The Stress Free Home
The latest research proves homeowners are searching for low-maintenance options that provide easy solutions

February 25, 2009 — Stress is weighing heavily on American homeowners. Just ask Cari Rubin, who, while balancing two children and a part-time job, worries about the economy and stretches to make her time and money go as far as possible. When she and her husband purchased new windows, the last thing they needed was more anxiety.

“We shopped for windows that were reliable and that wouldn’t be a lot of work for us,” she said. “A good warranty was also important because they need to last a long time.”

Reducing stress and increasing peaceful, relaxing moments are top priorities for 2009, according to window and door manufacturer JELD-WEN, and homeowners are gravitating toward solutions that can make their lives easier and lower maintenance chores. As proof, a recent JELD-WEN survey found that 80 percent of window purchasers cited ease of maintenance as a bigger priority in their selection process than both price and energy efficiency features.

“Most people have numerous demands on their time, and they don’t need another item like home maintenance on the to-do list,” said Elizabeth Souders, product marketing manager at JELD-WEN. “They are more interested in how products can solve their problems, not create more. JELD-WEN’s low-maintenance windows and doors are striking chords with homeowners who want reliability and style without significant upkeep.”

Cutting the maintenance

A recent Harris Poll found that American leisure time dropped 20 percent to an all-time low in 2008, meaning homeowners have less free time to devote to upkeep and repairs than ever before. That’s why JELD-WEN is highlighting a number of window and door options that require minimal maintenance.

Long lasting fiberglass: JELD-WEN is seeing increasing interest in fiberglass because it’s a durable, long-lasting material that holds up to harsh weather in any region of the country and won’t warp or crack. The company’s fiberglass exterior doors are available for any style of home, come with wood grain options and some styles can arrive prefinished, meaning there’s no need to break out the paintbrush.

No painting required: Speaking of painting, how many times has prep work derailed a weekend project? Applying a coat of paint or stain to a new window or door can be a chore, especially with larger jobs like garage doors. To help alleviate upfront prep time on its garage doors, JELD-WEN now offers a factory-applied, prefinished white option to speed the process along. This benefit ensures proper coverage on all sides and takes the hassle out of getting a door ready for installation.

JELD-WEN Wood Composite garage doors take the worry out of maintenance because they are made out of recycled wood composite material and won’t dent or split.

Protecting windows: Many homeowners who desire the look of real wood windows inside the house but are afraid of exterior maintenance can take advantage of clad-wood windows. JELD-WEN says that the majority of its wood windows are sold with cladding, or an aluminum “cover” that protects the window’s exterior. Metal cladding shields wood windows from harsh weather and comes in numerous colors to complement any home. This stylish feature won’t be a drain on the weekend schedule, either, as it’s appropriate for almost every climate, requires minimal maintenance and never needs painting.

Easy cleaning: Homeowners have enough to deal with besides making sure their views out the window are crystal clear. To take the hassle out of window cleaning, many manufacturers offer self-cleaning glass that lets rainwater do all the work when washing away grime and dirt. JELD-WEN Wood windows come with optional Neat™ ® glass, which has a layer of titanium dioxide and reacts with the sun’s UV rays (even on cloudy days) to break down and loosen dirt.

Reducing economic stress

When it comes to shopping for replacement windows, most homeowners select vinyl as the material of choice because it’s resilient and energy efficient, and it typically meets the custom requirements within their budget.

JELD-WEN is predicting a big push for vinyl windows in 2009 and has responded with three new product lines geared toward the replacement market and busy homeowners looking to upgrade outdated windows with the latest affordable technology. The new windows can help save on utility bills, come with a glass breakage guarantee to ensure long-lasting value and are available exclusively through window dealers who do all the measuring, installation and clean-up.

“More than 50 percent of replacement windows are vinyl, so homeowners are aware of the value that this material brings to the table,” said Brian Hedlund, product marketing manager at JELD-WEN. “In addition to lower up-front costs, vinyl windows with Low-E glass will improve a home’s energy efficiency, require little maintenance and are built to last, which provides a strong return on investment.”

Keeping the peace

For homeowners looking to remove stress from their daily lives, there’s nothing like peace and quiet. But even that is getting harder to come by these days. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, the average U.S. household owns an all-time high of 26 electronic products. The noise influx inside the home has sent residents running for relief from increasing volume levels.

One solution to ever-increasing interior noise is sound-absorbing materials like solid core doors that dampen sounds from room to room. For exterior nuisances, dual-pane insulated glass windows and patio doors reduce outside noise dramatically and keep out unwanted traffic or lawn care rumblings.

In the end, Cari and her husband selected JELD-WEN clad-wood windows. She says the beauty of real wood inside her home, a 20-year warranty against wood decay and termite damage, energy efficient glass, and minimal maintenance requirements sealed the deal, and they are looking forward to one less chore to worry about.

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