Bay Shore Showroom Hours

Bay Shore Showroom Hours

Monday 08:00 am – 5:30 pm
Tuesday 08:00 am – 5:30 pm
Wednesday 08:00 am – 5:30 pm
Thursday 08:00 am – 5:30 pm
Friday 08:00 am – 5:30 pm
Saturday 09:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
FREE CONSULTATION
Commack Showroom Hours

Commack Showroom Hours

Monday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Tuesday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wednesday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Thursday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Friday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am – 4:00 pm

FAQ

Selecting Windows and Doors

I need to replace my windows – What are my options?

This question would require many pages to answer completely. However, we will try and summarize the most important steps homeowners will need to take to help them tackle this issue.

There is no one correct answer or solution for every homeowner and every situation they are facing on this subject. There are always going to be several good options but more importantly a great many bad options. The primary objective should be to try to avoid making a bad choice. Most of the bad choices have to do with the way the windows are to be installed rather than the windows themselves.

There is no one correct answer or solution for every homeowner and every situation they are facing on this subject. There are always going to be several good options but more importantly a great many bad options. The primary objective should be to try to avoid making a bad choice. Most of the bad choices have to do with the way the windows are to be installed rather than the windows themselves.

First, we will tackle the proper installation of the windows. This is extremely important because the wrong installation will not only compromise the function and efficiency of the windows, but it could compromise the integrity of the structure of the house by enabling water to go around the window frames and reach the walls, resulting in rotted walls and the promotion of the growth of mold inside the walls. If this were allowed to happen it would result in extremely expensive repairs in the future as well as unhealthy living conditions inside the home not long after the installation.

There are two main ways to install new windows into an opening. The first is to use windows that have a flange around the exterior perimeter of the window frame, and the second, to use windows without a flange. The best rule of thumb to help you decide if the new windows need a flange involves the evaluation of the exterior wall where the windows will be installed. If the exterior walls are covered with any type of siding and there is no old wood window frame that will remain in the wall, then the windows need to have a flange to be installed properly and avoid water penetration into the walls. Another way to evaluate this is to check if the windows that will be removed have a flange. If the old windows have a flange, then the new windows must have a flange. If the old windows do not have a flange, then the new windows may possibly need a flange. The person that can make this determination for you is someone that has expertise in window installations, and most of the time that would not be the person that will sell you the windows. Making the assumption that the people selling the windows know how they need to be installed properly is the biggest mistake homeowners make. Most window salespeople have little experience with installations. The only time a new window can for sure be installed without a flange is when it will be installed inside an old wood window frame that stays on the wall and the connection of the old frame and the wall will not be disturbed. If you choose to use this installation method, you need to make sure that the old wood window frames that will stay in the wall are not rotted.

Once you know how your new windows must be installed then your focus will shift to the selection of the actual windows. The most important thing to be decided first is the style of window you need. A lot of times people stay with the same original window style but sometimes there may be other alternatives you can explore. The second decision to make is to choose the material out of which your new windows will be made. There are many choices including wood windows, various qualities of pvc windows and other materials like fiberglass or synthetic materials made of mixtures of pvc and wood fiber, otherwise known as saw dust. Among all these material choices there are a lot of different grades or quality levels of windows. The scope of this answer is not to evaluate those choices but to make you aware of their existence. What is important to know however is that one of the most important selection parameters will be the quality of the windows you would like to purchase. In general, the quality will reflect the cost of the window but not always. Many people end up paying a lot of money for mediocre windows.

The last issue we will tackle here is the choice of company or team of people you will hire to replace your windows. You can choose a national brand and a contractor to install them, or you can choose a local manufacturer that also offers installation services as well, if you require them. Other options include franchisees that represent different window brands or national sales and installation companies. At the end of the day the best way to handle this decision is to evaluate a manufacturer and an installation company that you can determine you can trust to do the right thing for you.

I need a new front entrance door – What do I need to consider?

Starting the process for selecting a new front entry door for your home can seem chaotic in the beginning. What we are going to explore here is a simple methodical approach for selecting a new front door that both you and your house will like. The available door styles and configurations that you can select from can be in the hundreds when you consider all the available variations in the marketplace. There are however only six major things you can specify to arrive at the final choice.

The very first decision that needs to be made is what we call the layout or arrangement of your new door. In other words, are you looking to get a single door, door with side panels or double door, as well as the consideration of transoms, or windows over the door. In most cases people replace their existing door and maintain the same layout or configuration. In other cases, there may be other alternatives like switching from a single door to a more elaborate unit like a door with side panels and even transoms, provided there is enough room on the wall to allow you to do so.

The second decision to be made involves the selection of the material with which your new door will be constructed. There are several options here starting with wood doors, metal doors (steel doors, wrought iron doors, or aluminum doors), and also fiberglass or composite doors. They all have different advantages and disadvantages, but the objective of this discussion is not to cover them here. It is important to note however that based on the selection of door material there would be different door style options. A better way to approach this would be to decide on the door style and then explore what materials these door styles are available in.

