I have two questions:
1) Does anyone know of a good recommended installer in / around Omaha, Nebraska?
2) One quote I've obtained from a recommended installer was for Vinylmax Radiance Intelliglass double-hung windows. I've been trying to search around and it seems Vinylmax is a small enough company that there isn't as much info out there as an Okna or a Simonton or a Sunrise or a Plygem (and even then, between the various models offered and finding reviews for older models not currently offered, it's a bit dizzying).
What I'm looking to replace are my three six-foot living room units with something with an oriel-style awning or double-hung that can provide some ventilation. The Vinylmax have been my cheapest and most-informed quote out of three so far...quite a bit cheaper than the other two, admittedly which were Pella ProLine (even at a 'friends' rate, which someone from Pella Direct said was a great rate they couldn't get close to, still the most expensive) and...well, the independent guy never even mentioned which brand he uses.
Anyways, I would like the cheap price so long as the windows (and installer) aren't junk. From my cursory looks it seems Sunrise and Okna are more highly-regarded than Vinylmax, which seem to be more or less around a Simonton or a Plygem. As long as they're not junk I'd probably still lean that way unless I could find an Okna / Sunrise installer nearby for a little bit more I think.
Thanks in advance!
Installer for Omaha, NE and are Vinylmax decent?
Re: Installer for Omaha, NE and are Vinylmax decent?
I will add that the Radiance Intelliglass show a .30 u rating, .29 SHGC, and 55% VLT. I didn't find any rating for air infiltration, which may be intentional as I had seen older posts on older Vinylmax models that had a poor air infiltration rating, especially compared to Okna. Not sure how much of a difference this actually makes in the end.
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Re: Installer for Omaha, NE and are Vinylmax decent?
When I don't have substantial firsthand experience with a product, I always defer to the performance ratings. They are independently tested, tell you how the unit can actually be expected to perform (assuming proper installation), and are a great indicator of quality. Having said that, a .30 u factor is had by even the most mediocre (or worse) products on the market, so that's not a good sign. The A and B level windows are getting between .28-.25 in standard double pane without 366 glass or a surface 4 low-e coating (neither of which I would recommend in your climate).
I'd investigate air infiltration and design pressure if you still want to consider that window.
I'd investigate air infiltration and design pressure if you still want to consider that window.
Re: Installer for Omaha, NE and are Vinylmax decent?
Thanks, and I appreciate the info from you and others on this forum available via search as well.
I ended up getting air infiltration on the Vinylmax quoted as 0.17, which still seemed fairly high. I did manage to find a local Sunrise distributor / installer that quoted a full-frame double hung replacement with better performance values across the board at a marginally higher price than the Vinylmax bid.
I ended up getting air infiltration on the Vinylmax quoted as 0.17, which still seemed fairly high. I did manage to find a local Sunrise distributor / installer that quoted a full-frame double hung replacement with better performance values across the board at a marginally higher price than the Vinylmax bid.
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Re: Installer for Omaha, NE and are Vinylmax decent?
The .17 is high indeed. Good choice on he Sunrise
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