Homeownership offers tremendous freedom to create the living environment that you have always wanted. ABSI's mission is to ensure you are presented the best window & door solution for your application. Our diverse product portfolio with five distinct product collections was formulated to achieve infinite product solutions while achieving a wide range of budget requirements. During our thirty plus years in business, ABSi has supplied window and door products for every level of construction from remodel projects to Luxury Home construction, both residential and commercial.
Your budget will dictate what brands and products make the most sense. With an elaborate project like windows and Doors, there are quite a few variables that impact price point. Windows do not just let light into your home. They also let hot and cool air out, potentially driving up your energy bills and creating unnecessary waste. With every choice you make in your window & door journey, you weigh various other factors against energy loss. Fortunately, technology has come a long way in recent decades, offering a wider range of safe, stylish, and energy-efficient window options. Energy efficiency is also an important consideration as you set your budget, since there are many features you might include that could add to the initial sticker price. But ultimately, they save you money by reducing your energy bill.
There are two key measures to understand when comparing different windows’ energy efficiency: U-Factor: The U-Factor indicates the thermal conductivity of your window. In other words, it indicates how much hot air escapes the feature when it’s cold outside and vice-versa. The scale ranges from 0.2 to 1.25: the lower the number, the better the window insulates your home. Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC). SHGC quantifies the amount of solar energy the window lets in. You may want a higher SHGC if you are more concerned about allowing the sun to heat up your home in the winter, and a lower one if maintaining cool indoor temperatures in a hot climate is the priority. Or you can select glass with low-emissivity (Low-E) coating, which allows light in while cutting down on heat conductivity, meaning less cold air escapes in the summer and less warm air in the winter. There are further glazing options for limiting noise and other ways of customizing the glass’s appearance.
Your home’s architecture and the surrounding landscaping play a key role in the way your windows look, and function once installed. Maybe you are looking for the best windows for your Ocean Front home, or maybe you have a modern house, and want to go for a contemporary window option. You should also consider where the sun rises and sets over your home. In parts of the house that get more direct sunlight—such as west-facing rooms—you may want to spring for additional UV protection or opt for a smaller window. For those areas with less-than-ideal views, or do not receive much light at all, it does not make sense to pay for an elaborate picture window. Window frames come in a range of different materials, each offering advantages and disadvantages when it comes to cost, maintenance, appearance, and insulation. The most common choices include Steel, Aluminum, Wood, Vinyl, and Composite. You can see images of these in our product collection galleries.
It is easy to forget that windows can pose a variety of safety risks. If you have young children, or are planning to have some soon, consider Window Operating Control Devices or are double-hung that opens only from the top, on the upper floors to avoid any chance someone could tumble out. For windows on lower floors, consider what kind of protection the windows afford against break-ins, whether through their own locking mechanisms or with the addition of security bars. Safety glazing, Window Operating Control Devices, Limiters, and specialized hardware are just a few.
All the brands we supply offer warranties for their products, but the details of the coverage vary, and it is important to understand how you will and will not be protected. We can educate you. Your window and door options are governed not only by the market, but by the building codes in your area. If you are doing the installation yourself, or you have not yet discussed your plans with a contractor, make sure you have a sense of what your local government does and does not allow. Urban Fore code is especially important in California.