Accu-weld Invision 6500 windows? Versus Schuco?

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rjacob
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Accu-weld Invision 6500 windows? Versus Schuco?

#1 Post by rjacob »

I filled out a card at the local wholesale club for estimates on Schuco windows. The salesman guy came by tonight and he was recommending Invision 6500 windows made by Accu-Weld. He said that they are part of the Schuco company. Is that true? Are the Accuweld windows any good? I am leaning to the Schuco windows with the triple pane krypton filled glass packs. He said that since our heating costs are relatively cheap, the Schuco's were more than we needed.
The guy was a little surprised when I pointed out the literature showed a U factor of 0.27 and 1 divided by 0.27 (R = 1/U) equalled an R value of 3.7, not the R Value of 5.4 or 5.6 that he was quoting.

Any info or comments appreciated.

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Window4U (IL)
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#2 Post by Window4U (IL) »

Wow, that's a new approach. If you don't sell Schuco, just pretend Schuco owns the company that makes your window.

What will these guys think up next?

Accuweld is not part of Schuco. Accuweld's parent comany is Arch America, who also has other companies that make fence, pools, aluminum extrusions, and hardware for doors and windows.
(source Window & Door magazine)


Boy, nothing like a salesman building a level of trust with a homeowner.

FenEx
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#3 Post by FenEx »

LOL... Accuweld part of Schuco? Yes, it's true... but I can't talk about it right now as I have to pack for a lunar mission... my shuttle leaves in an hour.

May we ask who this dealer is and what state they are in?

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Window4U (IL)
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#4 Post by Window4U (IL) »

FenEx wrote: Yes, it's true... but I can't talk about it right now as I have to pack for a lunar mission... my shuttle leaves in an hour.
Does that mean you're not meeting me for lunch today?

rjacob
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#5 Post by rjacob »

The guy came from BJ's Home Improvement (through BJ's Wholesale). He claimed that the Invision windows were Schuco's B grade window and came with the same guarentees and stuff.
I was expecting a hard sell, and was going to throw him out if he tried it but he never did. I had to laugh, the guy was dressed in a blue three piece suit, silk tie, monogrammed shirt, a gold chain going to what I assume is a pocket watch, and several gold rings. I personally was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt. If he was trying to be impressive, he wasn't. I actually found his dress kind of amusing. Why he was writing donw the prices, I had my lap top set up, and was searching this message board for info, and came up with squat for Invision windows. That was surprising. I came with very little on Accu-Weld too which if theye were made by Schuco, I would have expected people to be talking about them at least.

ANOTHER WINDOW GUY
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#6 Post by ANOTHER WINDOW GUY »

Did he have blue suede shoes? I believe there necessary to tell a whopper like that. I carried AccuWeld years ago and there pretty much an accident waiting to happen.........I have more respect for Silverline.....oh by the way that's Schuco's grade two and one half window.
I read a lot about the credibility of window salespeople on this and other boards and I'm convinced theres a lot of fibbing going on out there.

rjacob
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#7 Post by rjacob »

When I got home I looked at the guy's card. It says FJB on it. They must be who BJ's contracted with?

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Window4U (IL)
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#8 Post by Window4U (IL) »

If it says FJB then he does have Schuco.

rjacob
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#9 Post by rjacob »

He does have the Schuco. He showed me the sample with the triple pane-krypton filled glass pack. But he was pushing the Invision 6500 series windows, saying they were Schuco's B grade windows, and that due to the cheap electricity costs in our area (4.5 cents per KWH in the winter, about 3 cents in the summer), we really didn't need to pay for the higher technology of the A grade Schuco windows.
But the literature for the Invision 6500 windows says Accu-Weld.

FenEx
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#10 Post by FenEx »

FJB does carry Insulsash, which is manufactured by Schuco. Accuweld however is not connected with Schuco. I hope he didn't show you the Schuco glass pack and tell you the same technology is used in the Accuweld, they are completely different. It's not a lower grade, it's not even a distant cousin.

rjacob
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#11 Post by rjacob »

He showed me both. I had seen the Schuco before. The Schuco has an impressive glass pack. The Accu Weld sample had the panes mounted into the vinyl frame, not even a glass pack. He was telling me that the Accu Weld had the same bells and whistles that the Schuco did but had 2 panes instead of 3. I think it had argon instead of the Krypton. He also said the Acuu Weld had an R Value of 5.4 or 5.6 (I think he mentioned both numbers). But the U factod on the literature was 0.27 which works out to an R Value of 3.7.

FenEx
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#12 Post by FenEx »

The Schuco can also be ordered with double pane, low-e and Argon without sacrificing the better engineered, more attractive product. It would be the same window with the different glasspack and still utilizing the TPS glazing.

rjacob
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#13 Post by rjacob »

At this point, I am still on a fence between the Andersen French Wood Gliders (I love the look, and they would go great with our house), and the Schuco's with the R-10 glass pack. So on one hand there is styling, versus energy efficiency.
I know you are very high on Schuco's but I can't believe that many people would think that a vinyl door would look better than a real wood door. The Andersens are also a little cheaper. We are planning on being in our house probably another 20 years. So I am trying to figure which would be a better value in the long run. Would the energy savings outweigh the initial cost savings, and how the value of the house would be effected. If I tell someone the house has Andersens, most people know the Andersen name. If I say Schuco, most people would ask who?

chrisexv6
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#14 Post by chrisexv6 »

Im actually replacing a few Andersen gliding windows in the next month. They are circa 1984 "perma shield" gliders...........the closest approximation I can come to a current product is their 200 series sliders.

I had Andersen Renewal out for a quote, and I thought the price was a little high (mostly because there was a lot of "well you can see the window in our showroom" and not enough "here is the window that will cost 700.00/opening"). I had Schuco out a couple weeks later. To me, there is no comparison. The Schuco "French Slider" as they call it, won hands down. The thing is built like a tank, and Im *very* impressed by the way it seals (Im assuming Andersens "French Slider" is just a fancy name for their regular slider? the salesman didnt tell me about an Andersen Renewal FS). Are you looking for replacement windows or all new windows? I didnt think Schuco made all-new windows but I could be wrong.

Schuco was actually more expensive than Andersen, but with the glass pack and the way the slider seals shut (more like my fridge than like my current Andersen sliding windows), I signed on the spot (salesmans best friend I guess). I had trusted installers telling me to go with the Andersen Renewal product for the price I got, but again the quality difference between the Renewal and the Schuco was worth a lot more than the price difference.

I was unclear if you were looking at replacing windows or doors, but if you were looking at windows, feel free to have my 2 cents :)

-Chris

ANOTHER WINDOW GUY
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#15 Post by ANOTHER WINDOW GUY »

If I were replacing sliders in my home and I wanted the best, the Renewal would'nt be part of the equasion. The Schuco slider leads everyone in that category. Sliders typically have higher air infiltration test. The Schuco slider test out more like a casement.
The only consideration that might make Schuco less than desireable is size, because of the bulky frame you do loose a lot of glass. so in smaller applications, it's not the best choice.

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