The third decision that needs to be made is the amount and shape of glass that you desire on your new door. At this stage you will start to more clearly define the style of the door you will end up with. There are several factors that can guide you on selecting how much glass you should use on your new door, including the desire for getting light into the hallway, issues of privacy as well as style or look and feel. Both the amount as well as the shape of glass on your door can determine whether you will achieve a traditional, modern or transitional look.

The fourth decision you need to make, once you select the amount of glass you desire, is the actual type of glass you will put in the door. There are many choices starting with clear glass, textured privacy glass, glass with caming designs as well as glass with iron designs. The type of glass you choose will further define whether the overall look of your new door will be modern or contemporary, traditional or transitional. The objective should be to choose something that you like but also equally important is to choose something that works with the rest of the look of your house.

The fifth selection to be finalized is the color of your new door. The choices here are too many, but they can be grouped into two categories. The first is what we call the wood looking finishes, that make your new door look like a stained wood door, even if it is not a wood door. The other category is what we call solid colors with the most popular ones being black or white or grays and many more. Some companies will allow you to choose from a color swatch.

The sixth and final decision for you to make is the lockset for your door. Ideally you want to choose something that works and enhances the look of everything that you have chosen so far. If your new door looks modern, then your lock should be in the same category. If it is classic, then the lock choice should reflect that as well. Locks can be elaborate or streamlined and simple. They also offer features like digital keypads that replace the keys, or features that allow you to open your lock remotely using your phone via wifi. They also come in a large variety of finishes to accommodate many different tastes.

Once you have completed your selections in these six categories you have arrived at your new door. Not all door manufacturers will give you this much flexibility to put together a door for your house. Most of them will present you with a catalog that has a fixed number of choices, and you can only pick what is shown in the catalog. Another aspect of selecting a new front door for your home has to do with whether you can select features for your new door just from a catalog or a photo. Some people can do this, and others have a more difficult time, and they would prefer to see some real door setups in a showroom. Some door manufactures have showrooms that you can visit which may be an advantage for you if you like to see the real thing before you finalize your selection. Some people know exactly what they want when it comes to selecting a new door and some people could use some assistance with their selection. There are companies that can take you through the selection process step by step and make the selection process a lot easier for you.

There has been no mention about quality in this discussion. Doors come is a very broad quality spectrum and this is an entirely different chapter in your quest to select a new door for your home.

Window Issues

My windows have developed dirt in between the glass – What can I do?

This question would require many pages to answer completely. However, we will try and summarize the most important steps homeowners will need to take to help them tackle this issue.

There is no one correct answer or solution for every homeowner and every situation they are facing on this subject. There are always going to be several good options but more importantly a great many bad options. The primary objective should be to try to avoid making a bad choice. Most of the bad choices have to do with the way the windows are to be installed rather than the windows themselves.

First, we will tackle the proper installation of the windows. This is extremely important because the wrong installation will not only compromise the function and efficiency of the windows, but it could compromise the integrity of the structure of the house by enabling water to go around the window frames and reach the walls, resulting in rotted walls and the promotion of the growth of mold inside the walls. If this were allowed to happen it would result in extremely expensive repairs in the future as well as unhealthy living conditions inside the home not long after the installation.

There are two main ways to install new windows into an opening. The first is to use windows that have a flange around the exterior perimeter of the window frame, and the second, to use windows without a flange. The best rule of thumb to help you decide if the new windows need a flange involves the evaluation of the exterior wall where the windows will be installed. If the exterior walls are covered with any type of siding and there is no old wood window frame that will remain in the wall, then the windows need to have a flange to be installed properly and avoid water penetration into the walls.

Another way to evaluate this is to check if the windows that will be removed have a flange. If the old windows have a flange, then the new windows must have a flange. If the old windows do not have a flange, then the new windows may possibly need a flange. The person that can make this determination for you is someone that has expertise in window installations, and most of the time that would not be the person that will sell you the windows. Making the assumption that the people selling the windows know how they need to be installed properly is the biggest mistake homeowners make. Most window salespeople have little experience with installations. The only time a new window can for sure be installed without a flange is when it will be installed inside an old wood window frame that stays on the wall and the connection of the old frame and the wall will not be disturbed. If you choose to use this installation method, you need to make sure that the old wood window frames that will stay in the wall are not rotted.

