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From an engineering standpoint the Integrity line (Marvin owned) sound great. Fiberglass outside and wood inside. The expansion and contraction of fiberglass is outstanding and when painted they should resist UV, However, they are new and expensive. I’d like hearing from anyone that has used them or knows how well they’ve held up over time. Integrity claims to have an ongoing test set-up in Florida that’s approaching 4 to 5 years. However, on site performance is generally better since it is less controlled.
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I'm in central Iowa where Pella windows are the standard. I personally use Marvin windows now that they started making the Integrity line. I think they are pretty reasonably priced for what you get. The other Marvin lines get pricier, therefore I stick with Integrity. I've been using them for about 21/2 years and no problems.
*Thanks, Homebuilder, that's good feedback. The two areas of concern that I had from looking at the design were: possible resin deterioration from UV and the use of glue for the fiberglass to wood adhesion. That could result in separation if the manufacturing process were to change from time to time. Engineering wise, they sure have the right combination of materials although Douglas fir might have been a better choice if the $$$$ were reasonable.
*I have used the Integrity windows in several additions and am happy (as well as the owners) so far. The only warning I have is that the fiberglass frame, as with most new windows, is very close to the nailing flange and is not as forgiving to stray hammer blows as aluminum or vinyl clad windows.
*Since Douglas Fir is mentioned, have you checked out Lowens ?
*Alan, I started my evaluation with Marvin, which as you know are wood inside and Al outside and it's a very good but pricey product. I came upon Lowen from an AD in Fine Homebuilding and was impressed with the product and since they are trying to get a foothold on the west coast,their cost is somewhat lower. They appear as good as Marvin and they use Douglas fir which is better.However, in trying to minimize the different brands of windows used and get the price down, I keyed-in on Marvin's Integrity line. Despite limited reliability data, I concluded that fiberglass out and wood inside is a good choice for the moist salt air environment of the job site. Despite the goal of trying to use just one brand, I had to use several Milgard fiberglass-fiberglass for bathrooms as I could not get certain sizes from Integrity (very limited compared to mainstream Marvin). A lot of jobs in this coastal area are using Milgard vinyl. They also have a fiberglass line that uses Douglas fir inside but are more expensive than the Integrity line. Vinyl is the in-thing around here for cost reasons and maintenance but I'll bet that the vinyl will start to deteriorate from continous UV bombardment in about 10 years. So you can see my dilemma. The strength and temperature coefficient of expansion of fibergalss is far superior to vinyl(just about everything is). However, the resin used is also UV susceptable and the mechanical connection between wood and fiberglass of the Integrity window is so minimal it makes the glue bond crucial. I have to believe there are a lot of Integrity windows in use, that's why I started this discussion to see if I could reach a few.
*Hi, Raymond -Seems you have a more demanding criteria being in a coastal environment. We're in southwest Virginia with less harsh weather.I was fully sold on the Integrity line until I realized Marvin is aiming the stuff mostly for new construction.We were studying replacement options (need stain grade wood inside) for a 1950's era brick ranch and wanted the window to go brick to brick and avoid brick moulding.Loewens rep was willing to quote a price for custom made units that would enable brick-to-brick installation.We had to put things on hold due to other needs and winter setting in.By the way, my brother in Seattle has been very happy with Milgard's post sales service. They replaced a sliding patio door that was out of square (a manufacturing defect that wasn't discovered until after the door was intalled.) with no questions asked.Good luck with your search.
*Ray, Ok heres the scoop ! I have used Marvin Integritys since about the day they came out and I love them ! I live near the ocean in Marshfield Mass. So we get Hot in Summer and real cold in Winter and these windows perform great !!! I not only insist on them in all my jobs but have them in my own house which I originally bought Andersons for! I sold the Andersons at a loss because I feel so strongly about them! Now I've found that they are comparable in price to Andersons! Windows are one of the most important things in the house! I tell my customers " You can pay once or you can pay twice , twice wil always add up to more than the first time! Now Andersons in this area I feel are terrible ! If you run your finger down an Anderson a while after installation you'll find that your finger will be all chalky and white. Vinyl does dry up! My customers ask me if I have part ownership in Marvin after I tell them about them and of course I don't but being a Custom builder, and a product of a quality minded father I appreciate a great product! Not to mention the fact that nobody wants to pay me to fix something They 've already paid me to do ! Now as you've figured out I love the window but would like to know myself from others if they've ever had problems with the integrity ! I'm all ears and don't worry you won't burst my bubble!
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From an engineering standpoint the Integrity line (Marvin owned) sound great. Fiberglass outside and wood inside. The expansion and contraction of fiberglass is outstanding and when painted they should resist UV, However, they are new and expensive. I'd like hearing from anyone that has used them or knows how well they've held up over time. Integrity claims to have an ongoing test set-up in Florida that's approaching 4 to 5 years. However, on site performance is generally better since it is less controlled.