Q: What do I need to know when shopping for Vinyl Windows?
A: Typically when looking at any remodeling project a homeowner does research in two areas: (1) working with a contractor and (2) product assessment. In working with a contractor a homeowner looks at quality, expertise, value, warranty and service. When researching a product the homeowner looks at: construction, comfort, energy-savings, security and resale value. Last week we reviewed wood vs vinyl windows and this week we will cover tips to help you shop for vinyl windows.
4 Tips on Shopping for Vinyl Windows: Properly installed vinyl windows can deliver major energy savings, look like wood if you want to keep that historic look, and be maintenance-free! Read on to learn what to look for when window shopping…pun intended!
Here, five things to hunt for in a quality window…
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- Beauty that is not just skin deep – Sure you want a window that has multiple color options, grid and glass patterns, but most importantly always go with 100% Virgin Vinyl when choosing vinyl windows. Why? Lower quality vinyl windows are comprised of mostly recycled plastics which are weaker and more unstable. Virgin vinyl is vinyl that hasn’t been made from recycled plastics. As for the sash and mainframe, makes sure it has:
- Welded corners and numerous internal air chambers for strength, rigidity, and insulation. The joints should be heat-welded rather than joined with screws or other fasteners.
- A warranty against cracking and fading. You may have seen older white vinyl windows turn yellow or have a “washed out” look or worse the vinyl cracked in extreme temperatures. When shopping, look for a uniform color throughout the frame.
- We use Super Spacers which are the world’s only 100% foam metal free warm-edge sealing system and provides one of the best thermal performances in the industry. Avoid purchasing a window with aluminum spacers as they tend to result in seal failures from seasonal temperatures. Aluminum spacers also cause condensation which leads to mold, stained wood and peeling paint rotted frames.
- Make sure you assess the glass and look for Low-e coatings to reflect heat and protect furnishings from fading.
- Is Your Home Warm & Cozy? Poorly designed windows don’t have built-in air locks and weather-stripping. Without these, air will make its way through the sash meeting rails and perimeter. How do you test this? Make sure your window is made with weather barriers that have a low Air Infiltration rate. It can equate to how many gallons of air leakage per minute. To give you some examples, our window is .01 CFM (cubic feet/minute) where other known brands such as Pella and Anderson are .23 CFM. That is a difference of an additional 1.65 gallons of air escaping every minute! That is a huge difference that many people don’t take into account.
- Make Sure It Passes Energy Star Ratings – Make sure you read the fine print of an NFRC label (National Fenestration Rating Counsel) that goes on every window. A qualified unit is Energy Star rated by its efficiency and airtightness by the NFRC. Energy Star updated their regulations on 1/1/16 which mandates a window must meet at least a .27 U-Factor. U-Factor is the overall heat transfer coefficient that defines how well a structure conducts heat or the rate of heat transfer. . The lower the U-Factor, the better the window is at keeping heat inside your home. Our window can have a U-Factor as low as .16 which is one of the lowest in the industry and tailored to this region for its climate and sun exposure. This can assure you receive the maximum energy savings and resistance to condensation. Buying a window without knowing the NFRC ratings is like buying a car without knowing the fuel mileage.
- Security and Beauty Combined: This is two-fold as you want a lock that has robust strength, but a low profile, and an easy to use handle that lasts a lifetime. To increase your safety, make sure your windows have:
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- Multiple layered glass system as it’s very difficult for intruders to penetrate.
- Multi-point locking system with weather tight seals.
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- Soft-Vent locks to limit sash travel to allow for ventilation.
- Beauty that is not just skin deep – Sure you want a window that has multiple color options, grid and glass patterns, but most importantly always go with 100% Virgin Vinyl when choosing vinyl windows. Why? Lower quality vinyl windows are comprised of mostly recycled plastics which are weaker and more unstable. Virgin vinyl is vinyl that hasn’t been made from recycled plastics. As for the sash and mainframe, makes sure it has:
- Get your max ROI – According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2016 Cost vs Value report, windows add up to 8-10% in resale value to your home and raise property value by 10%. It also scored 7/10 on the National Association of Remodeler’s (NAR) list of remodeling projects also bringing in 80% value recovery. In October 2015, about 2,000 NAR examined the return on investment on remodeling projects and indicated the projects with highest recovered costs recovered were new roofing, new garage door, vinyl siding and vinyl windows.
IF you have questions on what to look for in windows or have other home improvement questions, please email me at svanderbilt@mycoastalwindows.com or call 978-304-0495. I hope this week’s column was informative and helpful for you. I look forward to hearing from you!
