That means that some homeowners bought windows and doors that they thought would qualify, only to be disappointed.
How do you make sure that doesn’t happen to you? Come see me at Today’s Windows and Doors. I’ll show you our wide range of entry doors, replacement windows, French doors and patio doors that all meet the government standards, from the top-name brands such as Jeld-Wen, Milgard, IWC, AAW, Therma-Tru, and Art Glass. We also have a large range of door and window hardware to choose from, with the best installation service in Southern California.
Come visit one of our three showrooms serving the Southland, or call us now for a consultation on (877) 886-3297.
Larry Cahoon is the owner and founder of Today’s Windows and Doors, a family-run business based in Orange County. For over 20 years, Larry and his team have been providing a one-stop window and door shopping experience for their customers, with expert installation by experienced craftsmen. Today’s Windows and Doors has earned the reputation as Southern California’s premier entry door specialists.
Posted in Tax Rebates | 3 Comments »
