Window Replacement
Window replacement shouldn’t be done hastily, the repercussions from a "good deal", fast installation or the cheapest bid can be very costly in the long run. We have worked with dozens of home owners that replaced their windows only to find that they have more problems than they had originally. No matter how good the windows are, if cheap, fast installation methods are used you could have leaks. When choosing your contractor make sure they give you the manufacturers’ installation guide lines for installing the new windows and make sure that he follows them. Another good idea is to check with your local building officials to make sure that the contractor is meeting the wire lath and building paper overlap requirements.
Replacement windows add value from every perspective. If you're thinking about replacement windows, there's no reason to wait. The benefits start immediately. From enhancing your home's interior to adding to its curb appeal, to increasing your homes energy efficiency, new windows transform a home from ordinary to outstanding. What's more, out of all the home improvement projects you could do, this is one of the few projects that starts putting money back in your pockets through increases in energy efficiency. New windows provide one of the best returns on investment of any home improvement project. Especially if there backed by a full lifetime guarantee, these are the lasting windows you’ll never have to buy again. Sticking. Sweating. Screeching and Fogging are some of the problems that affect older wood or aluminum windows. New vinyl or fiberglass replacement windows won't be a problem now or even years down the road. They open when you want them to open. They lock when you want them to lock. They slide easily. They don't need painting. They keep drafts out. And they do it forever, guaranteed. Cut heating and cooling losses with Milgard SunCoat™ Low-E all climate, all-season glass. It's the "clear" glass choice for energy-efficient windows that give you year-round comfort. You'll find it on all Milgard insulated windows. Not only does it make windows more energy efficient, but it also protects your carpet and furniture from fading. SunCoat Low-E blocks infrared light and reduces the effects of ultra violet rays. PLEASE REFER TO THE PHOTOS IN THE GALLERY AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
• Should I replace my windows? You can’t go wrong replacing aluminum windows. They don’t open and close well, they conduct heat and cold, water condenses on the frame and causes the paint on your blinds and window sills to peel off, and they're drafty. Most homes, even the high end homes, are built with builder grade vinyl windows. This means they have the thinnest frame out of the different grades of vinyl windows. Windows with thinner frames are less resistant to the wind. Builder grade windows in large openings are probably not even rated for moderate winds, which can cause the frames of the windows to be compromised and cause leaks at the window seals or the wall areas below the windows. Advances in low E glass, argon gas, lifetime warranties against breaking glass and vapor condensation between glass as well as energy rebates, and more secure locking mechanisms are good reasons to replace aluminum or builder grade vinyl windows. Windows with mullions (mullions are plastic strips used to connect two or more windows together) are notorious for leaking. Window manufactures have responded and now mull the windows at the factory and new windows now come with at least a 10 warranty against leaking.
• A replacement window should be installed using the same building code requirements and methods that are used during new construction. This requires the removal of the home's exterior cladding from around the window down to the 2x framing of the home. This allows the new windows to be installed correctly; tying into the existing building papers behind the exterior with the new window flashings. Windows installed without the removal of the exterior cladding is done to cut a corner, making the installation cheaper but will cause the windows to leak. RAM Builders has worked on many projects where home owners spared no expense on the best windows but the contractor used poor installation techniques causing the expensive new windows to leak.
• Common Window replacement methods that will leak:
1. Cut and caulk method is done by cutting around the frame of the existing window to sever the nail fin, removing the glass and collapsing the existing window frame, then removing the nail fin from around the new window, installing the new window, fastening the window through the side of the window since the nail fin has been removed and caulking from the window to the homes exterior cladding.
2. At window replacement jobs on stucco walls the contractor will use a skill saw to cut the stucco from around the windows, cutting through the stucco, the wire lath and building papers, leaving no way to tie the new window flashings into the existing building papers, or for the new wire lath that’s placed around the windows to tie into the existing wire lath.
• Z bar or Flush Fin windows are not meant to be installed on walls that require secondary water management (stucco, brick, stone, siding all have secondary water management behind them). These windows were designed for block or cement walls, like a basement window. Contractors use these to cheat on the amount of labor it takes to install a window. They rely on caulking to keep a window from leaking, and they don’t meet manufacturer installation guidelines, building code requirements, and more importantly they don’t work!
• Don’t replace your windows because you have a leak at the top of the window into the home. The window itself is often blamed for the leak but most times it’s coming from a deficiency above the window in the homes exterior cladding.
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