Vinyl Windows Replacement
We are looking to replace the windows in our house. Anyone have any recommendation as far as what is a good vinyl replacement window? or good windows company. Our budget is around the $300-$400 per window installed range. What is your take on Alslide windows? We are also trying to take advantage of the Energy…
We are looking to replace the windows in our house. Anyone have any recommendation as far as what is a good vinyl replacement window? or good windows company. Our budget is around the $300-$400 per window installed range. What is your take on Alslide windows? We are also trying to take advantage of the Energy Star tax reimbursement program so the windows would have to be energy efficient. Thanks in advance.
Re: casement windows:
NPS Preservation Brief, The Repair and Thermal Upgrading of Historic Steel Windows: http://bit.ly/cSIQyK
Seekircher Steel window repair: http://bit.ly/crQCmd
We have original steel casement windows (hse built in mid-40s.) There is nothing that can be done to make these more efficient, right? (I’m asking as many people are saying OLD windows can be modified to be more efficient.) I suspect they are only talking about wood windows?
I’m shudder to think how much it’ll cost to replace our big living room window which right now as awesome bauhaus/warehouse-type caulked in-place single glass panes…
I am replacing my windows very soon. I did a lot of research before I made any decisions, saw many products and meet many installers.
It may not be that easy to find a great product with a budget that you have (300-400$ per window). Of course ,a lot depends what size your windows have, that influences the price a lot. And installation is as important as the windows you select so be careful who you are hireling. Even the best window that was not installed properly will not perform as it should.
I do not know if I would want to leave old windows in place and repair them. I just can not think how old windows with old glass can possibly compare in quality to the new quality windows. Technology changed so much. Maybe it would be better to do it little by little spread it over a time but select a quality product that will provide both the performance and adds beauty to your house.
Myself , I started with a search for a quality wood windows. Here , Andersen and Marvin were my choices. They make good wood windows that perform well and you can get them with aluminum finish on outside so the wood is protected better. They also have different , energy efficient glass options. They only problem with those windows is their price. They are really expensive , If you have a lot of windows to replace and they have to be custom made then you better have a huge budget because the prices will be out of control. I needed to replace 7 windows and one double patio door that had to be custom made and with not such a small budget of max. $10.000 working with Marvin or Andersen was not an option for me. They are too expensive, maybe I should say even overpriced.
I was looking for the best performance I can get so my second choice was venal windows. However I have to say that I would not recommend them. I was very disappointed to see that in USA most of the vinyl windows are either poor or a very average quality. There is maybe a few companies that I would consider as a choice (like Polytechnic from California that are making a European style vinyl windows). The rest of the companies do not rally impress me with their product.
Looking for vinyl windows in USA I had on mind European design vinyl windows. Frames with 5 chambers (frame can have from 2 to 5 chambers and the more chambers it has the stronger frame of the window is and the better insulation it gives), metal reinforcements inside the frame of the window, nicely polished vinyl that looks smooth and elegant. Those are only some of the characteristics of the good vinyl window that I was looking for.
I was disappointed to see that most of the products that were offered to me had the most 3 chambers , no metal reinforcements inside the frames, very roughly finished frame (you could see lines that wedge machine left on the frame when it was melting the vinyl) Not impressive at all…). No wonder that with such a weak frame design some of those window frames warp, change shape) And if somebody has to have dark colored windows, do not even think about vinyl, if exposed to sun over the years it will change color and get really ugly.
So here I am back to aluminums windows. However the ones I had were a builder grade that came with the house. Now we decided to go with a commercial grade, double glazed aluminum windows with a thermal break, 3/16″ thick glass, 1″ gas spaced between the glass panels, a spacer, and a low E coated glass (hard coat). We also agreed for an installation that seemed to be the best in my opinion.
Aluminum windows were not what I wanted at first but having an option to spend a fortune for a quality wood windows, or settling with not really so impressive vinyl that is offered by most of the window manufacturers in the USA, I decided to go with a quality aluminum windows that have strength and looks.
They may have a bit lower performance (a bit higher U-factor NHGS-factos) but I rather take this than a crappy vinyl. With aluminum ,You may not qualify for a tax credit though.
But if you mentioned that your house is so cold , the windows may not be the only reason causing it and they may not fix the problem completely. You may have to insulate your home. I have that problem to and insulation may be my next project.
if you are in brooklyn bay ridge window came recommended to us. We are not getting new windows now (but when we do I’d love to go back to wood).
Their estimate was $250/each for vinyl and $1,000 each for wood, to give you a ballpark idea. People there were very nice to deal with but we did not hire them for any job.
Just a note about the tax credits for windows. You don’t have to have Energy Star only meet the energy guidelines:
Requirements
U factor <=0.30
SHGC <=0.30
Tax Credit does NOT include installation costs.
For anyone considering window repair/replacement, the links below are three excellent resources and a good way to go beyond the simplistic admonition to repair old windows. Old sashes, sills and frames may be rotted by the elements and/or by insects. LOTS of heat is lost and cold introduced through original hollow frames rather than through original windows. Old glass has a VERY distinctive appearance—even when sashes are original, the glass may not be. All this is NOT an argument to replace rather than repair old windows, it’s just to say that there’s much, much more that figures into the equation. Repair OR replacement in a landmarked district in NY will cost a gigantic chunk of change, but can take place in stages. Apply for LPC permits that will cover all windows, so you only engage and pay for that process once—it does not obligate you to replace all windows. And, of course, get bids from at least three companies and compare the line items:
Workshop, San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation: http://bit.ly/aWdf0l
John Leeke’s Historic HomeWorks: http://bit.ly/coDAkf
Preservation Nation, National Trust: http://bit.ly/aBFZnI
It really depends on the condition of the windows in place, and that will vary from window to window. In my house most of the original (91 year old) windows are in decent shape though some have much peeling paint on the outside frame surrounding the windows. Though there was very little maintenance done to them for the last 50+ years, ugly aluminum storm windows protected the wood. Even the exposed wood is not too bad, but I have stone sills (the outside part) and wood sills are usually one of the first things to go. If the windows are in pretty good shape but under a lot of peeling paint and are leaking cold air in the winter, they may just need repainting, and TLC such as weather stripping, caulking of joints, and storm windows (or interior storms) to be much improved. This is mostly handy-man type work though you want to find someone who has some experience with windows. The point is you can do the work in stages and it may be more cost effective than replacing the windows with vinyl. Plus over the long run the windows will look and work much better than vinyl.
I will be doing this very soon too and have NO IDEA where to even start on this adventure… do you just pick up the phone and call manufacturers?
or visit showrooms?
or call installers like Windows We Are?
or ???
About Crystal windows, I talked to a friend who had his whole house done with them. He said he has issues with them, something about the seals not being completely tight whe closed he says. They are no doubt inexpensive compared to other windows.
Minard is spot on. We used vinyl replacements 6 years ago during our initial reno to keep the overall cost of the project down. On the south side of the house the windows have slowly warped to the point where you can see the curtains move on a windy night, and most won’t lock properly without tremendous effort. Another thing to note is that replacement windows depend on the condition of the frame on which they sit, and it’s hard to insulate behind that frame to get a truly airtight seal – a lot of air leakage actually happens via the frame, not the window itself, and this is something that’s not obvious. As a result of our mistake we are doing a full brick-to-brick replacement using Marvin wood windows. Unfortunately, you can’t come close to your budget with wood. Have you considered doing this in stages over a couple of years, or getting the originals fixed and use storms as suggested? Hate to see anyone flush money down the toilet.