News — DIY

When making home improvements, it's important to prioritize decisions that will result in a return on your investment. The value of your home is important because it affects your property taxes, and what you might sell your home for. It can also be an indicator of overall financial health. Someone who is looking to improve the value of their home has a number of options available, many of which can be expensive and time consuming. Adding window grids to your home is an easy way to add value to your home without expending a huge investment up front.

So, how do window grids, also known as window muntins or mullions, add value to your home?

Help make your home stand out. 

Windows are an important part of a home's outward presentation, and leaving them bare and empty is no way to make a good first impression. Install window grids and make a strong impact on those who are seeing your home for the first time. Additionally, window grids can add to the uniformity of a home's style, making your house feel well-designed and more modern.

Show a well maintained home. 

Window grids add a polished feel to your home, and show potential buyers or appraisers that the homeowner has been active in maintaining the upkeep of the house. A house where the cosmetic aspects have been preserved will convey a sense that the functional aspects of the home have also been well cared for.

Make your home feel move-in ready.

A house will be more desirable to buyers and have a higher value if it feels move-in ready. The less work that potential new owners have to do, the better, and window grilles add a sense of completion to your home.

Property value is determined by a number of different variables. Location, current market demand, and home size & layout, and are all part of the calculation. Many of these things are out of a homeowner's control, but DIY home improvements are cost affective and realistic ways homeowners can make a difference.

DIY home improvement projects are satisfying to complete. They involve overcoming challenges and you often learn a lot in the process. Updating your home's interior and exterior look with window grilles is an easy do-it-yourself project. All you have to do is measure your window, place your order from Fixhome.com, and then assemble and install your new grille bar inserts. In this process, measuring accurately may be the most difficult part.

Common Tape-Measure Mistakes

• Bending the ruler. When trying to measure the inside of a window, it is common for people to bend their tape measure to fit inside the frame, resulting in an inaccurate reading. To avoid this, place your entire tape measure inside the window, with the base of the tape measure snug against the frame. Your tape measure tells you the length of it's base on the side, so you can simply add this to the length you measure in order to get a more accurate reading.

• Ignoring the hook. The loose hook at the end of a tape measure is an important feature that is often misused. The first inch of your tape measure is exactly 1/16" short. When you hook your ruler on the outside of something to get a measurement, the loose hook extends outwards to create a 1/16" gap. The metal hook is exactly 1/16" wide, so if you measure something with the hook pressed snug against an edge, the hook will shift inwards and the width of the hook will be added to the measurement length. 

Measuring Visible Glass for Fixhome Grilles

When measuring your window for Fixhome grilles, it is important to only measure the daylight opening of your window. This is the area of visible glass in your window, from the inside of your house. The daylight opening measurement does not include the window frame or the window sash.

Other Measuring Tips

• Write down the measurements as soon as you get them. There is nothing more frustrating than taking the time to get an accurate measurement, and then forgetting it a second later.
• Make sure your tape measure is in good shape. Overtime, tape measures can get worn down. Fading makes the markings difficult to see, and any bending or breaking may result in inaccurate readings.

Fixhome is dedicated to creating an easy, stress free ordering process for our customers. If you're still having trouble, call us and we will be happy to help you.

For more measuring tips, view our How to Measure page.