Alside Mezzo

[DanG1580]

Hello,

Does anyone have any experience with the Alside Mezzo window? I'm doing 'window shopping' for my house (10-20 windows, haven't decided), and as I understand it, it's a new window rated for energy star 2015 and looks nice with a narrow sash (more glass)... all of that sounds pretty positive to me. I also got quotes from Lowes (Reliabilt 3500 series) and HD (Simonton 6100), both of which were a little pricier than the Mezzo quote.
Thanks!

[Window4U (IL)]

From the literature I just looked at it looks like Alside has made a step up with the Mezzo when compared to their low end junk we usually are asked about. Several of the features in the window are features we sometimes see in better windows. BUT..... that doesn't mean a thing unless the window is engineered to perform at high levels. I saw no performance numbers listed so I will keep my opinion muted until I hear some real world reviews and performance numbers (like air infiltration #s, U-Values, etc.

[TheWindowNerd]

Dan,

As Window4U said you should compare AI(air infiltration test results), the lower the better. Suggest .05 or less for DH.
What city are you in?

theWindowNerd...

[Windows on Washington]

Definitely a move in the right direction for Alside.

It still felt a bit flimsy to me but a bunch of other parts about it were much better than standard Alside offerings.

[masterext]

The Mezzo is basically an excalibur but with a new sill. I was told this by someone very familiar with alside. To me, its still flimsy.

[TheWindowNerd]

Hopefully all the large national companies will become truly interested in high performance product and offer double hungs with an AI .05 or less.

[DanG1580]

Thanks for the information everyone. I'll contact them about the AI test numbers, good advice.

I'm located in Virginia and have a few more companies stopping by to give me quotes. I had Castle Windows come by last night, but was turned off by the hard sell he gave me. Their quote wasn't unreasonable, and the window looked stout (if ugly), but the hard sell kills it for me.

Thanks again.

[randy]

If you're in a part of Virginia that is serviced by Windows on Washington, he would be your best bet with a variety of high performance products and superior installation systems.

[TheWindowNerd]

I agree with Randy, if Windows on Washington services your area you would be crazy not to contact them. Great team.

theWindowNerd...

[HomeSealed]

+3! Windows on Washington is the man in VA. Great company and people... There is a "Get Quote" button on his posts to contact him if you wish.

[FHD1]

The Mezzo window by Alside is a great product. Our firm is one of the leading window installation companies in the Midwest. We were the first to try the Mezzo window when it was introduced early in 2014. Now with thousands installed the Mezzo is proving to be everything we hoped for in an updated window design. We have the highest rating on Angie's List so our product quality, integrity, and support are paramount. We have a 30 yr relationship with the Alside brand and there is no manufacturer with a better warranty and support system.

[Bill]

"Support system" really , I had a customer where we installed the back and the sides of the house a year after a contractor did the front with ALSIDE. Customer showed me a haze in the arched window in the entry foyer. Clear case of low-e in backwards, ALSIDE stuck to the warranty providing glass only delivered to the local distributor he had to pay $800.00 to a glazer to set up scaffolding to replace the glass. This is a clear case of a manufacturers defect the day the window was made and not a penny towards labor.

My manufacturer would have sent their own service contractor for no charge.

I can't comment on the quality of the Mezzo, I have never seen it.

[masterext]

FHD1 , are you kidding me !
Why does alside feel the need to to use fuzzy pads in the meeting rails? The window itself is flimsy.

[Windows on Washington]

I need to remember to put some Saran-wrap over my computer when I read these threads. I just spit my coffee over my screen.

[HomeSealed]

Not a rosy picture for Alside (AMI) or the Mezzo line:

Published 12-5-14 in PlasticsNews

From the article:

The two new window lines helped drive that growth of 4.1 percent but margin compression and other factors hurt the overall financial performance of Mezzo and Fusion windows. During the conference call, Strauss was asked what’s going wrong with window production.

“Is it a design flaw? Are you having trouble assembling the windows? Is there extruding problems? Are you having to go back and fix the windows in the field? What’s happening?” one market analyst asked.

Strauss’s response was essentially all of the above.

“You’ve got the buckets correctly,” he answered.

Basically, Alside is struggling to meet expectations for its manufacturing cost on a per-window basis, Strauss said.

A net loss of $276.1 million on net sales of $870.2 million was recorded for the nine months ended Sept. 27. That compares to a net loss of $32 million for the same period in 2013, according to Securities and Exchange filings for Associated Materials.

Design flaws and assembly issues per Alside's own people. This is also sold as the Revere Berkshire Elite.