good replacement windows...

[cfz2882]

had a hailstorm break out 3 double hung,double pane(but not argon filled)windows on my house-checked local stores:menards,lowes,ETC and seems all windows at these stores are all plastic frame or a wood fiber/plastic composite-I suppose plastic cannot rot,but plastics often shrink with age and expand /contract with temperature swings...Also the style of the windows on display did not suit the style of my 1952 MCM as well as I'd like...The windows that were broken are 1982 vintage wood frame Norco brand-they did operate well and seal was decent,but the plastic slide tracks took a beating from the hail-might look into repairing these,possibly using argon filled panes if I don't find replacements I like.All replacement window brand reviews I read all seemed to by quite negative,but much of the complaints involved installation or customer service problems... I don't mind buying expensive windows if quality and performance is high,Anyone have any experience or recommendations with any brands/models of windows?

 

[mattl]

I'd look at the Pella 350 series, it''s vinyl but looks very good.  Has many options including triple glazing.  Very solid feel, almost wood-like in appearance. I have wood windows but would seriously consider these. If you want wood, look into the Pella aluminium wrapped wood windows, very nice, but a bit pricey.  Jeldwin also makes some good windows.  I have a number of Anderson windows and all are problematic, would never buy them again.

 

You need to decide on wood or vinyl and go from there.

 

[retro-man]

Just had some windows replaced at the vacation house. I just had the glass changed from the original frames. Had the gas filled one previously, but the new ones don't have the gas, just 2 panes together with a space between. Too much flexing for the gas ones being directly on the ocean, which causes leaks and fogging. Don't know what shape your frames are but this is less costly way of fixing these.

Jon

 

[kb0nes]

I'm very impressed with Pella and Marvin. Neither of which are typically sold through a big box retailer. I have 7 year old Pella casements and they seem to be holding up well. They are aluminum and vinyl outside with wood trim indoors.

I can't comment on the double hung variants but I believe that both makers provide them. Double hung windows have too much seal area for my liking in a cold northerly climate.

It pays to buy quality name-brand windows. In 15 years when you need replacement hardware or a window insert you will be very pleased you didn't get a no name.

 

[circlew]

I have Marvin windows, and so far like them very much. They have almost unlimited options available.

I also looked at Pella, but the cladding on them is roll form aluminum, while Marvin is extruded aluminum. Another brand you may want to consider is Kolbe & Kolbe. The are made in Wis., and I think near where Polkanut (Tim) lives.

 

[rockland1]

Windows

Over a period of 20 years, we replaced all the windows in our home with Andersen. We have been well pleased with the service we have had out of them. Also the patio door.

 

[blackstone]

Pella Windows

I installed 27 Pella windows about 7 years ago, with no subsequent problems. My only complaint is that the full-window screens are flimsy and hard to remove and reinstall. I have to take them out when putting in the air conditioners. A great improvement over the old, drafty, double-hung windows. Installation was easy, too. I was able to complete a window by myself in under 2 hours.

The combination of Pella windows and new insulation has made winters bearable in my 125-year-old house.

 

[cfz2882]

checked a few...

looked around a bit today and found some Gerkin single hung vinyl that look ok-about $250 per window.A really nice marvin double hung-wood core extruded aluminum frame,etc. is about $725 per window;quite expensive but does look like the very best avalible...I will need to buy 5 windows.

 

[wayupnorth]

I put in no brand replacement windows, mainly, because I was tired of cleaning inside,outside and all the combos from 20 years ago. Plastic clad insulated sliders, 8 of them that are 4ft.X5ft, and the only problem I have had was the bottom weatherstripping that is finally starting to give it up with all the opening and closing and I just give them a little duck tape and seal that up in late fall and its fine. My 8 big sliders face the prevailing wind, so I can get some crappy stuff heading right for the windows. My double hungs on the back are just fine. Fred's place looks just like mine after a storm that we all hope would go out to sea so we would not have to clean it up after.

 

[hydralique]

I would strongly recommend checking out  lumber companies or businesses that specialize in windows. Big box stores like Home Depot rarely have staff that know much about windows and doors and often their prices are no better, it’s a little like a good small appliance store vs. the big boxes.

In higher end windows Loewen is quite nice. They’re Canadian and with the current strong dollar may be attractively priced compared to what they used to be. I specified them a number of years ago for some high-end homes in Pacific Palisades and they have held up well. At that time they used fir rather than pine like most other wood clad manufacturers. Problems with them included most standard sizes being metric and a very long journey from the factory, one delivery was significantly delayed when a truck overturned somewhere in the Midwest and the windows had to be reordered.

Marvin, Pella, Anderson and Kolbe all make good products. Upper-end Jeldwens can be good as well. One surprising find I’ve made recently is that Milgard is working hard to get into better grade windows; normally they’re known as a major seller of builder-grade vinyl windows. Their TOL product is a clad wood window called Essence. Pricing wise it’s about equal to Marvin’s budget line Integrity sub-brand. A colleague is currently in the middle of a down to the studs major remodel and chose Essence over Integrity because it looks to be slightly better made with nicer hardware, a significantly better warranty and they didn’t give a hassle/upcharge for custom sticking patterns on SDL (simulated divided light) windows like Marvin does with Integrity. My guess is that Milgard is under pricing Essence to get their foot in the door.

