(ARA) - They frame your favorite view and are key to making your home comfortable in summer and winter, yet most people don't think about them until they stop working properly. But, if your windows aren't performing as well as they should, now is a great time to consider replacing them.

Until the end of 2010, the U.S. government's Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit can credit you with 30 percent of window material costs, up to $1,500, for making qualifying efficiency upgrades to your home.

Poorly performing windows can account for 35 to 40 percent of your home's heat loss in the winter and are often even less effective at keeping your home cool in summer. That's literally throwing your money out the window. Today's double and triple-pane windows are worlds apart from the windows sold just 10 years ago.

Replacement window frames offer improved protection from air and water infiltration over older windows, and the energy-efficient innovations in glass options can really make a difference in your home's comfort. To meet the qualifications for the Energy Efficiency Tax Credit, Milgard Windows & Doors incorporates advanced technologies to improve your home's energy efficiency. Its SunCoat Low-E glass and EdgeGard thermal spacers provide the insulating power needed to keep your home comfortable all year round. But the hundreds of combinations and choices can be overwhelming. To avoid dealing with an overly-confusing list of window choices, the company offers energy packages that configure the window's individual components for you, based on your desired energy performance level and geographic location.

When looking for energy efficient windows, most manufacturers recommend starting with the ENERGY STAR sticker. A good window will have a label from the National Fenestration Ratings Council (NFRC) and have ENERGY STAR ratings as well. On the NFRC label you'll see the manufacturer's name, a description of the window, plus a U-value and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) numbers. Lower U-values and SHGC numbers mean better insulation, but look closely. To qualify for the Energy Efficiency Tax Credit, each of your windows must have a U-value of .30 or less and SHGC of .30 as well.

You also should consider the manufacturer's warranty when shopping for windows. Just as some windows work harder than others to keep your home comfortable, some manufacturers are more willing than others to stand behind their products with the service and support you expect from a major home purchase. Look for a full lifetime warranty, and check to see if labor costs and glass breakage is included.

Fall is here, winter is right around the corner and, if you act soon, you can take advantage of the soon-to-expire tax credit for making valuable improvements to your own home with replacement windows. To get started, you can find a qualified replacement window dealer by visiting www.milgard.com or by calling (800) 645-4273.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) - You love the look of natural wood flooring but are afraid to install hardwood because you know the floor will take a beating from the kids, dogs and the heavy day-to-day traffic all too common in modern family life.

But you don't have to sacrifice high style looks for boring sensibility when considering a new flooring option in your home - not if you choose laminate, that is.

Today's best laminates combine the realistic grain and texture of wood with high durability and scratch and indentation resistance that "authentic" wood floors don't provide, according to Jeff Katz, director - laminate for Tarkett Residential, a leading provider of innovative and sustainable flooring. And not only are today's laminates available at a fraction of the cost of real wood floors, but they're right in sync with the latest designs.

"There's always a new decorating trend around the corner," Katz says. "It's imperative for manufacturers to respond to market demand, keeping up with the most up-to-date trends to ensure consumers are getting the latest in style and design, as well as technology."

One such line is Tarkett's Trends laminate, a durable new collection featuring eight of the hottest flooring designs, including Old World-inspired antique-stained planks and soft, hand scraped wood grains. Colors and styles in this line will continually rotate out with new introductions to give homeowners the newest, most popular looks in flooring, ultimately providing them with the high style of premium wood floors without the fuss.

"That's the beauty of laminate products," Katz says. "They're the new normal - great-looking products that deliver great performance at a great value.

When shopping for laminate products consumers should look for flooring that is engineered with sturdy inner core board layers - preferably ones that deliver high impact resistance (at least an IC3 rating). This type of rating helps provide excellent indentation resistance, and when combined with highly rated top surface protection (AC3 or better) kids and pets can run and play freely on laminate floors without making a dent or marring up the surface's good looks. As a result, laminate flooring is so durable versus real wood products that some laminates come with up to a full lifetime warranty.

What's more, creating a laminate flooring transformation in your home is a relatively simple DIY project. Many of today's new laminate floors come in easy-to-install planks that simply snap together without the need for messy glue or nails to pound. Laminates can even be used over several types of existing flooring, often eliminating the need for costly sub-floor preparation.

"Consumers now have the choice of selecting laminate floor innovations that provide excellent performance and value, while also reflecting and accommodating their changing tastes," Katz says. "Laminate flooring solutions keep up with their day-to-day life. That's something we know will never go out of style." For more information about the latest trends in laminate flooring, visit www.tarkettna.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent