costly

After she inspected the living room windows and detected progressive deterioration , Elena weighed her options carefully . Although replacing the frames seemed disruptive , she realized that postponing action would incur costly repairs and higher energy bills . To avoid that outcome she decided to allocate part of her budget to professional maintenance rather than defer the problem further . The contractor explained that timely intervention would mitigate heat loss and extend the windows' lifespan , whereas neglect could lead to structural damage . In the end , the modest investment brought immediate comfort and prevented more significant expense , reassuring her that a proactive approach was preferable .