Once you know how your new windows must be installed then your focus will shift to the selection of the actual windows. The most important thing to be decided first is the style of window you need. A lot of times people stay with the same original window style but sometimes there may be other alternatives you can explore. The second decision to make is to choose the material out of which your new windows will be made. There are many choices including wood windows, various qualities of pvc windows and other materials like fiberglass or synthetic materials made of mixtures of pvc and wood fiber, otherwise known as saw dust. Among all these material choices there are a lot of different grades or quality levels of windows. The scope of this answer is not to evaluate those choices but to make you aware of their existence. What is important to know however is that one of the most important selection parameters will be the quality of the windows you would like to purchase. In general, the quality will reflect the cost of the window but not always. Many people end up paying a lot of money for mediocre windows.

The last issue we will tackle here is the choice of company or team of people you will hire to replace your windows. You can choose a national brand and a contractor to install them, or you can choose a local manufacturer that also offers installation services as well, if you require them. Other options include franchisees that represent different window brands or national sales and installation companies. At the end of the d

My windows are very drafty – Can I fix them?

All operable windows allow at least some air to go through them either from outside into the house or from inside the house to the outside. The amount of air leakage however varies a lot based on both the type of window in consideration as well as the design and ultimate quality of the window as it relates to how efficiently it can prevent air leakage between the window frame and the operable sashes. Most manufacturers test their windows for air infiltration under conditions specified by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).

In general, fixed windows that cannot open, are the most airtight and there are only very small differences in air infiltration performance among fixed windows from different manufacturers. Operable windows that can open and close to allow ventilation are not completely airtight because they rely on weatherstrips and gaskets to seal the window sashes to the window frames. The type of window and how it was designed to deal with air infiltration will determine its air leakage performance. Casement windows that rely on gaskets, rather than weatherstrips, to seal the sash to the frame, are in general more efficient than double hung and slider windows when you compare their air infiltration performance. However, there are very big differences in air leakage performance among the same style windows produced by different window manufacturers. This is because the window design as well as the number of gaskets or weatherstrips along the sash and frame perimeters can affect air infiltration greatly. Windows that provide multiple sealing gaskets or weatherstrips along the contact points can be much more airtight than windows that rely on a single gasket or weatherstrip. In addition, some window designs are not very forgiving when the windows are not perfectly installed. There can be a tremendous difference in air infiltration performance between the test number provided by the manufacturer in a perfectly installed window in a test chamber and a window installed in the field by an average installer.

If you feel that your existing windows are drafty, and you would like to cut down on the air coming through, there may be some things you can do to improve the situation. What you may be able to do will depend on the type of window style you have as well as how your window has been designed and manufactured. If you are looking to improve the air infiltration performance of an up and down double hung or horizontal sliding window, the most important factor that will determine any success is whether the existing weatherstrips on your window can be removed and replaced by new ones. If your weatherstrips are not removable then your options are limited. If the weatherstrips on your existing window are removable then chances are that you can replace them with new heavier pile weatherstrips that will improve the air infiltration performance. In some cases where the air leakage is made worse by sloppy installation improving the air infiltration performance will require tweaking with the installation to set the windows straight to make an improvement. The same principles apply if the window you are looking to improve is a casement, however in general a lot of casement windows do not provide an option for removing and replacing the existing gaskets.

In many cases windows that feel to be drafty allow air to come through around the perimeter of the window where it connects to the wall. This is always the result of poor installation where the installer did not properly insulate and seal the space around the window to the wall opening. In such a case the best remedy is to make sure that the perimeter is well insulated and sealed which will result in the elimination of the air leakage problem.

Many low-grade windows cannot be improved when it comes to air leakage because they have single weatherstrip coverage and the fit between the window sashes and frames is poor from day one of their manufacture.

Door Issues

My front door feels drafty – How can I fix it?

All types of doors allow some air to leak around the perimeter where the door panel contacts the door frame and the sill. Wood doors that have developed cracks in their panels will also allow air through those cracks. The amount of air leaking through a door depends on the type of door in question as well as the types of weatherstrips and door sweeps used to handle the problem of air infiltration.

Very old wood doors do not even have weatherstrips on the sides and top of the door frame or a door sweep on the bottom of the door. In the case of such old wood doors, the frames can be reworked, and slots can be created in the frame around the perimeter to insert gaskets that can stop most of the air coming in. In addition, the bottom of the door can be routed out to accommodate the installation of a door sweep that will seal the bottom section of the door to the door frame sill. Most people that have an old wood door will not go to the trouble of routing out the door frame and door bottom to accommodate weatherstrips and sweeps. Such a rework requires the expertise of a professional wood worker and cost will be an issue. Wood doors are very inefficient in other ways and the improvements you can get from them are limited. The only time it may be wise to invest in this way on an old wood door is when you have a historic door, and you are compeled you to save it.

Solid wrought iron doors are some of the worst offenders when it comes to air infiltration. They are not designed with proper accommodation of weatherstrips and bottom door sweeps and sills. They are primarily intended to be used in relatively mild climates without harsh winters and the improvement in air infiltration efficiency is not top of mind to the people that manufacture and sell them. Surprisingly though they find their way in northern regions of the country with cold winters and homeowners that end up with such doors have a hard time retrofitting these doors to limit air infiltration.