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www.milgard.com

 

[polkanut]

Kolbe windows are an excellent choice, and they're made right here in Wausau.  In fact, my sister works there.  There is a showroom & installer located in Rapid City. 

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www.kolbe-kolbe.com

 

[washman]

The home

I purchased came with Simonton windows. They are basic double hung and time will tell how well they hold up. They do have a lifetime warranty however and mine have the low e-glass. My condo had OEM andersons from the mid 80's that seemed to hold up ok but had some moisture issues in the winter.

 

[sudsmaster]

If the fuzz felt on your slider window has worn out to the point where the windows rattle in their channels... a couple years ago I got some replacement fuzz felt from HD and retrofitted most of the sliders here. It was a major improvement - no more rattling in the wind and I'd guess there's less draft. These are all aluminum frame single horizontal sliders - at least 40 years old, I figure. Prior to that, the place probably had steel frame casement windows, which I actually would prefer but those have their own problems.

 

The tricky part is pulling out the old fuzz felt. It requires full dissassembly of the frame and glass removal. I most cases I was able to do this and save the glass, but a couple of windows were stubborn and I had to get new glass. Again not a biggie, since these are single glaze design.

 

If you look at energy audit info, windows are actually a rather small portion of the building envelope. If the windows are not leaking air (which a lot of old windows can do), then the actual energy loss through the glass, even single glazed, is relatively small. And it can be minimized with proper shades and curtains, or if necessary, storm windows. This SF Bay Area climate is mild enough that personally i don't think double glaze is really necessary. But if one is going to replace windows anyway I suppose it won't hurt.

 

The biggest energy drain in an old house can be air leaks - through windows, doors, exhaust fans, electrical outlets, etc. Also chimneys. Next up is attic insulation. This '41 home had zero attic insulation when I bought it, and lots of air leaks in all the above categories. In the winter, the 100,000 BTU forced air furnace would run continuously, and it was still uncomfortable. Methodically I sealed all the air leaks I could find (some were gaping), and then put in a total of about R40 in the attic. Later I added R13 under most of the floor (wood over crawl). After all that the gas consumption in the winter dropped to about 30% of what it was before, adjusting for average monthly temps. And that's with leaky aluminum horizontal single pane windows!

 

 

[hydralique]

Suds . . .

If you ever replace any windows with a building permit then you'll be going dual glazed; the code changes that took effect during 2014 have made it virtually impossible to install new single glazed windows in California unless you have an historical building. It used to be that the energy analysis guys could sometimes make single glazed windows work by using a very efficient water heater or extra insulation, which was useful in additions when you needed to match some old single glazed windows. However my guys have been telling me to not even ask since the code change.

 

[sudsmaster]

Well, who says I'd be getting a permit? ;-). Actually no plans to replace these.

 

Another gotcha with replacement windows is that if the old ones were steel casement or aluminum sliders, the new ones likely will have significantly less glass area. That's because the replacements put in extra framing inside the existing cut-out. Whereas the old casement or sliders had very thin frames, the new ones likely will have frames that are at least a couple inches thick, resulting in overall a smaller looking window. More energy efficient, yes, but it will change the amount of light coming inside.

 

Instead, I'd probably fashion some storm type windows that hang outside (or inside) the existing windows. But it really doesn't get cold enough here to warrant it.

 

 

[mattl]

Personally, I'd never opt for " replacement" Windows for that simple fact. But I can easily deal with the issues of using new construction type Windows, most cannot.

 

[sudsmaster]

I'm not sure what "new construction type windows" are, but since most of my windows are flush to the exterior stucco with custom interior sills and in some cases custom interior wood paneled framing, I figure new construction would involved not only ripping out the custom interior woodwork but also breaking into the exterior stucco. Fortunately none of the existing window framing leaks water so that's a good thing.

 

I wouldn't mind stainless steel framed casement windows... if such a thing was possible...

 

I guess it is... at a cost...

 

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www.cooritalia.com

 

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www.steelwindows.com

 

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www.optimumwindow.com

 

[maylingsmom]

We bought PGT windows and they have been great.

 

[cadman]

When I built my place one experiment I ran was on windows. For the rear casements I went with Pella, for the west side I tried Crestline and for the north clerestories I went with Jeld-Wen. All are aluminum clad with wood interior. Now having lived with them I'd easily recommend the Jeld-Wens. In fact I liked them so much that's all I used on my adjacent workshop.

While this doesn't apply to the double-hungs, one gripe about the Pella units is the silly fold up crank design. Make sure you can live with the look and operation of the interior "features" if you plan on actually opening your windows more than once a year.

PS- In this area, the retailer Menards carries Jeld Wen and routinely will offer them at 16% off. -C