When you become a homeowner, great ideas start coming to mind in how to achieve just the right aesthetic. But often the most important things get pushed by the wayside… I am so guilty of that! When we purchased our 1976 bungalow in our dream neighbourhood I was anxious to make all my home design and decor dreams come true resulting in major renos.
However, after spending the first summer in our new home we realized that we needed to budget for air conditioning installation the following summer. Our house was unbearably hot and no amount of fans would keep it cool!
Then came winter.
Calgary winters roll in quick and stay long past their welcome – the last thing you want to be doing is wearing a parka in April let alone in your house! We knew after the first month of the cold snap that it was costing us much more than it should to maintain warmth in our house. So if our house was hot in the summer and cold in the winter installing air conditioning was not going to be the answer. Turns out our windows were the problem! They were the cause of the inefficiencies of temperature control in our home with Calgary’s weather extremes.
When investing in windows it can be tempting to go with a less expensive and quick fix, but the downside is the quality and standards are compromised, costing more in the long run. After some critical research and doing our homework we decided to go with Lux windows. Not only do they have a high quality standard, but their product is made in Alberta for Albertans. They knew exactly what this old Calgary home needed.
Lux Windows is a locally owned and family operated business. The team there treats their clients like family. From the moment I stepped into the showroom and met the sales people, to the onsite free estimate at our home, we were immediately impressed with their knowledge and passion for windows.
With COVID precautions at the forefront, Lux ensured that their showroom was clean, organized and most importantly safe. Their team was extremely knowledgeable, able to answer the million questions that we had, taking the time to educate us, especially as first-time buyers. #homeownership They explained the different window options and helped us decide the best fit for our home.
This care and consistency runs through the entire business including their installation partners. The team from EWD was amazing and gave us all the information we needed, including a complete walkthrough of our new windows and explanations of our previous problems. They ensured the windows were properly sealed with no gaps between the windows and frames, the cause of the temperature fluctuations previously in the house! With proper fitting and installation, we actually gained more glass adding that much more light indoors and a greater view of our backyard and patio where the kids play. EWD Install team also took care of their clean-up and garbage removal, one less thing for us to have to worry about.
The team kept us up to date on production, arrival and installation times. We had five windows, including an awning window, plus our sliding patio door replaced. It was a seamless process from start to finish and done within just one day. The new patio door is probably my favourite piece, smooth as butter to open and close.
Since replacing the windows, we have noticed more comfortable and consistent interior temperatures and the house is much quieter. The investment in triple pane windows especially for the bedrooms has given us this unexpected noise-cancelling “treat”.
Our windows also have a multi-point locking system, which means there is a single lock connected to multiple locks on the window frame. The triple pane, ENERGY STAR® symbol makes it easy to identify the best energy performers on the market. The windows use less energy, saving on bills and reducing greenhouse gas and emissions. A total win for us all.
The last and most important reason for the window replacement was for the health and safety of our kids. We learned our windows were not to code and that there actually was mold around them from years of condensation build up. Glen, the Lux rep, also pointed out the bedroom window openings were deemed too small for safe escape, for example in the event of fire, and this would be corrected to meet code.
Realizing the inefficiencies and inadequacies of our old windows and experiencing the vast improvement of the quality of our home in the last two months, I can honestly say this was one of the best parts of our renos. I had no idea I could get this excited about windows.
I can not say enough good things about our experience, from the showroom, to the free estimate and in-home consultation, to install and now the actual product fully itself. The Lux professionalism, service and most importantly quality was absolutely exceptional. I have learned a lot through our reno. I didn’t value the exterior as it wasn’t an area we would “live in.” However after being in our home now for more than a year, living space very much includes our windows. From providing warmth in the winter to keeping the heat out now during the hot summer days and having windows that would meet code, we are able to enjoy and rest easy. If we ever reno again I now know what a difference amazing windows and doors make to help a house feel like a home. I documented the whole process in this fun video which can be found here.
If you are in the market for new windows, Lux is your best place for windows and doors. You can request your free estimate right here.