Fiberglass doors and so-called steel doors both have an insulating core are the primary door types found in most regions. Both types of doors are usually hung on wood frames that accommodate compressible Q-Lon weatherstrips and have proper sills on the bottom where the sweep attached to the bottom of the door can seal properly when the door is closed. The better-quality doors have an adjustable threshold on the sill that can help make the contact of the door sweep tighter and reduce air infiltration. These doors are the easiest to improve if the weatherstrips and bottom sweep deteriorate and make the door leaky. The replacement of the Q-Lon weatherstrip is relatively straight forward. The old one is pulled out of the grove on the door frame and the new is inserted in the same groove. Replacing the sweep found on the bottom of the door panel may be a little more complicated depending on the design and the method used to hold the sweep in place on the door panel, but it is not exceedingly difficult to do. In some cases, small adhesive corner pads can be also added at the corners of the frame for preventing air loss through those spots.

In many cases the cause of excessive amounts of air coming through a door may be caused by the misalignment of the door panel with the frame that can result either from improper installation or by eventual settling of one side of the door. In these cases, the installation of the door needs to be addressed so that the alignment can be corrected to create a better fit of the door panel to the frame.

The frames of my door are rotting on the bottom – Can they be repaired?

Most doors are hung on wood frames. These include wood doors, fiberglass doors or steel doors. Depending on the exposure of the frames to moisture and how well the frames are maintained, to make sure they are properly painted to prevent them from absorbing moisture, at some point they will start to become soft and rot out. This is a very common problem, even with relatively young doors, whose frames are made of soft pine lumber and have not been painted properly. We have seen many doors with rotted frames at the bottom and many such doors that have been repaired by cutting out the rotted sections and splicing a new door frame section and repainting it. If you have the proper skills, you can do a good job repairing such frames. In most cases though the fact that the frames have been repaired in such a manner is obvious. If aesthetics is important, it may be best to hire a skilled person to make the repair. In addition, if you plan to attempt a repair like this it would be advisable to source a section for the door frame you will add that is synthetic and not wood, to prevent the same problem form happening again in the future.

The problem of rotted door frames is mostly found in doors that are completely exposed to the elements especially rain. Doors without any overhung whatsoever are the most vulnerable to having their frames rot out starting at the bottom. If you have a door that is completely exposed, you may want to pay special attention and make sure the frame is painted properly, and that the paint remains in good condition all the time. Many homeowners make the mistake of installing a door that does not have a painted frame, and they fail to paint it. In some cases, it is not obvious that the new door you just bought from the home center or lumberyard came with a frame that is not painted. The door panel is usually painted but the frame in many cases is only just primed. Because the primers most companies use today are white, and not some ugly grey color, some homeowners fail to realize that they need to be painted to protect them from moisture getting into the wood.

Paying attention to the condition of the frames on your door constantly is advisable to catch problems early. It is easier to repair a frame that has just lost the protective paint but still had not had a lot of time to absorb water and start to rot out. In such a case the only thing you need to do is a good scraping and cleaning of the old paint and then a primer coat and a final paint coat in the color of your choice.

The decision to repair a rotted frame will depend on whether you have the skills to do it on your own or if you must hire a professional. If you need to hire a professional, then you may need to evaluate the cost involved and whether it is wise to invest on an old door that may have developed other problems in addition to the rotted frames.

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There are a few options for getting in touch with us depending on your objective.

  • Request a Showroom / Design Center Appointment

You can make an appointment to come to one of our showrooms and discuss your project with one of our consultants. This will be helpful to you if you would like to learn more about our products by looking at the window and door displays or if you need help selecting windows or doors that may be more appropriate for your home. It would also be very useful to you if you require design assistance for your windows or doors. Of course you do not need an appointment to visit one of our showrooms when they are open, but if you do make an appointment it will be more likely that your visit will be more productive because we will assign time for you based on the date and time you book.

  • Request a Home Visit

You can request a Home visit by one of our consultants where we can come to your home to learn about your project and then make an appointment for you to come back into our showroom at a time of your choice to go over all the options you would like to explore. Once we have all the information on what you would like to accomplish, we can provide design consultation, if you need it, with alternative budgets for your project based on all available scenarios.

  • Request A Phone Consultation

You can request a phone consultation for either something as simple as a couple of windows or a general inquiry of how we may be able to help you with any kind of project you may have in mind.

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You can send us the information we need to get you a proposal for windows and doors you need for a planned major renovation or addition to your existing home or even a new home you are planning to build. You can get the size and style information from your contractor or architect and forward it to us.

  • Request Service for Your Existing Royal Products

Finally, you can request service for existing windows and doors that have been manufactured by us over the last 35 years and were installed either by your builder, contractor, or by us.