Do Your Door Sidelights Need to Be Replaced?

If you’ve never heard the term “sidelights,” you’re not alone. Sidelights are a type of window that many homes have besides their entry or patio doors, even if the homeowners don’t know what they’re called.

Regardless of whether you’ve heard the term sidelights or not, these windows could be an important part of your home’s visual appeal. Maintaining your sidelights and replacing them when necessary can help improve the value of your home as well as your comfort. Here’s what you need to know.

What Are Sidelights?

Sidelights are windows that appear on either side of a doorway. Often, sidelights are found flanking exterior doors, especially around the front door. Sidelights allow light to filter into your home and give you a view of what’s happening right outside your door. Some reasons why homeowners love sidelights include:

• Sidelights give you a view when someone is at your door.
• These windows allow you to check when packages have arrived at your front stoop.
• Having skylights on either side of your front door bathes your home’s foyer in natural light.

Signs Your Sidelights Need Replacement

Sidelights are much like any other window, which means they can deteriorate with time. In fact, sidelights may deteriorate faster than other windows because they’re positioned in a place that can expose them to a lot of extra wear and tear. If you’re wondering whether your sidelight windows need replacement, here are some signs:

• Your sidelights aren’t energy efficient. If you have single-pane sidelites they can be allowing a lot of extra heat into your home.
• Your sidelights have many scratches, stains, dents or dings in the frame.
• Your front door was replaced recently and now no longer matches the sidelites on either side of it.
• You’re constantly performing maintenance on your sidelights. They may need regular repainting, need glaze replacement or something else.

Many windows have a 20-year service life. If your sidelights are more than 20 years old, then it’s likely time to have them replaced. Keep in mind that Renewal by Andersen of Long Island windows come with a 20-year warranty. This means they’ll last at least 20 years and likely longer, so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy them.

Ways to Make Your Home’s Sidelights Stand Out

When you’re ordering more sidelights for your home, be sure to choose windows that have the right color or finish to match your front door. Renewal by Andersen window frames are made from Fibrex, a material that never needs to be repainted or refinished. Choose the color of your replacement sidelites wisely, and then you won’t have to worry about your windows for a long time to come.

Use the decorative grilles available on Renewal by Andersen windows to make your sidelights more attractive. Ask your Renewal by Andersen sales representative to show you the grille options so you can choose a grille type that’s right for your home.

Replace Your Sidelights with Products from Renewal by Andersen

Renewal by Andersen of Long Island sells windows in a range of styles and colors. To learn more about getting your home’s sidelights replaced (or any other windows replaced) contact the toll-free number today: (866) 609-5033 or fill out the short form on this page.