Spring is almost here and now is the time to start checking your windows for problems that could have occurred over the winter months. For the past few years, I make it priority after every winter to evaluate the status of not only my windows but my whole house. This is a great way to proactively maintain your home and help avoid massive home improvement headaches in the future. Here is a 3 point checklist that you can use to asses your windows in your home:
1. Caulking- Check the caulking around the outside of your windows to see if it is beginning to crack or peel. Caulking is very important because it waterproofs the seams of your windows and prevents them from rotting . If caulking failure is caught early enough it is relatively easy and cheap to fix the problem.
2. Wood Rot- This is a major problem with wood windows(obviously) as they come in contact with the elements over time. Wood rot usually starts to appear on the sill of the window where water has a tendency to get into crack and seams. If you notice the decay of wood around windows you should call a window specialist to look at your them and see if it’s structurally integrity has been effected. If not caught early enough, replacing your windows will be your only option.
3. Drafty- A drafty window can be a result of a few different problems such as: caulking failure, home settling, and even failure of the window. If you noticed a drafty window over the winter months, here are a few ways you can evaluate the problem. Started by checking to see if your windows open, close and lock properly, and then check to see when the window is closed completely if there is a gap between the window sill and the sash. If you have older windows, a draft could be a result of improper balancing. Depending on situation buying new windows isn’t always the only option but you should have a window specialist asses the problem. If the problem is occur where the sash and sill meet, one option is buying weather stripping and adding to your window where needed. If your are having problems where the top and bottom sash meet you can add a second lock to properly keep each sash tight. If your attempt to fix the problem and still have issues with your window, you should consider buying replacement windows. A drafty window can take a chunk out of your wallet if left touched, so don’t leave this problem unfixed.
I’ll warn you ahead of time its not very exciting and unless you get geek out by molecule compounds you might end up in a science como. So I will try and make this as painless a possible. When describing solid materials you can categorize them four ways; metal, ceramic, composite and polymer. What separates polymers from other solid materials is its carbon atom formation and its molecular structure that is long and chain-like. There are two subcategories of polymer; synthetic and natural. Natural polymers include materials like leather, wood, and paper. Synthetic polymers were developed in the late 1920 and consist of products like plastics, rubber and adhesives. Scientist developed synthetic polymers after studying natural polymers and their compounds. Synthetic material have grow widely popular in all industry and proven to be very useful. Polymer products have reshape the home improvement industry by replacing wood products(natural polymer) with synthetic polymer materials like vinyl and fiberglass. Siding manufactures started adapting to this new technology in the late 1950s with the invention of vinyl siding for the home. Today Synthetic 
