Selecting high quality doors for your front entry is truly an investment in your home, but also in your security and peace of mind.

Upgraded doors bring style and beauty to your home’s exterior. It provides exceptional security for your family. And you can rest assured that your doors will maintain their beauty and durability for many years, requiring little in the way of maintenance or repair.

The Value of Adding a High Quality Front Door

When you compare the appearance of a high quality door to a lesser option, the visual differences can be striking. But investing in an entry system of exceptional quality provides a variety of other valuable benefits.

For example, superior entry systems are fabricated using high standards of precision for a superior fit. A well-fitting door not only looks better from both inside and outside, but also provides a much higher level of insulation.

Upgraded doors are more durable, and they maintain a brand new appearance for decades. Primer and UV protective coatings further protect the exterior surface, increasing moisture resistance and decreasing the chance warpage.

Quality, durability, style and architectural design values create an overwhelming justification for selecting an upgraded product, especially when your options are surprisingly affordable.

Affordable High Quality Door Options

Rocky Mountain Windows & Doors represents many superior quality entry and exterior product lines and manufacturers.

You can select from a variety of materials. Fiberglass, for example, outperforms both steel and wood for durability, weather resistance and energy efficiency. Steel requires very little maintenance and an exceptional insulating value. Wood provides unsurpassed beauty, warmth and elegance.

You can choose from almost every wood species imaginable, including knotty alder, hickory, cherry, bamboo and walnut. You can select models with or without sidelights or integral glass.

Whatever detail, material and design you envision, we have an option to meet your needs. If not, we can also facilitate the design and fabrication of a custom entry system for your entryway.

Cost-Effective Custom Options for High Quality Doors

If you can’t find your perfect entry system within one of our high quality product lines, we can provide custom options based on your design and specification.

To design your custom entry package, we start by identifying the size and swing needed. Then we work with you to determine the style and material you envision, the finish and color, molding options, panels, glass and hardware.

It really is that simple to order custom doors. And we think you will be pleasantly surprised how by affordable this approach can be. Several of our exclusive manufacturers will work with us to fabricate your custom entry design.

Rocky Mountain Windows & Doors, based in Orem, Utah, is committed to providing our customers with the perfect windows, doors and skylights. Whether you need a new entry door or a replacement, we can help you compare features and advantages to determine the ideal choice for you.

Contact us today to learn more about our exclusive lines of high quality doors.

If you aren’t familiar with venting skylights, it’s time to introduce yourself. Trust us, these are not your grandmother’s skylights.

Although they’ve been used since Roman times, skylights were first introduced commercially in the 1950s and 60s. They became a fixture in homes built through the 70s and 80s, but fell out of favor because of their reputation for problems.

Fast forward to 2016 and we’ve come a long way, baby. The Velux Fresh Air line of venting skylights are like nothing you’ve ever seen before, but they’re available – and affordable – today.

The Technological Marvels of Venting Skylights

Skylights have a reputation for leaking and heating up the room, but those issues have long since been resolved.

The Velux line of venting skylights is guaranteed not to leak and they can – in fact – control heat exchange better than many roofing products. They even have a new name: roof windows.

Another common problem with old plastic skylights was keeping them clean. Water spots and accumulated dirt made them appear dingy and unpleasant, and they scratched easily when you tried to clean them. Today’s models are made from high-tech Neat® glass, designed to sheet water – and dirt – off the surface.

The result is a spot-free, shiny venting skylight surface that lets nature’s light shine through.

If you’re worried about noise, rest assured that’s not a concern either. In fact, these technological marvels filter up to 25 percent more outdoor noise than double-pane windows.

Choose From Manual, Electric or Solar Powered Vented Skylights

You can choose from Velux venting skylight models that open manually, just like a window, or that work via remote control.

If electrical wiring is readily available, you can choose the hard-wired option to power your vented skylights. Or, if wiring isn’t feasible, you can select solar-powered models.

Both automatic options include a sleek, small and intuitive video remote control module for easy operation. And, just in case you leave home and forget to close your skylights, they have an inclement weather sensor to handle that for you.

