Request for help with selection

In the last week we have had 3 vendors to our house. We will be replacing 16 windows and a sliding door. We are i9n the lower mainland of British Columbia. The products that the sales reps recommended were as follows: All Weather Windows, Vinyl Tech, and Centra. I'm mawaiting a price quote from Vinyl Tech but the price from the other two are within a few hundred dollars of one another.

At this point All Weather is discussing the most extensive install. Taking off vinyl siding and replacing. The other two are not recommending or think there is a need to do that in our house. All Weather is recommending Argon gas in all windows, Centra thinks it's unnecessary and Vinyl Tech thinks it should be placed only in the living room large windows that get a lot of morning sunshine. The way the house is there is situated there is not extensive sun elsewhere.

The thermal liners (?) in Centra are super saver, in All Weather are some type of broken bar and in Vinyl tech a product that was non metallic that sales rep could not remember name.

Having said all of this our primary issue is condensation. I suspect all of the windows will address this issue. We will check references prior to signing a contract. I think each of the vendors has a fair amount of experience but I was least impressed with Centra.

I'd appreciate any advice or information any of you have on these windows. I tried to read previous posts to get a sense of what I should ask of each of the sales reps and they all seemed to be able to provide the correct answers.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Also thanks for past information and posts.

I would have thought one of the experts would have replied by now. I will tell ya what I know. I would recommend argon or a similar product in all the windows in your home. They don't just block UV rays, they also slow or block transfer of heat and cold. They were just trying to stay competitive with their quote.

The most important thing I would concern myself with is the install. A bad install can make even the best windows useless! Ask for references from previous installs in your area, talk to the customer, go see the windows.

I would also recommend leaving the siding alone. Install the windows as replacement style windows. I've installed thousands and no problems. If there is rotten wood, make them replace it. Also, make them wrap or cover all the exterior wood trim around the window. There is some really good vinyl coated aluminum out there in a wide variety of colors. Don't let them use the baked on enamel or painted aluminum, it chalks up pretty bad after a few years. Make sure they insulate any areas that will be void between the new window and the old frame.

I'm not certain that new windows will resolve condensation issues. Sometimes, new windows can increase condensation on the windows. New windows do not reduce the amount of moisture being produced inside your home! In fact, your old windows are more than likely allowing more moisture to escape from your home than your new ones will. Don't cover your windows with heavy drapes and run the ceiling fans often. If you have condensation problems after that advice, then you probably have a moisture problem in the house. Buy a humidity gauge, keep it around 40% with a de-humidifier if needed.

Good luck with the project, hope that was a little helpfull!