Replacement cost & model

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nameless
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Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2012 3:32 pm

Replacement cost & model

#1 Post by nameless »

I'm considering replacing windows in my master bedroom. This is inland Southern California, so it can get hot and cold (typical highs in the 90's in summer and lows around 40 in winter), windows are facing to the southeast. Right now I have fairly thin dual-pane windows, most likely dating back to the late 1980's. The master bedroom is the hottest room in the summer and the coldest room in the winter. Which is a bit strange, because I have the same windows in every room, but this room is the most exposed. The attic is thoroughly insulated and I'm pretty sure that the problem is with the windows.

The biggest problem is that windows are large and somewhat unusual shaped. I have two single-hung windows 34"x75", one non-venting big square window 66"x75" (I think it's actually two windows 33"x75" side by side), two triangular windows 32"x32", and one pentagonal window 72"x65".

I just got an estimate from Home Depot and they quoted me $2300 with installation to replace the first three windows, and $6300 to replace everything. They are proposing Simonton / Vantage Pointe 6200 series windows.

Is that a good choice of window in my situation and how does the price sound? I was hoping for less, considering that Home Depot runs an ad for $350/window installed up to 101 united inches, and that's with single-hung windows (my rectangular windows are slightly above 101 inches, but I'd think that simple non-venting windows would be cheaper.)

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Windows on Washington
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Re: Replacement cost & model

#2 Post by Windows on Washington »

That is not a bad price for shape windows as they can easily be 2X that of a standard window shape.

Are you sure the windows are the issue? Going from a double pane clear (assuming they are relatively airtight and they should be on all the non-operable units) will take you from roughly and R-1.5-2.0 to an R-3.5.

That is going to be a tangible investment to get that extra R-1.5 out of those windows.

Low-e will help with the radiant heat gain, however, the heat loss will be a less dramatic change.

nameless
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2012 3:32 pm

Re: Replacement cost & model

#3 Post by nameless »

I can't swear that the windows are perfectly airtight. Removable sashes on single-hung windows are rather poor-fitting (warped or something) and I had to put foam tape all around. I looked at replacing just these two. Home Depot guys say that they don't do less than 3 windows. Pella Replacement series looked nice, but they don't fit my frames because my frames are too thin, only 1.5".

If it's not windows, I don't see what else it can be. These windows are huge and they take up one entire wall, floor to cathedral ceiling. I have R30 to R40 of fiberglass insulation in the ceiling. I had an experiment recently: let the house cool down uniformly to ~73 F overnight, turned off the A/C, closed everything including the door to the master bedroom. By noon the next day, it was 95 F outside, 95 F in the master bedroom, high 80's in the master bathroom and the walk-in closet, 79-80 F elsewhere in the house.

At this point it looks like my best option is to tear down the shaped windows and to cover them with drywall. It'll surely be much cheaper than $4000.

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