The Efficient Windows Collaborative recently had an article that compared the various types of replacement windows. Their rankings of window types was very interesting, especially when they compared energy efficiency.
The only glass pack that rated above average was the triple pane, low e, insulated vinyl replacement window. The reason I bring this to your attention is simple. That rules out any of the windows manufactured by the "Big Three" window makers. Yes that includes Renewal By Andersen.
If you've read my stuff before you probably see that I have about four favorite windows and they are all vinyl. Preservation Windows stand out from the crowd though. When you start looking at replacement window products start with Preservation Windows and compare the features. You'll see what I mean!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Windows - Wood or Vinyl?
When someone asks me which type of window is better, wood or vinyl, I never hesitate to answer that vinyl makes a better window. It's almost like there is this little marketing war going on between the two types of window manufacturers. Most of what we hear is more urban myth than substance. I think it's simple to see that you can expect a vinyl window to last longer and be more energy efficient.
In the old days I used to think Andersen Windows were the standard because they were "the energy efficient window." If you don't already know, Andersen came out with vinyl clad windows and, at the time, they were the most innovative window on the market. The vinyl is PVC and it is like what the best vinyl windows are made of today. They used to be the prominent "vinyl clad" window in the whole world.
Now the same Andersen Windows are called wood windows. Funny, there hasn't been any structural change to the windows in 20 years. The Narroline windows are the same now as they were in 1975 except for the glass and other very minor changes. The only thing that's changed is perception. Vinyl clad was innovative back then so they were called vinyl clad windows. Now they are wood windows because natural wood is "in". Is it marketing or public perception?
My bias toward vinyl windows, especially replacement windows, is based on more scientific facts. For one, the good vinyl replacement windows have a Lifetime Warranty. Wood windows have a ten year warranty, at least the major ones like Andersen, Marvin, and Pella. Wood rots and that's just a fact. They can't possibly give a Lifetime Warranty or they would be out of business.
Vinyl is far more energy efficient than wood. The good vinyl windows have hollow chambers filled with foam insulation and offer a much higher r-factor than wood - even before the wood rots. The vinyl nowadays is uPVC (unplasticized polyvinyl chloride). Detractors often call them plastic windows because there is some kind of negative connotation about plastic. Note the "unplasticized" in uPVC. The virgin vinyl type will last a few human lifetimes without warping, cracking, or peeling. Vinyl never needs painting. Enough said about that.
I monitor one of the major window forums on the Internet and the most spirited argument I've ever seen was about warranties. One side argued that the lifetime warranty was better because it was forever. The other side countered that their windows, from the big three window makers, had a 10/20 warranty that was better than the lifetime warranty because they were still going to be in business to back the warranty. That was really interesting to me since the company that makes Preservation Windows has been in business for 68 years, has a solid reputation, and maintains solid earnings in tough economic times. They have a lifetime warranty that includes glass breakage and their u-factor rating was .19, twice as good as the big three. Nobody made that point and it didn't look like the type of argument I wanted to join. I was hearing banjo music in my head when I read some of the comments and it was very heated at times.
During that string of arguments someone mentioned Renewal By Andersen and their innovative material they call fibrex. Fibrex parts are only covered by a 10 year warranty. The material was developed in an effort to make the sawdust from Andersen's Bayport, Minnesota plant into something useful instead of burning thousands of tons of it every year. Fibrex is 40% reclaimed material. Since reground PVC has memory the polymers stretch and try to pull into their original form it's no wonder the warranty isn't longer. I'm not sold on fibrex until they prove that it's not the new "masonite". Do they seem confident with that 10 year warranty?
Preservation Windows has been named Energy Star Partner of the Year three times. They are more than twice as energy efficient as the big three and have a warranty that dwarfs theirs. Other good vinyl window makers with lifetime warranties include Simonton, Gorrell, and Milguard. My apology to any of the thousands of others who make really good vinyl windows. The two things the vinyl manufacturers have in common are energy efficiency and durability - none of them rot! And guess what, they don't expand and contract much either.
