1. Hype of spacer bar. A metal spacer bars
is used to separate the 2 panes. Every manufacturer of a spacer bars (there are
5 common types) claims theirs is superior and then produces a graph to prove their point.
There are three reasons to doubt their results. First, the ratings, when
independently done of the major window manufactures yield nearly identical R values, even though they use different types
of spacers. Second, the spacer bar is not
touching the glass; for the spacer bar is covered along the side edge by the sealant-adhesive, which acts as a thermal
break. Third, the total area where the spacer bar covered by sealant is in contact
with the glass is less than 5% of the total glass area.
2. Sealants: applied around the spacer bar
to hold the two panes in place. The typical hype is that it is the same type found in airplane windows. There are a number of different sealants. Fair, comparative
testing of the 8 most widely used types is not available. Improvements make failure
rare failure from moisture entering the sealed unit. A failed unit will at first
appear dirty, then wet (http://apluswindows.biz/pf/id14.html). Water on the bottom touching the sealed glass unit can enter a compromised
seal—a major issue with wood windows which don’t have drainage holes below their spacer bar. Repair of a fogged up glass unit consists of its replacement. IWC,
Milgard, Bede all have a lifetime warrant that includes labor.
3. Most manufacturers don’t use desiccant in their glass units,
so it is not mentioned. Some like Milgard, and IWC use a sealant with a desiccant mixed in.
I have seen only once a glass unit of theirs fog up, and we have sold them for over 10 years. The square spacer bar
is more stable and thus is used in all quality doors. Moreover, it is hollow
and filled with desiccant. Bede is one of the few window manufacturers that use
this superior system in their windows.
4. Low-e coating hype, best available and need on all windows. Low-e coating is a baked-on and consists of several compounds, which block certain frequencies of light. There are 3 major manufactures of low-e coatings.
All of them have very similar ratings, and thus the market is divided between them.
They offer 2 and 3 layers of low-e coating—the 3rd layer adds very little. Each of the 6 major glass-manufacturing companies select one of the 3 sources for low-e. The window manufacturers choose a glass company and thus their low-e.
The brochures hype the low-e which has been given a proprietary name. They
continue with that name in their brochures even when the formula is changed. Low-e coatings work by both reflecting and absorbing most of the heat-carrying infrared
light and the fabric-fading UV light. The winter drawing of low-e keeping your
house appreciable warmer is misleading. Where solar heat gain is an issue, use
low-e. The down side, besides net expense (about $60 for a patio door, $35/window) is the loss of light about 25%--3 coatings
even more. For more extensive discussion:
http://apluswindows.biz/pf/id4.html
5. Glass, the hype: thicker, and double hard. State law governs
both hardness of glass and also thickness. They all use double hard (properly
called annealed glass), and the thickness is determined by the window size as governed
by state law. U.S. companies use 1/8 over 1/8; Bede, a European company use
¼ over 3/16.
6. Virgin vinyl hype:
All major companies very high grade vinyl. It isn’t the vinyl but
what is added that counts. Chemicals are added to make the vinyl white or tan,
to improve its properties, and there is filler added to cut cost. The better
manufactures don’t cheapen their windows with filler. Thus their vinyl
in windows do not significantly weather or fade.
7. Strongest frames & fusion-welded corners hype. Fusion welding is the industry standard for joining the corners—only aluminum
windows use screws. All major brands design their frames with enough chambers
and their vinyl sufficiently stiff so as not to flex when properly installed. Most major manufacturers offer a low profile, modern-looking model; and another
series resembling the wood windows by use of more chambers. The extra chambers
are for appearance—the maximum sizes for both series are the same.
8. A couple of manufacturers, such as Anderson their Reliance series, mix sawdust in with their vinyl, and call it a tougher
space-age polymer that can be painted. However, they have ONLY a 25-year warranty
versus the vinyl’s lifetime, and they charge double the price!
9.
Warranty hype: the sales representative wants you to believe that their product has the best warranty. Lifetime warranty is the norm for vinyl windows. Make sure
the warranty includes labor—not mentioned means labor is extra. All warranties
are transferable since the factory only tracks the purchase order number. The
new homeowner only needs this number.
10.
Best R & U* (thermal efficiency) hype.
To manipulate test results a special window is tested. Such window could
have a triple-pane glass unit, filled with antimony hexaflouride or krypton gas, have multiple low-e coating on both panes,
and the glass could be both thicker and laminated, and the vinyl frame filled with insulating foam. However, when production windows are tested, the variation for R & U* is insignificant.
11. Argon improves thermal efficiency by a couple of degrees, but escapes
through the sealant in less than 5 years industry articles reveal (http://apluswindows.biz/pf/id18.html).
10. Value: the art of sales is to
make you believe you are getting a Mercedes at a Ford price. A Plus Windows believes
in true value and journeymen installation crews. Ask about our price guarantee. We offer the economical IWC, the West-coast leader Milgard and for the luxury look
and quality there is the commercially-rated, German designed Bede windows and doors.
Milgard, Superior, and Bede offer an interior wood. We carry four choices in aluminum windows. We can trim out your window with casing and a stool, either of
primed MDF or stain grade woods (http://apluswindows.biz/manu/id17.html). Our lead installer can do much more than windows; we are here to serve you.
