I"m looking into getting new replacement windows for my house. What are the +/- of using brand name windows vs generic windows.
www.cavcowindows.com/
www.andersonwindows.com
etc...

 

Biggest thing is you just have to look at each individual window and look at features/construction. There are so many window manufacturers around today, they basically share the same technology, just gets applied differently. With a big name, Anderson/Pella/Hurd/Marvin your paying an upcharge for the name brand, and over the years I've found alot of times this upcharge does'nt always get you the best window when compared to other makes on the market. Pella's vinyl line for instance is'nt even made by the Pella corp, Pella bought out a small vinyl window manufacturer and just swapped names, and IMO these have alot to be desired.

Some of the smaller..ie generic companies out there actually studied the market, took the best traits from all the popular windows and incoporated them into their units so your getting more bang for the buck.

Just make sure you make a purchase based on best overall features/quality of construction and ease of part replacement should something go bad...Anderson for example has a terrible turnaround for parts, typically 4-6 weeks...not good iff a kid busts your window since your gonna have to cover the hole for at least a good month vs some of the smaller manufacturers able to turn it around in a week or two.

 

How about the various differences between wood and vinyl besides the additional costs of the wood windows? looks mostly or is there and actualy performance/quality difference.

 

This is a huge debate esspecially amoungst salesmen trying to sell jobs. There are pluses/minues to all materials and I could spend awhile giving my own opinons/first hand info based on real life experiences, but in a nutshell:

vinyl: will never rot/last forever and if it's a good manufacturer will perform upto par with any window on the market

wood: warmer feel inside since it wood and homey looking, but it's wood and will eventually rot...just a matter of when

fiberglass: I've yeet to install any fiberglass window that I'm impressed with...the operating sashes just feel flimsey, and depending on manufacturer, some use L brackets to hold frames together...as your house settles, the frames will contour to the settling since there's no real structure holding the frame square...just some cheap L brackets

Overall, ALL the windows no matter what the material will all perform about the same for energy start ratings, so it comes down to cost and what your after for looks on the inside/outside.

 

I'd like to direct you to www.learn-first.com or contact me personally at: gordon711@comcast.net. I am an investment fiduciary and recognize the home as your #1 investment ...and windows very high on the list ...and you need to beware of significant yet hard to see differences.

Vinyl although touted to be better than aluminum and wood needs to be insulated in order to function efficiently.

I know of one vinyl with an interior wood grain that gives you the best of both worlds. Most vinyl sashes and frames rate at R 1 to R3 - yet R23 is the new standard.

Most vinyl frames are the same top, side and bottom when in order to be the optimum strength, they should vary in design and inner sizing as the framing on the home itself.

Beware of the interior of the frame where the two sides lock. The use of aluminum as a required brace is commonly used and defeats the purpose of vinyl because it conducts heat. It needs to be fiberglass composition for even more strength and optimum insulation. And beware of the lock which rides on the surface of the frame versus built into the frame for added security etc.

Beware of the glass and vital Low E technology. Most Low E is hard versus soft. Soft contains silver and is much better performing.

And the state-of-the-art is triple pane providing DOUBLE Low E, a MAJOR difference. Low E will block 70% of the heat transfer so a 2nd pane will block 70% of the remaining 30%, for added protection.

Most salesmen will try to demonstrate a heat lamp and show you how effective the Low E is, which is very misleading. While true, most consumers are unaware of the fact that if the lamp were kept on the glass steady for around 30 minutes, it would build a bridge and transfer the heat as if there were no Low E.

When you combine the triple pane and Krypton gas that time jumps to over 3 hours before the heat will penetrate. The sun will have shifted by then so the time difference will reduce energy consumption greatly, not to mention the major comfort factors.

While at it, consider the air or gas between the panes. Some use Argon gas because it is 40% denser than air while Krypton gas is 190% denser than air, another very BIG deal.

Look too for a dual Durometer (seldom if ever found on most advertised windows) that is a strip built into the vinyl extrusion that borders the inner and outer perimeter of the glass. It is engineered to protect the glass from breakage, stop heat from transferring and reducing unwanted noise.

And never forget the #1 reason new windows eventually fail ... the SPACERS. The industry has caught up with the best lifetime technology yet some still use aluminum spacers that are guaranteed to ultimately fail, not if they fail. The solution to this issue is new windows again, a very expensive proposition indeed.

Consider too the vital weather stripping, most leave it off in many places where its needed and they use an inferior quality.

These are some of the vital issues that will determine the true cost of owning a replacement window and patio door. If you shop for price alone you will pay far more for your windows over the months and years ahead, especially as energy costs soar as anticipated.

So be sure also to check too at www.nfrc.org and discover (a third party who is unbiased) how to read the labels rating the window that will determine the cost of owning them as you do with MPG when purchasing an automobile.

There are also some vital security and operational issues to consider for cleaning conveniences and ventilation such as having both sides or both top and bottom operational versus one part fixed. Vent locks versus stoppers will eliminate the risk of unwanted intruders especially important if there are children and women in the home.