I think suffice is to say that vinyl windows, especially replacement windows, have too many important areas where their performance is far superior to wood. Please tell me what you think.
In the old days I used to think Andersen Windows were the standard because they were "the energy efficient window." If you don't already know, Andersen came out with vinyl clad windows and, at the time, they were the most innovative window on the market. The vinyl is PVC and it is like what the best vinyl windows are made of today. They used to be the prominent "vinyl clad" window in the whole world.
Now the same Andersen Windows are called wood windows. Funny, there hasn't been any structural change to the windows in 20 years. The Narroline windows are the same now as they were in 1975 except for the glass and other very minor changes. The only thing that's changed is perception. Vinyl clad was innovative back then so they were called vinyl clad windows. Now they are wood windows because natural wood is "in". Is it marketing or public perception?
My bias toward vinyl windows, especially replacement windows, is based on more scientific facts. For one, the good vinyl replacement windows have a Lifetime Warranty. Wood windows have a ten year warranty, at least the major ones like Andersen, Marvin, and Pella. Wood rots and that's just a fact. They can't possibly give a Lifetime Warranty or they would be out of business.
Vinyl is far more energy efficient than wood. The good vinyl windows have hollow chambers filled with foam insulation and offer a much higher r-factor than wood - even before the wood rots. The vinyl nowadays is uPVC (unplasticized polyvinyl chloride). Detractors often call them plastic windows because there is some kind of negative connotation about plastic. Note the "unplasticized" in uPVC. The virgin vinyl type will last a few human lifetimes without warping, cracking, or peeling. Vinyl never needs painting. Enough said about that.
I monitor one of the major window forums on the Internet and the most spirited argument I've ever seen was about warranties. One side argued that the lifetime warranty was better because it was forever. The other side countered that their windows, from the big three window makers, had a 10/20 warranty that was better than the lifetime warranty because they were still going to be in business to back the warranty. That was really interesting to me since the company that makes Preservation Windows has been in business for 68 years, has a solid reputation, and maintains solid earnings in tough economic times. They have a lifetime warranty that includes glass breakage and their u-factor rating was .19, twice as good as the big three. Nobody made that point and it didn't look like the type of argument I wanted to join. I was hearing banjo music in my head when I read some of the comments and it was very heated at times.
During that string of arguments someone mentioned Renewal By Andersen and their innovative material they call fibrex. Fibrex parts are only covered by a 10 year warranty. The material was developed in an effort to make the sawdust from Andersen's Bayport, Minnesota plant into something useful instead of burning thousands of tons of it every year. Fibrex is 40% reclaimed material. Since reground PVC has memory the polymers stretch and try to pull into their original form it's no wonder the warranty isn't longer. I'm not sold on fibrex until they prove that it's not the new "masonite". Do they seem confident with that 10 year warranty?
Preservation Windows has been named Energy Star Partner of the Year three times. They are more than twice as energy efficient as the big three and have a warranty that dwarfs theirs. Other good vinyl window makers with lifetime warranties include Simonton, Gorrell, and Milguard. My apology to any of the thousands of others who make really good vinyl windows. The two things the vinyl manufacturers have in common are energy efficiency and durability - none of them rot! And guess what, they don't expand and contract much either.
I think suffice is to say that vinyl windows, especially replacement windows, have too many important areas where their performance is far superior to wood. Please tell me what you think.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Kudos To The Energy Star Program
It is pretty clear that the Department of Energy is planning for a sound future as far as the window industry is concerned. If you haven't seen the proposed Energy Star Standards for windows in the years to come, it's worth a look. Energy Star is really going to mean something!
Right now it's hard to find a window that doesn't have the Energy Star sticker on it. In Zone 5, where I happen to live, there are windows on the market that are 2 and 3 times more energy efficient than other windows. The public should reasonably expect that one would have a higher ranking than the other. If you understand the NFRC label there is a huge difference. If you look for the Energy Star label it's virtually worthless.
