What is Cellular PVC?

Cellular PVC is a material that is used for replacement windows - it is an economic choice for budget-minded homeowners. Regular PVC is a thermoplastic polymer, and has become a popular building material because it is durable, inexpensive, and easy to fabricate. Cellular PVC, while still relatively new, is rapidly becoming even more popular because it is half the density of regular PVC, weighs about the same as softwood, and has a tensile strength of up to 5,000 PSI.

What is cellular PVC? - Cellular PVC is a solid, foam-extruded material that expands as it cools and hardens. The foam extrusion process creates air bubbles that help to make cellular PVC lighter and stronger than most other materials. For instance, it is 140% stronger than vinyl, which makes it more stable. That stability means it can compete with cellular pvc frames for large windows. It's also a 214% better insulator than vinyl.

Similar to wood - Cellular PVC has wood-like characteristics that also make it a popular choice. It can be milled, and since it has the appearance of real wood, it is used to produce trim, paneling, windows, doors, blinds, and even furniture. It is a 60% better insulator than wood, and it won't succumb to the weathering or insect-related issues of wood.

Other benefits - Cellular PVC can withstand heat to 150F, won't absorb paint, and doesn't expand or contract in response to the weather. In fact, cellular PVC is guaranteed not to swell, rot, warp, bend, crack, splinter, or stick. It can bend to accommodate curved forms such as arches. It is a durable, cost-efficient, low-to-no-maintenance option that is an excellent alternative to traditional wood, and an improvement over vinyl. Not just in strength – cellular PVC is also a 214% better insulator than vinyl.

Availability - Cellular PVC typically comes in white, and while it doesn't have to be painted, it can be. As it resists paint absorption, unlike wood, it requires less paint and thus less effort and cost. If using darker colors (an L value of 56 to 0), choosing a heat reflective paint is recommended.

Cellular PVC windows are available in all-cellular form, or as a cellular PVC-clad wood window. The clad version offers a wood interior frame in a variety of wood types and finishes, which allows homeowners to match their interior trim to their décor and to stain or paint the trim easily.

Saving Energy - Install Storm Windows

If you are looking to improve the energy efficiency of your home, as well as to enjoy other added benefits, then you should consider purchasing and installing storm windows. By using storm windows on your existing windows, rather than replacing the windows with completely new ones, you will be able to reap many of the benefits that replacement windows offer without some of the drawbacks, expense and hassle.

Storm windows are energy efficient. By installing storm windows along with your existing windows, the storm windows help to make your house more energy efficient. Storm windows reduce drafts by providing an airtight seal around your windows. This seal keeps heat from the interior home inside the house and stops cold air from the exterior from seeping inside. By reducing air leaks, you increase efficiency.

Storm windows keep your home cleaner. The airtight seal, in addition to conserving energy, also prevents dust, dirt, sand, soot, air pollution and other small particles from coming in through any cracks or joints in your existing windows.

Storm windows keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. The thermal barrier created by storm windows keeps warm air in your home and cool exterior air out in the cooler months and conversely keeps cooler air in your home and warmer air out in the warmer months.

Storm windows protect historical or vintage windows. This benefit is especially useful for homes with historical properties or a vintage look that the homeowner wants to or has to preserve. By installing storm windows over the existing windows, the beauty and value of the existing windows can be preserved, while the benefits of higher energy efficiency are realized. In some homes or buildings, homeowners are not allowed to removed or change windows that are part of the historic nature of the building. In fact, the Department of Interior has stated that there is no excuse, even for energy conservation, to destroy existing historic windows since they can be made more energy efficient through other means that will preserve the historical value and aesthetics of the window.

Fixing a Sticky Door

There is something annoying about a door that won't open and shut easily. We call this a sticky door. A general rule of thumb for keeping a door from sticking in the jamb is that the reveal - basically the space between the door and the jamb - should be 1/8 to 3/16 inch wide. This is the same as the thickness of a nickel. Here's what you should do if you run into this problem:

First, you should check for loose hinges and reattach properly. If this doesn't solve the problem you should then deepen the hinge mortises. You do this to avoid disassembling the doorknob. You'll want to remove the hinges so you can chisel their mortises 1/8 inch deeper - the same amount you will plane from the door's edge.

Now, you'll move on to planing the door. If your door has lead paint on it, you will first want to use a chemical stripper, to avoid having hazardous particles being released into the air while planing. Now, run the plane at a slight angle in long, smooth strokes along the length of the door. The plane iron will leave the edges sharp, so you will need to round them down with sandpaper to better accept the paint.

Now, test what you've done, by sliding the hinges back into the mortises, to make sure they are flush with the door's edge. Then, take the hinges back out and prime and then paint the edge you just worked on.