And glass installation is typically installed from the outside versus being installed from the inside in order to discourage burglars versus inviting them. Burglars don't like noise and thick triple glass and will seek windows that can be quietly removed from the outside. Police report the 2 issues to be open windows without vent locks and easy to remove glass.

Yes, it's best to ask the fiduciary (coming soon at www.askthefiduciary.org) when considering new windows and patio doors. I sincerely hope this little blurb helps you make the best and most intelligent decisions.

 

IMHO, the thing you get from brand name windows is usually a better product, superior service for the life of the window, warranty service that will most likely be available if the glass seals go out at 19 yrs. And with some off brands, the life of the window is <5 yrs. National or at least regional companies with a track record for service would be my pick. As a installer for Certainteed, I know that they have been in business for over 100yrs. They will stand behind their products for much longer than many local companies are even in business.
But a brand name is not necessarily all that it is supposed to be. Pella seems to be a premier window outfit, but I have have far too many customers with rotted window frames and Pell won't do a thing about it. Andersen, on the other hand, has sent me parts for windows long out of warranty, for free.

 

A word of caution and something omitted from my earlier post.

Branding versus DYNAMIC VALUE is the issue. The window that rates the best in my book comes from an approximately 30 year old company who belongs to a financially strong company yet few know about them because they don't invest in advertising, they invest in a best available technology product.

The question is the cost of branding and who really pays for the cost of advertising that provides what is really a false sense of security versus a structurally more sound product that will require fewer if any service calls.

America had the edge on cars with the most experience and famous brands, when Japan came along with newer lesser known brands that soared past the American brands only due to dynamic value.

Forget the brand names that advertise heavily because in order to stay competitive, which they must, they also must cut corners somewhere to make a profit in order to stay in business.

The attention to dynamic value also comes in the many unnoticed yet potentially costly details. For example...

Engineers have determined the right dimension for the glass package. Meaning, the dimension from front to back of the glass panes. That magic number is 7/8th of an inch.

It's a Bell Curve situation, anything more or anything less will mean a less efficient window and a higher fuel bill from unneeded fuel consumption.

President Clinton's Foundation is working to replace the windows in government and commercial buildings because our dependence on foreign oil and global warming is completely insane! We have the technology to completely eliminate the problems. We even have the financial technology to do it with no out-of-pocket-cost.

When you take the time to do the proper research and devote your money up-front to the best value, you will save big bucks in the longer run and far most important ...help save the planet.

 

Hi mondog1,

I would suggest that before determining if you want windows made by a local company versus a regional company versus a national company you may want to answer the following questions to yourself (and you may have done so already):

First, why do you want to replace the windows? Is it to improve energy efficiency? Aesthetics? Comfort? Less maintenance? All of the above?

Is cost your primary concern? And replacement windows can be very expensive - there is nothing wrong with being concerned about the cost of these things as long as you balance value as well.

Are you concerned about $$$ payback? Do you anticipate the replacement windows will eventually pay for themselves in energy savings? How long are you willing to wait for that eventual payback?

What kind of windows do you have now? Are you interested in a full tearout and replacement of the exisiting windows? Would you prefer inserts? Do you know the difference? Do you understand the positives and negatives of both (and other) types of replacement windows?

Do you have a personal preference of wood versus vinyl versus aluminum versus fiberglass? Is the preference based on looks? Performance? Longevity? Cost? All of the above? None of the above?

Are you planning to do the install? If not you then...? The local handyman? Professional window installer? The window company? Some companies have their own installers and some sub it out. Some window installers are really good - some are not very good at all.

mondog1, that is a bunch of questions, but answering most of those may help determine what is your best fit for replacement including whether or not to go local or national.

How long has the company been around? Does it look like they will continue to be around in the future? Warranty? Do they stand behind it? That one can be HUGE!

There are some local companies that make exceptional windows, have great service, and are strong. There are also local companaies that make junk, have lousy customer service, and likely will be gone before you get the things installed.

With national companies you have the likelihood that they will be around for awhile - but that may not guarantee the quality of the product or of the eventual (if needed) customer service.

And I realize that this post sure isn't helpful in making the decision easier.....

 

The reason we are looking to replace the windows is that the windows that are in now are about 75 years old. I'm checking out several window options. The previous owners said that they would put plastic over the windows in the winter. They also said that their heating bill was around $450 per month in the winter, avg out to 250 spread out over 12 months, here in Philly. We are leaning towards just doing the inserts since there is alot less work involved, granted the windows are "slightly" smaller. We are planning on staying here for a long time since the house has everything that we were looking for "no 3 car garage :-( " We are also looking into replacing the gas furnace that is about 50 years old with a new efficient furnace.
I've replaced many windows in my rentals. The results were good, but i've never done the capping that we are looking to have installed at our house. So i'm leaving it to a pro that is able to make the job look much better than I could in less time. We are replacing 16 windows and I don't have the time to do the job myself. We are looking for the best bang for the buck, not top of the line but also not garbage.