There can be nothing nice than a breeze coming in through the window- as long as you have deliberately opened the window and it's a warm summer day or a humid night. If there's snow on the ground and your windows are tightly shut, it's less pleasant.
I was sitting at traffic lights this week alongside a house where I was transfixed by the curtains which seemed to be vigorously blowing about even though the window was closed. Eyeing the peeling paint on the front door and window I figured they were letting as much of the outdoor weather in as they were keeping out.
Wooden windows can be beautiful but they require an awful lot of upkeep to maintain and ensure they stay both attractive and weatherproof. Water is wood's natural enemy. It is great at rotting down fallen trees in the forest but this wood-water reaction is not so great when it affects your windows.
It's vital to keep an eye out for rot, mould, warping and soft spots and make sure that either you follow a guide on how to repair wood windows or get a good tradesman in promptly when you discover an issue.
If looking after the woodwork is not something you can easily do because of work, family or general life commitments, or a physical inability it might be time to think about replacing your wooden windows before they rot so much you too have dancing window dressings.
Now a lot of people have a negative view of vinyl windows from back in their early days when they were usually only available in white and looked clunky and plasticky.
A look at modern vinyl windows will soon show doubters that the technology has come a long way and you can choose a variety of styles and colours and even have windows custom made to fit awkward shaped windows or to complement the style of your home.
Of course probably the biggest benefit to vinyl window replacement is that vinyl windows are weatherproof, energy efficient and require very little ongoing maintenance - perfect for busy householders and those who just aren't able to manage the upkeep of wooden windows.
You might balk at the expense of replacing windows but bear this in mind - 25-30% of residential heating and cooling energy loss is through windows. Replacing them can prove cost effective quite quickly!
Not all windows are created equal so it's worth checking out this government guide on updating or replacing windows to find out what to look for and what to avoid. It will help you understand some of the technical terminology so you can be sure your decision making at point of sale is informed.
If you are planning to get your windows replaced in (hopefully) fair weather, book soon as that's probably the window fitter's busiest time.