When it comes to home upgrades and renovations, homeowners tend to base their decisions on their wants, needs, and preferences. And while there is nothing wrong with that approach, there are some upgrades that do more than benefit their house – rather they can benefit a whole neighborhood.
Finding a desirable, safe, and well-maintained neighborhood can be a harder task than you might imagine. There are a few features to look out for that act as green flags and signal a neighborhood is an ideal place to purchase a home in.
Let’s take a look at how installing impact windows and doors benefits neighborhoods, and why it’s a good feature to look for when househunting. Even if you’re not househunting and are instead looking into worthwhile investments, impact windows and doors could be the answer.
Strengthening Community Resilience
All it takes is for a few homes to look like they are in a state of disrepair to bring a whole neighborhood down – both in looks and value. So when storms come rolling through and windows and doors are damaged and broken and then left in that state, it doesn’t do much for community resilience.
When it comes to safety you can’t be too careful nowadays, it’s the cold hard truth. What better way to keep a property safe than to ensure the doors and windows are solid, are extremely hard to break, and can weather not just storms but would-be intruders?
Once potential criminals get the picture that a neighborhood has a lot of safety features and is resilient, they tend to move on. The hassle isn’t worth it, so you and your neighbors know you’re well protected.
Improving Property Values and Neighborhood Appeal
Property value is something that homeowners are acutely aware of at all times. Everyone wants to know they’ve made a wise investment in purchasing a home and see their property’s value increase.
The strength and durability of impact windows can play an integral role in the value of your property. Most have a lifespan of 15-20 years, potentially longer, so you know your property is going to look great for many years to come. Even the frames of impact windows are made to last, so you won’t have peeling paint and decaying wooden frames that bring down the value of your home.
There’s also the aesthetic appeal. When something looks well-maintained and it’s clear an investment has been made – it just looks better.
If the majority of the homes in a neighborhood have made the investment and installed impact windows and doors, you can bet the whole neighborhood will be labelled as “attractive” and will have high interest from a buyer’s perspective.
Enhancing Safety and Security for All Residents
Here’s something that may come as a surprise to you, while violent crime is dropping in the United States, property crime has increased. According to data compiled by the FBI, property crimes saw an increase of 7.1% in 2022.
This was even more surprising since it had been on the decline before 2022. That’s not the news property owners want to hear, but it’s important to be aware of the statistics. It allows you to act accordingly and take measures to better secure your home.
While there are different steps you can and should take, we highly recommend looking into how impact windows and doors can enhance safety and security for all residents. Sure, impact windows and doors aren’t 100% unbreakable, but they take a lot of effort and time to do so. If an intruder thinks they can simply break glass and quickly gain access to your property – they’re in for a shock.
Remember, the glass is multiple layers thick, and it is built to withstand some of the strongest hurricane-force winds. You’d have to work pretty hard to get it to break, which also draws attention – something intruders don’t want to do.
The durable frames also mean they can’t simply pry them away to break a lock. Wooden frames are notorious for losing their integrity over time, which is not the case with impact window and door frames.
Supporting the Local Economy
The last point is how installing impact windows and doors can support the local economy. It’s not something you’ve probably thought much about, but having a healthy and robust local economy has trickle-down benefits that everyone will profit from. When your town does well, businesses are profitable, and it’s a desirable place to live and work, everyone is in a better place.
Because impact windows and doors are so strong, you know that the town isn’t going to be dealing with massive and expensive damage after each storm. Crime will also will take a hit since it’s much harder to gain access to homes and businesses.
For small business owners who are always mindful of overhead costs, think about the longevity of impact windows and doors and the savings you’ll achieve when it comes to repairs and replacement. Your business stays safe and secure, which also means you get to keep the doors open and business operates as usual.
The Kind of Investment That Benefits Many
Bettering a home is something homeowners are always aware of, the question is often what should they do? What makes the most sense? What will give them the best bang for their buck? It’s hard to argue against the installation of impact windows and doors as the effects are felt across the board from the property owner to the neighborhood, to the local businesses and the community as a whole.
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