Straight talk on replacement windows

Often I’m asked “What is a good replacement window?” Now many greasy salesman types would be salivating at the chance to tell you why their window is the BEST and nobody else comes close. Well, I’ll let you in on an industry secret: Most of the “technical” features that salesperson is raving about are nothing more than sales gimmicks. Most of these guys are trying to trick you into thinking that their product is far better, and that is why you should pay $1000.00 per window. The truth is that the numbers (NFRC ratings) don’t lie. The main things to look at when considering a window are the performance ratings (U-value, SHGC (solar heat gain), etc) as well as the warranty. There certainly are some other characteristics that set a well-built window apart from a “cheapie”, however as a general rule the ratings and the warranty are the most important. Any quality vinyl window will come with a lifetime warranty that is transferrable, and a U-value and SHGC of .30 or LOWER. This will guarantee that you won’t be disappointed the the energy-efficient performance of your new windows. So your next question is: how do you know whether a window is “well-built”? The answer to that question is actually pretty simple. You are already on a computer if you are reading this, so do a web search on the manufacturer of the window. You will find a lot of information, but most importantly you’ll find reviews from other consumers. If you see an overwhelming number of reviews that are good, or a lot that are bad, you are probably well on your way to determining the quality of that product.