Speaking of weather, the laminated, tempered glass Velux products include a ten-year hail breakage warranty.

Each Velux venting skylight also offers an optional room-darkening or light filtering double pleated blind. These blinds are insulating as well, and are available for manual, electric and solar operation, just like the windows.

The Significant Economic Benefits of Having Skylights that Open

You have windows for light and air, so you might wonder why you should pay extra money for skylights that open. You might be surprised to know just how much money you can save with venting skylights.

The first answer lies with a phenomenon called the stack effect, or chimney effect.

When you open a window to let fresh air in, warm air rises and becomes trapped against the ceiling, or upstairs if you have a two-story home. That air becomes stale and it continues warm. As a result, your home becomes uncomfortable and you’re forced to turn on the air conditioner.

When you open a venting skylight, the warm air is sucked out and additional fresh air is pulled in through the windows below. This effect and the constant movement of fresh air results in what’s known as passive air conditioning.

Customers who have installed venting skylights report a dramatic difference. Imagine coming home on the warmest day of the year, touching a button on your Velux remote control, and having your house cool down in a matter of moments.

The cooling, cleaning, and energy-saving effects that venting skylights deliver to a home define the value of the upgrade.

Check out this video to see how the stack effect works!

But Wait. We Have More Good News about Saving Money.

Most of the Velux vented skylights products are ENERGY STAR® certified, which means they meet the EPA’s stringent standards for energy efficiency. This means you’ll save on your electric bills and, in some cases, be eligible for rebates or incentives from your local utility company.

Even better, both the solar roof windows and solar-powered blinds are eligible for the 30 percent federal solar tax credit. Between the tax credit and the energy savings these beautiful products offer, your Fresh Air skylights and roof windows may well pay for themselves!

Rocky Mountain Window and Door is proud to represent the Velux line of products for residential and commercial installation in Northern Utah.

Contact us today to for all of your window and door installation or replacement needs, or to learn more about the Velux line of venting skylights.

Vinyl siding is the most popular siding choice in the United States due to its price, versatility, and easy maintenance.

While there are several types of siding material available, for most people, it comes down to choosing between vinyl or fiber cement, a worthy competitor known for its durability and low maintenance at a much higher price. What should you choose?

Benefits of Fiber Cement Siding

For many homeowners, fiber cement siding is the gold standard as it is built to last for 30 to 50 years or more. Available in many textures and styles, it can replicate the look of wood, stucco, or masonry, and to create the look you want, comes in different forms such as horizontal lap boards, shingles, and vertical board-and-batt style.

While some brands come with a factory baked on finish, others come pre-primed and ready for painting in any color you want.

Durability is what interests many homeowners in this type of siding. It is resistant to impact, rot, moisture, insects, and pests. For a homeowner, this means that an errant baseball won’t dent it, while it is dimensionally stable, despite changes in weather.

Its one downfall is that it has a low insulation value.

Vinyl Siding Offers Value and Durability

Once considered cheap looking, vinyl siding is now a product used even on upscale homes. Available in up to 300 colors, depending on the manufacturer, it comes with matching soffits, fascia, and stripping for round windows for a cohesive look.

As with fiber cement, you can have a variety of looks which include shakes, shingles, and stone veneer in addition to a standard clapboard look.

Appearance aside, vinyl siding is also resistant to insects and corrosion, so long as it is properly installed. Available in thicknesses up to .055″, modern vinyl resists cracking or wind damage, but unlike fiber cement products, it is not fireproof.

The product never needs repainting, nor does it take paint well. While this makes for low maintenance, it makes it difficult to perk up your house if the color fades or you want to change the color. Over time, it can become brittle and unless backed with foam, offers poor insulation value. Good quality vinyl can last for 25 to 35 years.

Comparing the Costs

How does the cost of the two products compare? Once installed, fiber cement can cost a couple thousand dollars more than vinyl. According to the 2016 Cost vs. Value Survey prepared annually by Remodeling Magazine, replacing 1,250 square feet of siding with new factory primed, factory painted siding might cost $13,889 in the Mountain states compared to $11,761 for vinyl replacement.

