Window Specs - Good Quality?

[MinneGal]

Following up from previous posts, and thanks to everyone for input thus far!

I'm currently considering the following three options for my 4 south and west facing openings (combination of sliders and casements) plus SGD:
ProVia (Sugarcreek) Integra Series 300; Sunrise; Soft-Lite Imperial LS. (I don't have a Simonton rep/quote but wasn't impressed with the aesthetics of the Platinum Prism I saw at a distribution center).

There's been a lot good said about Soft-Lite and I also see Sunrise in comments, usually positive.

The ProVia Integra is being billed (by a company that has excellent marks on Angie's list, a referral from a realtor friend, and a fairly knowledgeable and non-high pressure salesman who has conviced me of the overall quality of his company's work) as superior to Gorell 5300 and Heartland (the other two lines he carries).

The research I've done on this window indicates it does have

• *Aluminum reinforcement vertically in the sash for sliders and in both frame and sash for casements;
  *Extrusions are from Dayton Technologies (can anyone comment on that?);
  *Thickness of the extrusions is somewhere between 60-80 (I need to clarify this somehow - big difference);
  *Testing shows DP of 30 and air infiltration .01 for casement and .16 (mediocre I think) for the slider;
  *Triple weatherstripping including "qlon";
  *Glass is 7/8" ppg solarban 60 Low E;
  *Super spacer;
  *U ranges from .28-.30;
  *SHGC I can get on the 3rd pane (thanks for the tip Oberon!) up to .36 (as much sun warmth for winter as possible);
  *Warranty is non prorated lifetime for all components including seal and even glass breakage, except screen tearing, and is transferable for the "basic window unit" to the next owner;
  *Company is related to the Amish thus the quality selling point

Aesthetically, they are fairly nice, corners look good and the tracks of the sliders are flat/easily cleanable.

Sunrise advantages / disadvantages: tilt in sliders, slightly better warranty (virtually all is transferrable, and it explicitly states the vinyl will not WARP, fade, delaminate, and corners will not separate - not explicitly stated in most other warranties), slightly more glass space / glazing bead & pull rail the same (thought I read that in earlier post), intercept spacer

Soft-lite advantages / disadvantages: better window numbers / less attractive window including rough corner weld, warranty is not as explicit so don't know how service would be

Can anyone comment on the ProVia Integra either from experience or from the characteristics I've included? The DP / air infiltration is a bit lower than I'd like to see, and I'm not sure about the vinyl quality - but the lifetime guaranty sounds good, they stand behind the product. The NFRC numbers on the Gorell are comparable. Would this indeed be superior to or even similar to the Gorell? Terry has recently praised Heartland on this board but from numbers and looks it seems lower end than these others.

My objectives are: low maintenance (thus vinyl); longevity - 25 years minimum (good quality vinyl should cover this); glass space (Gorell is out because of this); good looking (for a vinyl) - Sunrise is nicest on this; and energy efficiency while keeping SHGC as high as possible (only 2 sides of my home have windows, thus it's not too bad as is).

Price and installation are the next factors to consider, of course.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

[WindDoze]

Having dealt with all the windows and manufacturers on your list, I'd go with the Sunrise. Provia (formerly Precision / Sugarcreek) is a door company, windows aren't their main business. Sunrise is a great window and a great company, and aesthetically their frame allows for the most glass space of the four you've mentioned.

[Windows on Washington]

Dayton makes a ton of extrusions for window manufacturers around the nation.

The DP ratings is kind of low for a top end window and their air infiltration number is moderate to weak on their slider.

The Sunrise window is attractive. I am not a big fan or the integral lift rail and glazing bead. They have been prone to pulling out in other applications. I wouldn't really give Sunrise an edge because of the explicitness of the warranty. The things you mentioned will be non-factors in the windows that you are evaluating.

I do not like the rough welds on the Soft-Lite as well, however, the performance numbers are better.

[MinneGal]

OK, so the support for ProVia/Sugarcreek windows thus far is sparse. I gather it's primarily due to lack of experience. WoW, thanks for the specific feedback, and WinDoz, your support for Sunrise. I had thought that Sugarcreek was a window company for years prior to being consolidated with Precision Door into the ProVia name, so am not sure I would discount them for that reason in particular (unless I'm mistaken about their longevity in windows).

Are there opinions on if I'm offbase in thinking they are in the same general quality range as the others I mentioned above? Sunrise, for instance, apparently has no metal reinforcement, so there are some advantages PV has. Is it possible the contractor is giving ProVia top billing above his Gorell simply because he can't get a better price, but wants to get his quantities up? Yet he strikes me as trustworthy and someone who believes in his product, but perhaps has simply been sold himself on the Amish work ethic and translation into quality.

Thanks again.

[windowsnj]

MinneGal, i appreciate all the research that you are doing to make sure your job goes well, it sounds like you are splitting hairs between windows to choose from, as all seem to have pros and cons in your opinion, as far as i can see all look to be fine windows in their own respect. Your opinions from many on this board are just that...opinions, one professional may love a product, another will dislikes it for whatever reason. Even some technical numbers have been disputed between posters in the past. If you can find a contactor that strikes you "trustworthy" that should bring you to the answer of what you are looking for, especially if you like the product. you wrote :The ProVia Integra is being billed (by a company that has excellent marks on Angie's list, a referral from a realtor friend, and a fairly knowledgeable and non-high pressure salesman who has conviced me of the overall quality of his company's work)
I hope this helps...i know what i would do.