Welcome to Replacement Windows resource site!

Replacement windows take the place of existing ones when they have become drafty or non-functional. Replacement windows increase the resale value of the house, and may greatly decrease energy loss and outside noise. While most replacement windows are used in residential applications, there are numerous commercial applications as well, such as storefronts, offices, and workshops.

Replacement Windows

If a down payment is required for special order replacement windows, request to follow the contractor to the window company and make the check payable to the vendor, not the contractor. No matter if you have used the contractor before or not. If you buy windows at store, be sure to check them before any of your old windows are removed. The installers put in two replacement windows before I realized that they were not the windows I had ordered. They were the same manufacturer, but a lower grade of replacement window.

Some replacement windows are constructed of wood that is then "clad", at least on the exterior, in a "maintenance-free" material, such as vinyl or aluminum. While the interior, wood, surface of the window can be painted or stained to match interior color replacement schemes, the clad exterior cannot, or should not, be painted. Non-wood replacement windows almost always differ in their proportions and dimensions from traditional wood windows and this can distort the appearance of the house. The glazed surface area of the window can also be reduced in a non-wood window. Vinyl windows are generally unacceptable in historic properties, and will not likely be approved as part of an LCHIP-funded project. It is generally much more difficult to repair an insulated replacement window than it is to repair a traditional single-glazed window. While individual panes and even broken muntins are fairly easy of fix in a traditional window, the usual way to "fix" a broken insulated sash is to replace it.

When your house desperately needs new replacement windows, they must be maintenance free and colorful. The vinyl replacement windows are excellent. If you purchase a high quality vinyl replacement window, maintenance headaches will be a thing of the past. You are not the first person to be displeased with the limited exterior color variety of vinyl. You can purchase a replacement window that will offer you the warm feel of vinyl on the inside of your home and unlimited exterior color possibilities.

Good replacement windows depending upon the glazing options and low conductive gas fills range between 0.5 and.1 for the U-factor. Solar Heat Gain indicates the total amount of solar energy that passes through glass relative to a 1/8" (3mm) thick clear glass under the same design conditions. It includes both solar energy transmitted directly plus any absorbed solar energy subsequently re-radiated into the room. Lower values indicate better performance in reducing summer heat gain and, in turn, air conditioning loads. Your average single paned wood framed window has a SHGC of 0.98 whereas a quality replacement window will have ratings from 0.91 - 0.39 depending upon glazing options.