Frequently Asked Questions

Why Replace Your Windows?

The National Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers revealed that 20.8% of total heat loss is caused by cracks around windows and doors. 26% is lost through window panes, making total heat loss through windows and doors 46.8%. With home heating costs on the rise year after year, you should take a look at how you can minimize your energy loss.

Energy Efficient Windows provide: Cooling and Heating Energy Savings, More Comfort: new windows prevent air drafts keeping you comfortable all year; Added Value: A cost-value study by Remodeling Magazine shows that replacement windows add value to your home—up to 82.4% cost recouped. They provide: Sound Insulation, Security, Convenience: most offer a tilt-in feature allowing you the ease of cleaning from the inside and to pack away ladders and buckets that were once necessary to clean your windows. New windows provide extra Beauty: with so many options and styles, replacement windows will transform your home from ordinary to extraordinary.

Make sure you get enough estimates to compare apples to apples and choose a reputable company that uses the latest technology, because not all windows are the same.

What are the differences between wood, vinyl, aluminum and composite windows? Which is best for me?

Wood window frames have been around as long as there have been windows. Although very attractive windows, they are not very efficient. Also, wood needs to be treated and maintained, either by painting or staining on a regular basis.

Vinyl windows do not require the same level of maintenance as wood. However, unless the vinyl is built with a strengthening compound, they can warp. The most common includes a metal sub-frame to help minimize warping. Metal isn’t very energy-efficient. Aluminum frames have traditionally been used for add-on storm windows. Aluminum is strong, but readily allows the transfer of heat and cold from inside to outside and back. Composite is a space-age, engineered polymer material combining great strength and durability with high energy efficiency and low maintenance. It is stronger than ordinary rigid vinyl and has the appearance of wood without the maintenance.

When choosing your replacement windows remember to always ask about how the frame and sash are made. Choose wisely.

Do replacement windows really pay for themselves or is that just a sales pitch?

In many cases it’s a pitch, but absolutely.

Only by reducing the cost of heating and cooling your home, could windows pay for themselves. If you have “only one pane of glass between you and the outdoors” (80% of the window surface) new double pane windows will pay for themselves over an extended period of time. HOWEVER, most homes already have double pane glass using storm windows or double pane insulated glass. Both have been around for over fifty years.

Most replacement windows today are not much better with double pane other than some extra insulation by adding heavy gas between the panes, and/or a coating to the glass to reduce the sun’s heat. If you have either type in your home, regardless their condition, new windows would need to have much more insulation. For instance, triple insulated glass has more than two times the insulating value than double according to “Residential Energy”. Plus you can add the gas, two coatings, and frames that insulate better than wood. Cost more, but the savings are real!

What’s the advantage of custom replacement windows over standard, pre-made, windows stocked at home centers and lumber yards?

Custom windows are made to fit perfectly and provide the best energy efficiency (which saves energy costs) and install much easier and with very little mess. Also, because of the myriad of options available that affect appearance and efficiency, custom windows allow consumers to design exactly the windows they need or want.

Although standard windows typically cost less in the beginning, other expenses and factors—like additional labor and the disruption to the home—far outweigh the original savings. For example, installing pre-made windows requires that you add brick or siding to the exterior, and drywall or other materials to the interior. In addition, custom-made windows allow you to choose the best solution to the problems you want to solve by replacing windows. Most pre-made windows limit your warranty and discount offers that most home centers and lumber yards only pass onto the contractor instead of the homeowner.