U-factor, from the NFRC label is very meaningful to those of us in the north. It is the measure of heat transfer or loss. When temperatures can hit 30 degrees below zero it matters. You want to know what you're getting. If the average consumer looks at the Energy Star label on a window they believe it is an energy efficient window. Guess what? It might be better than what you have but it might not be that big of an upgrade in terms of energy efficiency.
Starting in 2009 the u-factor has to be .30 to .32 (the lower the better). There are already a few windows on the market with a u-factor rating of .16 to .20. In 2015 the standard lowers to .20 for a minimum.
The DOE is making the Energy Star label making mean something in the future. One of the windows on the market today offers a 33% fuel saving pledge. Their u-factor gets as low as .16 while Energy Star labels it the same as windows that are less than half as energy efficient. With the new Energy Star Standards maybe the general public won't need a 33% fuel savings pledge to see who really has an energy efficient window.
I know they had good intentions from the beginning. Separating the men from the boys will make the Energy Star logo mean something on windows. They are consciously making an effort to reduce the number of windows that meet their standards to less than 25% of the windows on the market. Kudos to the DOE.
Free Press Release
Right now it's hard to find a window that doesn't have the Energy Star sticker on it. In Zone 5, where I happen to live, there are windows on the market that are 2 and 3 times more energy efficient than other windows. The public should reasonably expect that one would have a higher ranking than the other. If you understand the NFRC label there is a huge difference. If you look for the Energy Star label it's virtually worthless.
U-factor, from the NFRC label is very meaningful to those of us in the north. It is the measure of heat transfer or loss. When temperatures can hit 30 degrees below zero it matters. You want to know what you're getting. If the average consumer looks at the Energy Star label on a window they believe it is an energy efficient window. Guess what? It might be better than what you have but it might not be that big of an upgrade in terms of energy efficiency.
Starting in 2009 the u-factor has to be .30 to .32 (the lower the better). There are already a few windows on the market with a u-factor rating of .16 to .20. In 2015 the standard lowers to .20 for a minimum.
The DOE is making the Energy Star label making mean something in the future. One of the windows on the market today offers a 33% fuel saving pledge. Their u-factor gets as low as .16 while Energy Star labels it the same as windows that are less than half as energy efficient. With the new Energy Star Standards maybe the general public won't need a 33% fuel savings pledge to see who really has an energy efficient window.
I know they had good intentions from the beginning. Separating the men from the boys will make the Energy Star logo mean something on windows. They are consciously making an effort to reduce the number of windows that meet their standards to less than 25% of the windows on the market. Kudos to the DOE.
Free Press Release
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Replacement Windows Take Planning
With so many replacement windows on the market it can be confusing and frustrating to know which way to go. There are some general considerations that need to be considered and it may help you to develop a checklist of basic requirements. If you start calling contractors and listen to their recommendations you'll probably become more confused than you were going into the process.
One of the first things I recommend doing is to inspect your windows from the outside. Take note of the wood and siding around the window unit because it is as important as your window choice in the long run. If you find rotting and/or holes and cracks around the window you probably should be doing a full frame window replacement.
A full frame window replacement is one that includes complete removal and replacement of the whole window including jambs, casing, head, sill, and sash. In most homes there has been water leakage over the years that has caused rotting and, possibly, mold. When the contractor removes the old window unit they have clear access to inspect and replace any problems they find. They can also re-insulate immediately around the replacement window unit for better overall performance.
Decide what material you want. There are three basic materials used in the replacement window industry. Those three materials are wood, vinyl, and aluminum.
There is no wood window on the market with a lifetime warranty. The basic problem is that wood rots. They just can't count on it to last. It also doesn't have the insulating value of vinyl and aluminum because both of those can be filled with some type of insulation like foam. Condensation is inevitable, especially when your house is well insulated. The condensation drips down the inside of the glass and causes the water to collect on the wood sash. Wood gives you maintenance headaches and premature death of your windows.