Your last step is to rehang the door once the paint is dry. Reattach the hinge leaves, put the door back in place and screw everything back together.

And there you have it! A door that no longer sticks, all fixed without the help of a professional door repairman.

Summertime Spruce Ups

Spring and summer can't get here fast enough and at 3rd Avenue Window Supply, we are stoked about what those seasons bring. The sunny, beautiful weather of the spring and summer means that outdoor, home improvement projects can happen. We're especially excited to add some curb appeal to our homes by partaking in a few upkeep projects. Here are our ideas for how to make your home look nicer in the sunny months ahead:

1. Clean those windows: Let the sunshine in by making sure your windows are dirt and scum free. They will sparkle and shine from the curb, attracting the eyes of onlookers.

2. Make your front door stunning: Whether that be installing a new front door, refinishing the one you already have, making repairs to it or the surrounding area, or adding some plants to the front porch, make a plan to make that entryway shine.

3. Check your roof for damage: Get up there and look around for signs of damage and places that need repair. Call a roof repair company to come assess if you need help.

4. Fix up your concrete: If you have any cracks or pits in your patio, driveway or pathways, resurface and repair the concrete. The summer is the perfect time of year to do this.

5. Paint the exterior: Whether that be adding a new color or just brightening up the current paint job, make your home stand out by brightening up its drab exterior.

Puddle-Free Driveways

With the coming of spring, also comes the onslaught of rain. After all, without it, how would we get those wonderful May flowers? But excessive rain can lead to puddles and buildup on our driveways. It has always surprised me that so many people still use basic concrete for their driveways, when there are other options that are a lot more water permeable.

Take for instance, gravel. Gravel has so many awesome benefits that make it a better material than concrete or asphalt. First of all, it lasts years longer than concrete and asphalt – which crack and break down over time. It channels contaminants such as oil into the earth beneath the driveway, where microbes slowly break them down. This is so much more eco-friendly than concrete and asphalt driveways, which allow dirty runoff to drain down into storm drains and out into the ocean.

Here’s another option: pervious concrete. For those of you who like the look of concrete this is probably a more friendly choice for you. Pervious concrete is made with little to no sand and has air pockets that permit drainage of 4 inches of water per minute. The one handicap to this stuff is that it can clog with dirt and other sediment, so you have to be sure to run a leaf blower over it every so often.

So, thinking about making the switch and do a total revamp of your driveway? Well, while I always suggest that driveway installation be completed by a professional, if you are a capable DIYer, here’s my advice. As far as pervious concrete goes, DIY installation just really isn’t an option as the stuff requires special tamping and rolling. But with gravel here are the simple steps:

1.     Excavate the old parking pad and put down a level base layer of gravel to help excess water filter down to the soil.

2.     You can buy these snap-together recycled plastic and polyethylene grids, which when installed on the top of the base layer, hold in place an additional 1 to 2 inches of decorative gravel in any color and last about 25 years. Prices range from about $3 to $5 per square foot. Simply install them, add the extra decorative layer of gravel and you’re set.

Revitalize Your Deck in 5 Easy Steps

So most of us have experienced what can happen to our homes after years of harsh weather. Decks and porches especially take the brunt of it and I have seen many decks whose once beautiful boards are now covered in algae, leaf stains and have turned a weather-beaten gray. As a general contractor in New York I know the frustration of seeing great work fade over time. Don’t despair, there is an easy way to revitalize your deck. It takes about a week and should only put you out about $80 to $120. Here are some suggestions for how to revamp your deck and make it look healthy and new again.

STEP 1: Wash the grit and grime away. It is best to do this on an overcast day. It will keep the water from evaporating as fast. Make sure to clear away anything in the way – furniture, plants, etc. Now, pressure wash the entire deck, removing leaves, dirt and any other algae or grime.

STEP 2: Put in some elbow grease. With the deck still damp, now it’s time to scrub the deck using a great cleaning solution.

STEP 3: Rinse it off. After you’ve scrubbed the entire deck with the cleaning solution, wait about 15 minutes and then, using your pressure washer or a garden hose, rinse off the entire deck, ensuring to get rid of all the cleaning solution left over.

STEP 4: Stain away. Now, choose a great stain that either matches the original color of the wood or something new. You need to wait until the wood is completely dry before applying the stain. This may mean waiting up to 3 or 4 consecutive days after you’ve washed it, and considering there is no rain. Sweep the deck before you apply the stain. Using a synthetic filament brush slightly wider than the deck’s boards, apply the stain to each part of the deck. You may want to start with the railings and sides of the deck first and then do the main part of the decking. Brush the deck boards one at a time with long, even strokes.

STEP 5: Let it dry. Make sure to let the stain dry for at least 2 days before walking on it or adding any furniture back to the space.

All done! Now your deck space should look brand new again.