As compared to foam-backed vinyl, however, which might cost $15,165, fiber cement is a bargain. When amortized over the life of the product, the difference in price is negligible.

So what type of siding should you choose, given that both products are fairly durable and require low maintenance? Your choice may depend on the norm in your neighborhood or on whether you want the ability to change the color over time; but, when installed by a professional, either can offer you a great value over the long run.

If you need help deciding on whether fiber cement or vinyl siding is for you, the experts at Rocky Mountain Windows and Doors can help you make a choice and provide expert installation to maximize your manufacturer’s warranty.

Traditional sliding patio doors have been a popular architectural detail in the US and Europe since the early 20th century, largely due to their ability of increasing the amount of natural light in the room.

While this basic style is still a staple in homes, apartments, hotels, and other structures, there have been many improvements in the appearance, function, energy efficiency and security of patio doors. Today, there are many choices for the appearance, materials, and functioning of patio doors.

Sliding Patio Doors

Ranging from 5 to 8 feet in width, traditional patio doors are glass panels that slide from one side to the other. A fully open door is half the size of the entire framed unit. They lose heat, leak water when it rains, and pose security risks, yet they are still a popular choice due to their ease of use.

Currently, these doors are used as the basis for a larger door system where fixed and moving panels are used to create a large expanse of glass. Homeowners with scenic vistas, such as mountains, foliage, beaches, or cityscapes, incorporate these panoramic sliding door systems into their home to get the best view. Regardless of size, one of the biggest advantages of a sliding door is that the panels slide atop one another so that the door does not intrude into the room or out onto the patio.

Other Popular Styles

Several other types of patio doors are popular as well. Swinging patio doors utilize full glass panels that open much like a regular exterior door. One variation of this type of door is the French door, which is hinged at the side jam so that all the panels of the door meet when they are closed. The French door pulls back so that whole area between the hinges is clear.

Folding patio doors, which have numerous sections that slide and fold on an overhead track, stack away neatly at the sides for easy access and great visibility of the outdoors. They are available with any number of panels that can cover nearly 50 feet of width.

Both of these types extend into the room more than a slider does, and in larger sizes, has the same potential to lose energy.

Improvements in Patio Door Technology

Modern patio doors are still subject to losing some heat because they are made of glass, but a combination of glazing techniques and frame technology has reduced their potential for energy loss. They can be fitted with glass that factors in R-value, U-factor, low E-glass, UV coatings, double and triple panes, and other upgrades that make them energy-efficient and even resistant to windstorms. The frames for the doors, made of material such as vinyl, wood, clad word, steel, aluminum, or fiberglass, are insulated, and the metal ones have a have thermal breaks to reduce temperature transfer.

What distinguishes modern patio doors is variety that allows you to enjoy a broad view of the landscape without sacrificing energy loss. For a large selection and free estimate on your new patio doors, contact Rocky Mountain Windows and Doors, a distributor and expert installer of high quality patio doors and windows.

If your vinyl windows need to be replaced, they’re hurting your home’s energy efficiency and probably not keeping you and your family as comfortable as you should be. If you’ve got broken panes or drafts, you obviously need to replace the windows, but some of the warning signs are less obvious.

Three Red Flags

Condensation

If your windows seem a little foggy or there are any signs of mildew in between the panes of your windows, they are no longer sealed. Dual- and triple-pane windows contain a gas in the space between the panes which insulates the interior of your home against outdoor temperatures, and against noise. If your window seals have failed, you’re wasting a lot of money on heating and air conditioning, and you’re probably spending more time listening to your neighbors than you’d like.

Frame Deterioration

It can be difficult to spot the earliest signs of deterioration in vinyl window frames, but two telltale signs are fading or yellowing, and losing their smooth finish. If your window frames were shiny when they were new, are they losing their shine? Or if they had a more satiny finish to begin with, do they look a little rougher? These are all signs that the vinyl is nearing the end of its useful life, and it’s time to start planning for replacement before one breaks or stops working.

