Elements vs Barrington ??? SOFT-LITE

[Phillysports215]

Spoke to my Soft-Lite dealer today.....

Elements DH Dual Pane SuperSpacer install and capping $500.00
** He said he has had problems with a weld going bad at the top of the windows that some people have called back months latter and said its very hard to get the top sash out to move to clean??? ANY OF YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH THE ELEMENTS???
^^^^^^He was pushing the Barrington's over the Elements for this ^^^^^^^

Barrington DH Dual Pane with up-grade SuperSpacer install and capping $400.00

Is the Extra $100.00 worth it for the Elements??? And what about the problems
he is saying about the elements, Dont want get a bad batch of Elements!!!!

ALSO he says he only uses fiberglass insulation and does not use foam because foam has to cure for a day before he can do the capping??? Is this true, And how much better is the foam vs. fiberglass insulation under the capping???? My home is brick if this means anything to you?

ALSO DOES ANY1 HAVE THE NFRC NUMBER'S ON THE WINDOWS ABOVE, I CAN ONLY FIND INFO. ON THE TRIPLE PANE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ??????????????

[Delaware Mike]

The Barrington is not even in the same class as the Imperial LS or Elements. It has about 1/3 the amount of weatherstripping. The Barrington exterior frame is not very attractive at all. Also, the color of the Barrington/Bainbridge can either be a blue/white or a cream white. When we do a Bainbridge job we always do the cream white. Soft-Lite's cream white on these two series is a different shade of white than the Imperial/Elements. When we do an Imperial job we tend to cap with PVC from Alsco (chelsea cream white) and I would recommend that for the Barrington as well.

I did some Bainbridges on Monday and only had Alcoa PVC with me and it had been off just a shade (too white) for all the cream in the cream white Barrington/Bainbridge frames.

I"m going to assume that the problem with Elements is that the locks and tilt latches are integrated into one system, and one of the locks/latches has failed. When I was out to the plant just after the launch of the new Elements and Imperial LS there was some issues with the nylon shafts breaking within the sash of the Elements. I pretty sure they have the kinks worked out by now.

You will not be happy with the Barrington. As far as the foam issue is concerned it's pretty much like this. If you have an installer that is a little older that always used fiberglass and saw the birth and often misuse of regular expansion foam, you will never get him to change his ways! Hilti, Dow, or OSI Tech-foam is pretty much cured this time of year in about 10 to 20 mintues. I've never had a problem with it. Tell your dealer to come down my way and I show him how I work a Hilt foam gun like Clint Eastwood. I'll even spin the gun and holster it like Robocop! Just kidding!!!!!!!!!

[Phillysports215]

Dmike......Do you sell/install the Elements???

[Window4U (IL)]

Get the Elements ...and make him foam, even if he has to come back a day later to wrap. (The foam is usually set up in 5-10 minutes.)
We install Elements windows every day and I have never seen a problem like he is describing.

Your Elements dealer is from Middletown, N.J., right?

[Phillysports215]

Window4U-----He is from Lancaster county Pa, Small company...... ( 1hr from me )
I used Soft-Lite website and put my zip in ( 19083 ) and only 3 companys came up, 2 of the 3 company's that came up I would not trust doing windows, I dont want to say the name of the 2 companys because they are that bad.

If he does not have a foam gun I will buy one for him and make him use it, Tell him to take it off my bill.....

[3rdstone]

I think I talked to the same installer in Lan. co. today. He said the same thing to me about the Elements. I looked on their web site and they looked very impressive. He reccomended M.I. windows , I checked them out and they did't look as good. Sure would like to have D.Mike give me a quote.