Episode 9: Window contractors share the latest trends and technology [5:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadT: Windows: they’re a part of daily life that most of us take for granted. For many of the home contractors on Angie’s List, though, windows are a focal point of professional life.
If you’re like me, you probably only pay attention to your windows if they’re dirty or broken. But how can you tell if it’s time to flat-out replace them? Gino Streano, co-owner of Lifetime Remodeling Systems in Portland, Oregon, has an answer.
Streano: For a leak, obviously that’s a no-brainer; you’ve got to replace, because not only is there an energy-efficiency issue, but you’re causing damage to the home. You’re potentially introducing dry-rot and toxic-mold issues. A leak is going to be the easiest time to know when to replace. For most people, it’s an energy upgrade because a lot of people have either inefficient old vinyl or inefficient aluminum pane windows from the 70’s, which are the absolute worst as far as Energy Star ratings are concerned. In my market, in Portland, Oregon, we’ve got a lot of arts and crafts houses that have old single-pane wood windows, which are equally ineffective at insulating the house. And the windows are the number one cause of heat loss in the home, so most of my customers are upgrading their windows based on their ability to save money on heating and cooling, because it’s such a huge upgrade, from an Energy Star factor, to go to a high-end vinyl window versus an aluminum or an old wood window.
T: Most residential windows on the market today are low-maintenance and double-pane, according to Streano. However, triple-pane windows are now available as well; according to Streano they generally cost about 30% more than a similar double-pane.
Streano: I know that there are some manufacturers that are now moving to triple-pane glass, which on paper is great, and we also offer it. I’m not as much of a fan because I feel the rate of failure for triple-pane glass is much higher than for a double-pane. You add more parts and pieces, there’s more room for failure.
T: There are positives to having triple-pane windows installed, according to Pat Nelligan, vice president of Thermalcraft, which installs both double- and triple-pane windows in the Chicago area.
Nelligan: You’ll have areas where they want sound abatement: people living next to train tracks and things like that. You’ll see them using triple-pane windows for that reason. Or someone that wants to get the ultimate thermal efficiency out of a window.
T: Nelligan says the window industry’s main trend is toward high-efficiency windows that contain argon gas, which helps insulate, and windows that often have Low-E coatings as well, which minimize heat transfer.
Nelligan: It really comes down to glass packages that are available, whether it be low e and argon, as far as how the windows insulate.
T: Streano, Nelligan, and Mick Widmeyer, owner of Mr. Window in Indianapolis, only sell Energy-Star-rated windows. Widmeyer says customization is the other big trend in the window business.
Widmeyer: You can put in good-performing windows with no-maintenance features: you don’t have to paint them or stain them, the grids are between the glass so they’re easy to clean, they’re high-energy-efficient. But you can also put in windows that have some nice options that you might make a statement or decorate your house with, like blinds or pleated shades between the glass, or a wood interior that you want to stain or paint a specific color, or retractable roll screens that when you want your screen it’s there, but when you don’t it doesn’t obstruct your vision. Or put specific designer-type hardware on the window, like oil-rubbed bronze in a den, but bright brass in a bathroom. Those are some things you can do to have some fun with windows.
T: The contractors all agreed that proper installation and good customer service are the most important qualities of a good window-installation business. Streano says that homeowners should ask many questions of their window installer.
Streano: You have to make sure that you understand the installation practices that are being used and that whoever sells you the window is willing to explain in simple terms how they’re doing it that’s why we do so well on Angie’s List. Because I really try to explain not only the feature set of the window, but how we install it, and why that’s better than doing it another way, and show you ways to install it that would fail, so that you know. Because the most energy-efficient window in the world that big air gaps around it with air flowing into your house doesn’t really matter. And that’s what I see that all the time, where they’ll (other contractors) measure the window too small and then hide it with some wood trim, and there’s no insulation there so you have a quarter- or half-inch gap around the entire window going straight to the outside, so you just have all this air leaking into the house. That’s a real shame.
If you get a good-quality window in your home, while you’re spending X number of dollars, depending on where you live, you’ll recoup the majority of the cost of the window and installation the day the installation’s done, just from equity value gained, and then you should continue to gain equity on that. I’m not going to walk out the door, and you’ve just lost $7500 value on your home.
T: You can get a well-installed, Energy-Star rated double-pane window for about $350, according to Mick Widmeyer of Mr. Window. Add options such as grids inside the glass, two-tone color, or triple-pane glass, and you’re looking at a few hundred dollars more. For the Rolls Royce of windows, though, you could spend up to $1200 on a great-looking Pella wood window with mini-blinds between the panes, according to Widmeyer.
(INTERLUDE)
If your old windows are leaky, and you’re looking to save energy or just make an update to your home, check out some of the highly rated window installers on Angie’s List to get more information on the options available for your home. And as always, feel free to leave a comment or contact us on the podcast’s website, angieslistpodcasts.com.
Until next time, this is Tristan. Thanks for taking the time to list-en!