Windows Are Hard to Operate

Is it getting harder to open and close the windows? This can be a sign that your window frames are no longer square. This can be caused by deterioration, or by the house settling and placing pressure on the window frames. If the window frames are not in their correct shape, the window won’t seal completely, so you’re losing the benefits of insulation against sound and outdoor temperatures, and you may be letting damaging water or insects into your home, too.

The Final Straw

One other compelling reason to replace your vinyl windows is that you’re ready for updated looks and function. There is a much greater selection of styles, colors, and shapes available today than there were the last time those windows needed replacement. Some cool new features are now available, like enclosed window treatments; your choice of window shades is placed between the window panes, so you never have to clean or dust draperies and blinds again! Rocky Mountain Windows and Doors can evaluate the condition of your current windows, and help you select the perfect new vinyl windows if you need them.

A garden window is an excellent option if you’re looking to add or replace a sunny window in your home.

With a window garden, you can have fresh herbs, fruit and vegetables all year round, and you don’t even have to go outside to pick them. In essence, a garden window is a terrarium that is installed on an exterior wall of your home, so it creates a little extra space indoors. It’s designed to hold the weight of small potted plants or hydroponic trays, so you can plant all your favorites. It’s also an ideal spot to start your seedlings, so they’re ready for outdoor planting as soon as the snow melts.

Pick a Good Spot

Most folks like to place garden windows in the kitchen, because it’s most convenient for cooking. If your kitchen wall is not in direct sunlight all day during the summer, and gets good exposure during the winter, you’re in luck! If your kitchen isn’t the best place for plants to flourish in your window garden, it can be a beautiful addition to another room with more suitable growing conditions.

Safe, Organic Growing

Whether you’re growing in pots with soil or in hydroponic trays, your crops will be protected from most pests just by virtue of being indoors, so you won’t even need to use organic pest control. You’re in total control over what goes into your family’s produce.

What’s on The Menu?

There is a wide variety of food plants and herbs that will thrive in a garden window, and even more that will appreciate spending the freezing winter indoors. The type of planting and growing you do determines which kinds of plants you can grown in your garden window, but here are a few examples:

• Culinary Herbs and Medicinals – If you love to cook, you know what a joy it is to have the herbs you use most, always fresh and ready at hand. There are also quite a few medicinal herbs and plants, such as peppermint, German chamomile, rosemary, thyme, and aloe vera plants, which all grow very well indoors.
• Strawberries – Indoor-grown strawberries are a rare treat, because they are almost always perfect; You don’t have to fend off the squirrels, birds, and insects for those perfect, juicy fruit! As an added bonus, you won’t have to replace the plants after they freeze to death every winter.
• Peppers – Many varieties of small peppers grow successfully indoors, and if you’ve never grown your own peppers before, you will be amazed at the difference. Commercially-grown peppers are polished to give them an appealing appearance, but who wants to eat some unknown pepper-polishing product? Savor the full flavor and aroma of your own fresh-grown peppers.

Give Your Home the Gourmet Touch

Rocky Mountain Windows and Doors can help you identify the perfect spot for your garden window, and help you choose the one that you will love for decades to come. If you’re considering a window replacement project, a garden window will add a gourmet touch to your home and make cooking (and eating!) a joyful experience.

If you think “security” when you think of glass block windows, you are properly identifying one of the most well-known characteristics of these window coverings.

Comprised of blocks of glass or acrylic rather than panes of glass, they are capable of letting in light, yet are thick, break resistant, and impenetrable. Glass block windows are the ideal way to let light into basements, bathrooms, garages, and other areas where security and privacy are highly valued.

First developed in Great Britain in the 1880s, the windows were originally blown by mouth and resembled open bottles. The first ones had different wall thicknesses and tended to form condensation inside, but once they were made by machine they quickly became recognized as a useful architectural element. By the 1930s, the blocks were two halves of glass fused together, which opened the door to many new sizes, shapes, styles, and patterns of glass block that could be installed individually or combined to make pre-made windows.

