Crystal Windows?

I speak as someone who has worked in the window business, and who has selected windows for a number of residential projects of various types and in various parts of the country (none near New York).

I can tell you that he is right about the Low E glass. I don’t know of any windows with an Energy Star rating, which is what qualifies you for the federal tax credit, that do not have Low E.

More importantly, the efficiency improvement is well worth the additional cost, which is usually quite small. The only time I do not advise using Low E is when you will not be paying the utility bills for the property, and you don’t expect your buyer or tenent to know the difference.

Yes, there is a subtle bluish tint to Low E glass. However, you would really never notice it unless you looked at it side by side with non-Low E glass, and it is virtually impossible to detect from the outside of a building. The visible tint is less than what you see on clear car windows.

I have no experience with Crystal Windows, though from what I know they have pretty good products. You may want ask which product line you are being quoted, and compare it to the others to see if you are missing any features that you want. They may be quoting a higher-grade product than you really need. Also, I do reccomend shopping around for price, and attempting to negotiate. Even though many window companies make their salespeople tell you that their price is not negotiable and does not vary with quantity, I’ve found that this is almost never true. Profit margins on windows and glass average around 50%.

(I am currently using the Pella Architect Series casements and fixed-frames on a a modern home in the Pacific Northwest. The Architect Series is more traditional than I would prefer, but it is a good value, offering more quality and design flexibility than anything else I have found at a comparable price.)

I speak as someone who has worked in the window business, and who has selected windows for a number of residential projects of various types and in various parts of the country (none near New York).

I can tell you that he is right about the Low E glass. I don’t know of any windows with an Energy Star rating, which is what qualifies you for the federal tax credit, that do not have Low E.

More importantly, the efficiency improvement is well worth the additional cost, which is usually quite small. The only time I do not advise using Low E is when you will not be paying the utility bills for the property, and you don’t expect your buyer or tenent to know the difference.

Yes, there is a subtle bluish tint to Low E glass. However, you would really never notice it unless you looked at it side by side with non-Low E glass, and it is virtually impossible to detect from the outside of a building. The visible tint is less than what you see on clear car windows.

I have no experience with Crystal Windows, though from what I know they have pretty good products. You may want ask which product line you are being quoted, and compare it to the others to see if you are missing any features that you want. They may be quoting a higher-grade product than you really need. Also, I do reccomend shopping around for price, and attempting to negotiate. Even though many window companies make their salespeople tell you that their price is not negotiable and does not vary with quantity, I’ve found that this is almost never true. Profit margins on windows and glass average around 50%.

(I am currently using the Pella Architect Series casements and fixed-frames on a a modern home in the Pacific Northwest. The Architect Series is more traditional than I would prefer, but it is a good value, offering more quality and design flexibility than anything else I have found at a comparable price.)