In cooler climates aluminum windows are not a good choice either. Aluminum conducts heat and cold so they don't offer the insulation value of the same window built with vinyl.
I always recommend vinyl replacement windows. Within the classification of "vinyl replacement windows" there are high quality vinyl and low quality vinyl components used in a variety of windows. Make sure that your are only considering virgin vinyl. Recycled vinyl is not good in replacement windows and is really not a green product. Using reground vinyl creates instability within the vinyl because the polymers are trying to get back to their original shape. In the sun the various reground vinyls will crack or break during expansion and contraction.
And now we've reached the biggest item for you to consider. Glass is the single most important factor in choosing your replacement windows. 85% of the window unit is glass and glass is the easiest thing to get objective rankings for. The NFRC provides the data you need in their rating system. As you will see, there are thousands of window manufacturers that have their products rated by the NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council). Understanding the data makes it simple to know which windows are the contenders and which ones are the pretenders but understanding the NFRC label is the easiest way for you to rank the various windows.
Surprisingly, the big three, Andersen, Marvin, and Pella don't seem to come close to some of the smaller companies in their standard offering. There are many really good ones but from what I've seen the two best overall replacement vinyl windows are Preservation Windows and Gorrell Windows. Using the criteria I talked about will help you decide which window works for you. What I think doesn't really matter, what do you think?
One of the first things I recommend doing is to inspect your windows from the outside. Take note of the wood and siding around the window unit because it is as important as your window choice in the long run. If you find rotting and/or holes and cracks around the window you probably should be doing a full frame window replacement.
A full frame window replacement is one that includes complete removal and replacement of the whole window including jambs, casing, head, sill, and sash. In most homes there has been water leakage over the years that has caused rotting and, possibly, mold. When the contractor removes the old window unit they have clear access to inspect and replace any problems they find. They can also re-insulate immediately around the replacement window unit for better overall performance.
Decide what material you want. There are three basic materials used in the replacement window industry. Those three materials are wood, vinyl, and aluminum.
There is no wood window on the market with a lifetime warranty. The basic problem is that wood rots. They just can't count on it to last. It also doesn't have the insulating value of vinyl and aluminum because both of those can be filled with some type of insulation like foam. Condensation is inevitable, especially when your house is well insulated. The condensation drips down the inside of the glass and causes the water to collect on the wood sash. Wood gives you maintenance headaches and premature death of your windows.
In cooler climates aluminum windows are not a good choice either. Aluminum conducts heat and cold so they don't offer the insulation value of the same window built with vinyl.
I always recommend vinyl replacement windows. Within the classification of "vinyl replacement windows" there are high quality vinyl and low quality vinyl components used in a variety of windows. Make sure that your are only considering virgin vinyl. Recycled vinyl is not good in replacement windows and is really not a green product. Using reground vinyl creates instability within the vinyl because the polymers are trying to get back to their original shape. In the sun the various reground vinyls will crack or break during expansion and contraction.
And now we've reached the biggest item for you to consider. Glass is the single most important factor in choosing your replacement windows. 85% of the window unit is glass and glass is the easiest thing to get objective rankings for. The NFRC provides the data you need in their rating system. As you will see, there are thousands of window manufacturers that have their products rated by the NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council). Understanding the data makes it simple to know which windows are the contenders and which ones are the pretenders but understanding the NFRC label is the easiest way for you to rank the various windows.
Surprisingly, the big three, Andersen, Marvin, and Pella don't seem to come close to some of the smaller companies in their standard offering. There are many really good ones but from what I've seen the two best overall replacement vinyl windows are Preservation Windows and Gorrell Windows. Using the criteria I talked about will help you decide which window works for you. What I think doesn't really matter, what do you think?
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