Advantages of Glass Block Windows

Depending on their composition and construction, modern glass block windows offer many advantages

• Mortared into a home’s foundation and hard to penetrate, they promote safety and security.
• Requiring no annual caulking or grouting, they are low maintenance.
• When equipped with air vents, removable sashes, and power vents, they improve indoor air quality.
• They are easy to open when vents are installed.
• When installed in basements, they can integrate dryer vents to eliminate the need for other openings in the home’s foundation.
• When framed in vinyl, they protect against water intrusions.
• Some varieties are bullet, vandal, fire resistant, or hurricane resistant.

Energy Efficiency Marks New Glass Block Windows

Energy efficiency is just the newest property to be built into some glass block windows, which often meet federal Energy Star Efficiency guidelines. Considered to be as efficient as double thermal pane windows, standard glass block windows have an average R-factor of 1.96 and are also airtight. Some types are also low emissivity, which reduces heat loss through windows.

Now that the windows are more energy-efficient, the market for glass block windows is expected to grow beyond current uses such as basement windows. Glass block is a good replacement for old coal chutes, sidelights, and garage windows. They can replace large cutouts in a building with sealed, insulated, private windows.

New Uses for Glass Block Windows

Modern glass block windows are used in many areas of the home both for function and as decorative elements. Available in colors, they are often used to create decorative walls, partitions, showers, internal walls, color accents windows, wet bars, and large exterior windows. In addition, they are used as windows in showers as they are waterproof and don’t require wooden frames that can rot away due to the moisture.

For the best in glass block windows, contact Rocky Mountain Windows & Doors today for a free in-home consultation and estimate.

Choosing vinyl clad windows and door jambs for your home can help reduce maintenance and increase protection against the elements.

The process of vinyl cladding adds a layer of vinyl to wooden windows and jambs to combine the strength of wood with the easy care of vinyl. On the inside that faces your room, you can paint or stain the frames as you like, while not worrying about the exterior.

Vinyl Cladding Protects Wood and Extends the Life of Your Doors and Windows

Wooden windows and doors are considered classic, and wood is the window product traditionally used in homes. A great insulator, it does not lose heat through the frame, and the material is easy to work with. The main downside is that over time, the window frames need repainting, and if they are not properly maintained and exposed to the elements, may show signs of rot over time. Vinyl cladding adds a protective layer of material – that needs no painting – over the solid wood frame.

Window frames are usually covered with brick mold, an exterior trim that is never made of brick. The purpose is to provide visual contrast around the windows and doors, but also prevent water from infiltrating the walls between the house and the siding. It is usually wood, and as with window frames, is subject to weather problems. Vinyl clad brick mold keeps out water, looks great, and is not subject to the same weatherization issues as plain wood.

Adding vinyl cladding and brick molding does not replace other weatherization tasks such as properly house-wrapping, flashing, and sealing before adding trim. It just adds extra protection against leaks and water damage that can defeat the purpose of adding new doors or windows.

Door jambs made of wood are chosen for structural strength and can also benefit from vinyl cladding. Modern products work well even with prion doors and are fastened with invisible fasteners that do not obscure the look.

Vinyl Clad Windows and Door Products Popular in the Marketplace

The concept of vinyl cladding has been embraced by most door and window manufacturers, who have expanded their line to include weather resistant products. Some products are available in basic white or tan, while others have a full range of wood tones. Since painting vinyl takes away the carefree aspect, make sure to look for a brand that offers the colors you want for your trim. Even if you have just replaced some of the windows in your home, upgrading the brick molding can improve the appearance and standardize the look.

Choose Competent Professionals for Your Vinyl Cladding Needs

A company that offers new and replacement windows can often provide not only the vinyl clad products that you want, but also handle the installation. The professionals will make sure that damage to rotten windows and door jambs has not impacted nearby wood, while addressing and fixing any source of leaks before installing the new products. With the right products and expert installation, you will forget that you are looking at vinyl, not wood.

For an extensive collection of vinyl clad windows and doors, including custom products finished with this protective coating, contact Rocky Mountain Windows and Doors for a free consultation and quote.

Replacement windows can improve the appearance and comfort of your home. Windows come in a variety of materials, so when you are upgrading your windows, look for options that fit your budget and use a material and style that matches the architectural qualities of your home.

