Discussion Board Forum for Vinyl Windows

In addition to fiberglass windows, you may also take a look at the thinner Style Line windows from Milgard here: http://www.milgard.com/products/vinyl-windows/ I think most people would agree these are a slightly better window than the Alside Excalibur. But as others have said, with vinyl, thinner w...

I replaced a few twin old aluminum double hungs in my home with a single Simonton 9800 slider. I liked the single slider better, because with the double-hungs, you have a horizontal crossbar around eye level blocking the view. A single window is usually cheaper than two, as well. The only slight dis...

utoo is correct and the Style Line is single hung only. I didn't take that part of your post into account. That said, the fiberglass windows are still a good option, if a thin frame and paintability are more important than getting the lower cost of vinyl.

Check out the Milgard Style Line, and basically any fiberglass window (Marvin, Milgard, Pella, FiberFrame, Thermotech, etc.), if those are an option.

You shouldn't need to wait until winter to check for serious air leaks. Put a fan outside blowing against the window at a reasonable speed and distance to simulate some wind. Then light an incense stick (4th of July fireworks punk, cigarette, etc.) and run it around the problem areas inside and chec...

Without knowing the exact details of the installation and windows, it is harder to speculate, but that is probably close to an average quote, assuming this involves fairly "full service" - wrapping with trim, insulating the gaps, haul-away, cleanup, insured, some labor warranty, etc. You c...

Simonton and Great Lakes both make midrange to high end windows. You'll find an equivalent Great Lakes is a bit more pricey, most likely, because there might be only one "exclusive" dealer serving your area. If you live in a more extreme climate and also need serious noise control, look in...

Without being an expert in the weather in your area, and the energy performance of the rest of hour home, nobody can promise promise Krypton will "pay back" in X years, but it is definitely a better choice. You rarely see people get triple pane without Krypton. It just doesn't make that mu...

Krypton is better for triple pane - no doubt. I guess your decision might depend on how much the 10% really costs you relative to your utility bills, but the energy efficiency benefit is definitely there with Krypton. It is fairly rare to see triple pane argon windows.

My suggestions would be to get laminated double or triple pane glass and also find an experienced and careful installer. Airports often have laminated glass to cut down on noise. Depending on the windows you have now, good quality windows with laminated glass will usually make a huge difference in t...

You don't need as thick a frame for small windows. In the small demo window models most showrooms/salespeople have, even fairly thin frames can be fairly sturdy. Personally, I don't like beefy frames on small windows due to glass loss (for example - the smaller sizes you often see above kitchen sink...

You can up a Simonton double-hung to DP-55 or higher by adding the metal reinforcement option. Also, the DP rating differs based on the dimensions of the window, so be sure and compare DP ratings between windows of the same size and with similar glass packages.

The 9800 looks nicer in my opinion with its contoured sashes, nicer lift rails, and different locking hardware. It has a different default glass option, but the 5500 can be upgraded similarly in many cases. I believe it also has a glass breakage warranty and a little more weather stripping. The ener...

Nearly every installed per vinyl window price over $900 is beyond reasonable **. I think people fairly often see high quotes just over $1000, but $1,711/window really takes the cake! Run away as fast as possible! ** There certainly are cases of extremely large windows, bay/bow windows, significant r...

Milgard still seems to claim that the 366 "SunCoatMAX" is exclusive to them, but you are right that it doesn't look that way anymore. Cardinal 366 with Argon has a u-factor of .24, according to their web site, but that is a center of glass measurement (which isn't heinous for an IGU manufa...