This may or may not be the right forum for this question (and yes I tried searching for prior discussion threads to no avail), but what is the better choice for replacement windows: vinyl, vinyl clad wood or aluminum clad wood? We are looking to replace the windows in our Philadelphia area colonial, so we are mostly talking about double-hung if that makes a difference. The sales reps all seem to think their own products are the best (what a surprise), but that’s not particularly helpful.
I’d appreciate any thoughts.
Replies
YOUR BUDGET MAY DIRECT YOUR CHOICES... MINE WOULD BE MARVIN CLAD W/ LOW-E AND SIMULATED DIVIDED LIGHT.... YOU DO NOT SAY IF YOUR OLD WINDOWS ARE ROPE & PULLEY OR NEWER???? FOR THE MONEY & THE BEST WARRANTY & QUALITY, THE MARVIN IS HARD TO BEAT.... THEY ARE ALSO VERY EASY TO INSTALL... YO U COULD SAVE A LOT OF $$$$$ BY DOING IT YOURSELF...
See, I'm so dumb, I didn't even know the right information to give. I think this should cover what you guys were looking for. I live on the "Main Line" in suburbs of Philadelphia (while it's not a palatial estate like they show in "The Philadelphia Story," it's a fairly nice 4 bedroom center hall stone colonial. Houses in the neighborhood go in the range of 400 to 500k. As for resale issues, unless I somehow come into large sums of money, I fully expect to be taken out of this house feet first, and I figure that to be a good 20 to 30 years away.
The existing windows are original to the house and about 55 years old. I have been told that most of the frames are ok, but there are a few where a former owner permanently installed a/c units and slapped aluminum siding around them filling in the window opening in the stone. I expect that over the years there may have been some rot in those. They are not weight and pulley types, they have a spring loaded thing that runs from the bottom of the sash to the top of the window opening. (I'm sure there's a technical term; it's just not in my vocabulary.) I think tilt-in is a great idea, in the ten years we've lived here, we've never washed the windows at all. Maybe if they were a little more accessible we could overcome that inertia.
I would prefer not doing this job myself for a couple of reasons. First its a little too visible for me (one of those: if I screw a window up, I'll be looking at it every day for years - lol.) More important there are around 18 windows altogether, and I have limited time available for projects. I think it's important to have this completed before my 9-year-old graduates high school, and if left to me, I might not make that deadline.
Last, as I recall, is the budget question. While obviously, money doesn't grow on trees, I'm more concerned with getting the best product available and having it properly installed. I believe that this house is the single largest investment I'll ever make, and I intend to treat it with the respect it deserves. Cutting corners on structural-type house projects is not acceptable.
OK, did I miss anything? I really appreciate your help. I think this experience has moved home-improvement sales reps up on the list to tie with car salesmen on my list of people to avoid. Thanks again.
I am a contractor on the Main Line. My recommendation would be for Kolbe & Kolbe replacement sashes. I think Kolbe makes an excellent product. I particularly recommend their K-Kron (pre-painted) windows for replacement sashes. IMHO it is at least the equivalent of top of the line Marvins. If you would like to e-mail me, I can give you the name and number of the Kolbe distributor in West Chester. Incidentally, I am not posting this in an effort to solicit the work.
Edited 9/8/2003 6:54:16 PM ET by Nick Pitz
Nick,
I have noticed your posts supporting the Kolbe & Kolbe product. We purchased and installed over 40 Kolbe & Kolbe Ultrea Clad casement windows and French doors in our new home. Nearly every one of these units leaked when exposed to moderate or heavy rain. Of coarse the first thing everyone assumes is that they were improperly flashed or installed. These were installed with the greatest care and consideration for the elements of weather. When we first reported the units leaking, Kolbe was aware of a problem and had already prepared a field fix memo that instructed their service technicians to go on site, drill holes in the mitered bottom corners of the frames, and inject a large amount of silicone into them. Along with many other attempted field fixes these proved unsuccessful. Kolbe & Kolbe later sent out a team of experts to perform isolated water tests removing any possibility of water entering anywhere other then the windows themselves. All the units tested continued to leak. Months later and they have yet to resolve this problem. Kolbe makes a few different lines of windows and doors, so I can only speak from our experience with the Ultra clad casements and the Ultra inswing French doors. I do not know much if anything about the performance in the other lines.
You seem a loyal supporter of the Kolbe & Kolbe product. But from my experience, and from what I've seen thus far, when a company's product fails or is defective and any legal action is taken, no matter how much business you have brought them, you will be one of the first people they will drag in and attempt to point the blame to, even if you were honest in your recomendation and installed them correctly. (I'm just talking from first hand experience and this is my honest opinion). So be careful, and you might consider more research on their new clad windows before promoting them with such loyalty. A company can be great for many years but they should also be judged based on their most current products.
Regards,
Fighter
http://www.leakywindows.com
I appreciate the information. I have installed Kolbe's Ultra series in several past projects, and to date I have had no problems. That doesn't mean that other people haven't. Always good to hear other people's experiences. If I seem like a loyal customer it is because I have installed at least a couple hundred Kolbe products over the past seven years with virtually no problems whatsoever.
Edited 9/9/2003 4:45:30 PM ET by Nick Pitz
I KIND OF AGREE MORE OR LESS.
Excellence is its own reward!
You gave us way to little information.
Replacements as in leaving in the frame or replacing the entire window?
I like the Marvin "kit" windows. Easy to install and the look and work great.
I hate anything spelled v-i-n-y-l ! But thats just me......another way to spell it is U-G-L-Y! But thats just me...(ugly, lol)
Is your house old? Is it charming? Is it worth over a few grand? What are the other houses in your hood like?
Care about resale? Staying there a spell? Want tilt in windows on upper floors to be able to wash the outside with out a ladder (not that anyone here washes windows.specially outside......specially on upper floors. Another thread I'm sure.lol)
Be more specific
Namaste'
andy
Emptiness is not really empty, emptiness is full of everything.
The "everything", just isn't manifest
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Thanks for the info. I've heard from some folks that vinyl windows expand and contract alot in the heat and sun. Have you had any problems with this? I appreciate your help.
I understand. We're looking to replace the windows in our house. Our windows are around 55 years old. I don't know if you saw one of my earlier posts, but the original owner of our house was one of those 50s era Popular Mechanics DIYers (I call them that not to disparage Popular Mechanics, but because my father was one of them. He would see something in the magazine and do it in our house. Since becoming an adult, I've come to understand that it is only by the grace of God that I wasn't electrocuted and the house didn't go up in flames.) Anyway Mr. B decided air conditioning was a good thing in about half the rooms in the house. So he permanently installed window units, sealing the windows up with aluminum siding (really tacky on a stone house), insulation and painted the window panes on the inside so you couldn't see it. 30-some years later, the old man died and somebody bought the house as an investment property. Needless to say, neither the absentee owner nor the renters cared a whole lot about the house. When we installed central air and pulled out the window units, the insulation was black with mold -- it was gross. In any event, they had disposed of the storm windows and screens, so we are left with a bunch of windows in serious state of disrepair. We can't open them in the spring and fall, and they are energy pits in all seasons. So we're going to bite the bullet and replace all the windows.
Thanks again for your help.