Replacement Windows Move Beyond Vinyl

Many homeowners that originally had wooden windows opt for vinyl when choosing replacements. While the advantages of vinyl serve most homeowners well, you do not have to follow the crowd. If you have windows with wood frames that were custom-made for your pre-World II home, you may want to find quality wood replacements to retain the look. For an historic home that originally had copper clad windows, you can retain the integrity of your home with similar replacements. While the low maintenance aspect of vinyl is attractive, maintaining the integrity of your home’s style or historical significance may be a bigger priority.

You can also replace your windows with frame materials other than vinyl. Most windows are available with features you might want such as double and triple pane glass, Low E coating with argon gas fill, and high R values built into the frame. When investing in replacement windows, many companies can provide custom windows in many framing materials that also enable you to meet goals such as energy efficiency, LEED certification, sustainable design, and universal design.

Popular Window Choices

Wood and metal enhance the appearance of many classic homes:

Wood

Available with traditional or modern styling, wood frames are made of products that come from responsibly managed forests and that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain-of-Custody Certification. They come in a variety of wood types and finishes.

Aluminum

Windows with aluminum frames coated with fluoropolymer offer a rich metallic look, while having real wood interior frames and sills in pine, maple, cherry, oak, walnut, mahogany, and many other wood types. The extruded aluminum cladding is grained to have the appearance of wood, and styles are available that will match any new or renovated home, although some windows are especially designed for newer, contemporary homes.

Copper Clad

Roll-formed copper fused to mahogany or other wood replicates the copper windows used in architecture for centuries. Requiring minimum exterior maintenance, copper clad windows are naturally beautiful as they patina with age and adjust to the environment.

Any of these windows are available in stock sizes and for custom order, and modern CAD technology makes it possible to easily replicate a window for any home configuration.

Choose a Quality Window Company for Replacement Windows or Repair

If you need replacement windows, it’s important to choose a local window contractor for expert sales and installation in order to maintain the style or historical integrity of your home. For a large selection of products from the finest manufacturers, contact Rocky Mountain Windows and Doors for a free in-home consultation and estimate.

Glass doors are beautiful but door security is a concern as glass can easily be broken by intruders. To feel comfortable using French doors, patio doors, and front doors with glass side panels, you must go the extra mile to make them less penetrable.

Cover the Glass for Door Security

The first fix to improving door security is to cover the glass. Before burglars break into your home, they first look through the glass to scan for valuables and make sure there is no one around. If you have the visibility blocked, you make your possessions look less enticing. Blinds or curtains made for your patio door or French door can obscure visibility. The downside is that covering the door restricts the amount of light that enters the room.

For patio doors, vertical blinds that can be adjusted to keep prying eyes out while still letting light in are a popular way to ensure privacy. For French doors, you can secure the curtain to the top and bottom of the door with rods, or use blinds or curtains that can be pulled or rolled up to the top of the door frame.

Aside from the decorative fix offered by curtains, applying security film to protect the glass can also make it harder to penetrate. Available for French and sliding doors, as well as for side panels, there are kits that contain optically clear material that allows you to see out but not the other way around; a bonus is that the film also makes the glass stronger and less penetrable to blows.

Protect the Door Against Break-ins

Most homeowners realize that blocking the track or adding an anti-Jimmy plate to a patio door will prevent intrusion, but there are a few tricks you can use to make a French door more secure as well. If you like the open look of French doors, you can plan your security from the start:

• By purchasing thicker doors and adding a steel frame and hurricane rated glass, you can make them hard to penetrate.
• By upgrading the locks and hinges on French doors (or any door) you can improve door security.
• By using screws at least three inches long, you can make sure that the door is connected more securely to the door frame, a deterrent to breaking by pushing the door in.
• By using three point mortise locks, you can make the door more secure.
• By inserting a wood screw into the sliding bolt at the top and bottom of the door to lock it or permanently lock one door.
• Once the door is installed, you can also add a security bar that is at an angle between the floor and door.

For more ideas about door security and to have beautiful glass-paneled doors installed, contact Rocky Mountain Windows and Doors for a free in-home consultation.