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The federal government’s Greener Homes Grant is just one recent incentive program helping Canadians seal the deal on energy-saving projects for their homes. A great place to research improvement products such as better insulation, renewable energy products, heat source retrofits and air-tight windows and doors is at the 2024 Calgary Fall Home Show.
One of the 200-plus exhibitors at the show is ASAP Windows and Doors of Calgary. Sales manager Dave Bolger, who has 32 years of industry experience, says many people investigating new windows and doors for their home have never made this type of purchase. The home show is one-stop shopping to learn what their options are.
“People want to know what windows are made of these days or what different kinds of glass are available now that weren’t 20 years ago when they bought their home,” he says. “Many want to know the cost of an average window. There is no average window.”
According to Natural Resources Canada, windows, doors and skylights can account for up to 35 per cent of heat loss in the home. With new glazing technologies involved in the creation of glass, modern windows are more energy efficient, particularly triple-pane windows, plus they function and look better.
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For those unsure if their windows need replacing, Bolger points to several tell-tale signs such as water infiltration as evidenced by rotting wood and soft drywall.
“You might see mould, even little black spots, which grow into big furry things that are very unhealthy in your house,” he says.
Condensation between panes signals a broken seal. The condensation may come and go, and when it does go, the remaining dirt and dust leave the window looking foggy.
Broken hardware, windows that are sticky and out of balance or windows that frost up in the winter and let in too much radiant heat in the summer are also at the end of their usefulness.
Other signs can be outright drafts and audible outside noise. Some windows, such as awning windows that crank open horizontally, are not up to code in bedrooms, in most instances.
For homeowners who notice none of these things but don’t like how high their utility bills are, there comes a time when older windows are simply past their prime.
“There are windows made in an era of poor technology that never should have been sold in Calgary, such as the California windows with multiple sliding single-pane glass. There are still lots of those in the city and they don’t perform well at all,” Bolger says.
ASAP will be joined by at least seven other window and door exhibitors, including A-Apollo Windows and Doors, ASAP Windows and Doors, BLVD Windows and Doors, Centra Windows, GreenFox Windows and Doors, Permanent Windows Solutions and Window Mart Windows and Doors.
The Calgary Fall Home Show runs Friday, Sept. 27 and Saturday, Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day and Sunday, Sept. 29 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are available at the door or save $2 per ticket by purchasing online at calgaryfallhomeshow.com.
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