What Window companies do you guys like?

Our house has Jeld Wen and they are junk. Concave glass melting pool covers and synthetic turf and killing landscaping. I’m dreading the day I need to replace them all.
 
I’m partial to Pella. Our house has what I think are the original Pella windows…. Which makes them from 1975. They’re all single pane with an interior “storm pane” casement windows. You have to use a pair of vice grips because all the little posts for the hand cranks are stripped, but they all still open and close!

My parents had a Pella sliding door on their old house, that thing took so much abuse from us as kids and never once gave us problems…. Still slid open and close like it was new after 15 years.
 
about twenty five years ago i had installed Parco windows,great window,double payne,well insulated,life time warrenty,they use anderson glass,,,nice windows,well made
 
Somebody here locally for 19 windows and a patio slider was quoted $61,000.00 All contractors have said (don't know if its true) that prices since the C-word have doubled. Don't know the brand of windows. A second quote came in at $37,000.00
 
Just had all 10 windows replaced in our home here on the Texas Gulf Coast. Used a highly rated local company who installed Simonton Storm Breakers, which are very thick impact-rated vinyl windows for hurricane-prone areas. Shopped all the typical big-box places. The Pella widows from Lowe's are a special version made just for them...probably a bargain version of standard Pellas. Lowe's came in at $12.9K for non-impact windows (studded trim boards to accept plywood coverings in the event of a hurricane) and $14K for impact-rated. And that was with the military discount. The company I used (which also replaced my roof) was $12,450 installed. The Simonton windows are very substantial, much more so than the Pellas from Lowe's. Time will tell on their longevity, but they are covered for the life of the home, so pretty pleased thus far.
 
RhondaHonda said:
Our house has Jeld Wen and they are junk. Concave glass melting pool covers and synthetic turf and killing landscaping. I’m dreading the day I need to replace them all.
Click to expand...

Interesting - and a bummer. They create a lens that fries a certain point/ path in the summer?

This brand is pretty highly regarding and I thought they used Cardinal Glass, maybe its the way they mounted the glass?
 
Last edited:
UncleDave said:
I know about Andersen, Pella, Jeld-Wyn, and Milguard, Marvin and Harvey, but Im curious if you guys have any experience with anything outside these brands and what you may think.

I've heard Amsco, and Anlin are worth a look, but know nothing about them.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
I know you wanted other brands but Renewal by Andersen and Marvin are my choices.. They use a composite framing, not pure vinyl which is weak, flimsy and ruined by the sun over time. That is what many of the "other" brands use.

Keep in mind, even the best windows are doomed by a poor installation job.

Pella had a class action lawsuit pending for their wood cored frames. I would stay clear of Pella for now.
 
Last edited:
I have Pella, installed in new construction in 2012. They’re wood with metal cladding on the outside and pre-stained wood on the inside. We don’t have termites up here. A lot of them were crank opening with removable screens. No problems so far.
 
I am a fan of both the OKNA (Insul-Tec 500) and Simonton (5500) replacement windows. They are great mid-upper choices if you are looking for the most "bang-for-your buck" in a vinyl window. Do your research and be sure to use a well-regarded local installer who has been around for a long time and offers a good warranty.
 
Last edited:
UncleDave said:
I know about Andersen, Pella, Jeld-Wyn, and Milguard, Marvin and Harvey, but Im curious if you guys have any experience with anything outside these brands and what you may think.

I've heard Amsco, and Anlin are worth a look, but know nothing about them.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
When comparing "like kind"* there isn't much difference with regards to replacement windows.

They all use the same regional/national glass suppliers (ex, Cardinal) but obviously have minor differences with regards to frame construction and choice of hardware (ex ballast vs spring).

Apparently the quality of the install matters the most and that's going to be the local crew.

* high tier vinyl vs high tier vinyl. Fiberglass vs fiberglass. etc.

My neighborhood uses Alside (Their regional factory is right next door to our neighborhood with a Cardinal glass tractor trailer parked at a loading bay). Alside is a big company and their replacement windows are marketed under Mezzo. They only sell mid-tier Vinyl

Edit: Read warranties carefully. Some only cover materials and not labor.
 
Last edited:
UncleDave said:
Interesting - and a bummer. They create a lens that fries a certain point/ path in the summer?

This brand is pretty highly regarding and I thought they used Cardinal Glass, maybe its the way they mounted the glass?
Click to expand...
It could be the solar rejection coating on the glass. I've seen stories where a neighbor installs high coated glass and it melts the neighbors vinyl siding. These are called Low-E windows.

 
UncleDave said:
Interesting - and a bummer. They create a lens that fries a certain point/ path in the summer?

This brand is pretty highly regarding and I thought they used Cardinal Glass, maybe its the way they mounted the glass?
Click to expand...

Exactly right regarding the beam, but it’s actually during the winter that more damage occurred because the sun was lower in the sky. I narrowed it down to a few windows on the back of the house and the solution was to have screens made which breaks up the intensity enough to prevent damage. These are probably lower end Jeld-Wens if I had to guess, from 2013-2014. I counted the windows yesterday after reading this thread and sure hope these last!

The worst culprits were the 4 at the top which don’t even open, but they now have screens mounted on them.

IMG_3537.webp
 
I've had the Milguard fiberglass windows now for around 10 years without any issues. My brother in-law gave me a deal I couldn't turn down. It was 50% below my next closest bid.
 
I live in a 100+ year old house and want to retain character so must have mullions. The options for the smaller panes are limited. Anyone been happy with this type? If so who was the manufacturer. Most I have seen are NOT real mullions. More like stick on!
 
Loved our Pella, triple pane, w/enclosed blinds, wood frame casements in Ohio, beautiful look, inside and out. But here in Florida I went with vinyl frame, hurricane/impact resistant windows by CWS. They are white frame inside, but dark brown (bronze) on the outside.
Both window types were very well made, and you hear almost NO NOISE from the outside world.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

John105
logged into account and money gone
2 3 4
Replies
65
Views
3K
Nessism1
D
Insurance rant, what would you do? (long)
Replies
9
Views
1K
maduroman
MattLawz
What brakes do you guys use?
3 4 5
Replies
85
Views
12K
Urshurak776
Owen Lucas
What do you think about Super Start Platinum AGM Group 48 (O'Reilly)
2
Replies
29
Views
3K
chexxers
A
My Journey Begins, Cancer and Medicare, Maybe this will help some others one day
11 12 13
Replies
249
Views
9K
Cropduster172
Back
Top Bottom