New windows, do they help?

[Lucky Charm]

Hi Mama's,
Its below zero here and I woke up to frozen windows with ice sheeting the inside of the windows....its 10:22am and its still that way.

My home is 32 years old, and i believe these are the original windows and screens. They seem fine, but the heavy ice *inside* concerns me. And my upstairs bedrooms are cold, which makes no sense, since heat rises (I have a 4 level home, BR's are on the highest level).

I have a company coming out this Saturday at 9am for an estimate. Its a big investment, but is it worth it? Will my house feel warmer? Anyone ever do it and regret it? Any love stories with your new windows?

Please share both love and hate relationships with your new windows, and any advice you care to give.

Lisa

[Boadicea]

We are in a similar situation as you. We live in North Dakota, where it is C-O-L-D, cold! The windows are the original windows installed in this house in 1969. We are hoping to replace them this summer with argon gas-filled windows. We have 12 standard size windows and three basement windows and we have had estimates around $4000.

For us, the investment will have a good return on two fronts. It will ABSOLUTELY save us money on heating, especially with the rising fuel costs -- I can currently feel a draft when standing near the windows, and we just re-caulked them this past summer, so there's obviously significant heat loss there. Also, we plan to sell this home within two years, and the investment in new windows (and doors, in our case) will greatly add to the selling price of our home, above and beyond the initial expense.

Good luck!

[Lucky Charm]

What are Argon gass filled windows?

[AutumnMama]

New windows can make a huge difference if you get nicely insulated airtight ones.
We used to have aluminum framed windows and we'd get ice inside...you could almost feel a breeze coming from them, brrr!

Got some new windows and the difference is really noticable; no ice, and no breezes!

I believe they have windows with the 'Energy Star' rating, I would recommend getting some of those, as they're designed especially to keep the house insulated well.

[Autumn Breeze]

My parents just did new windows, so far I have noticed a big difference while at their house. It was cooler this summer than it used to feel (and I was pg) now its notcibly warmer than it was last winter.

[Lucky Charm]

Originally Posted by AutumnMama

New windows can make a huge difference if you get nicely insulated airtight ones.
We used to have aluminum framed windows and we'd get ice inside...you could almost feel a breeze coming from them, brrr!

Got some new windows and the difference is really noticable; no ice, and no breezes!

I believe they have windows with the 'Energy Star' rating, I would recommend getting some of those, as they're designed especially to keep the house insulated well.

Ours are aluminum now too.

I am hoping it wont be too terribly expensive. $4000 doesnt sound that bad.

I will remember the insulated airtight ones.

[Lucky Charm]

Doulamommy...
I find that interesting that the house is cooler in the summer....do they have central ac?

[EFmom]

Absolutely it can make a difference. In our last house, we used to use an extra bedroom as a family room, and we huddled in quilts with a space heater to make it bearable. After dh replaced the old window with a nice new double hung window, we were toasty without the extra heating and blankets.

Personally, I love Anderson windows. Dh replaces them himself, so while the windows cost a bundle, the installation is free. We are doing our current house one window at a time. We had crappy triple track windows when we bought the place and can't afford to do them all at once. I'd rather get great windows over a period of time than get second rate ones all at once. Last summer, he replaced the old sliding glass patio doors with an Anderson french door, which is phenomenal.

[Starr]

Finally something I know alot about. Yes, if your windows are as cold as you say they are it would be a good investment. But there are a few things to consider.

Number one is you will want a vinyl window, meaning no maintenance on the outside, and you can either get vinyl or wood on the inside. Wood inside is much more expensive, but can look better.

Second what type of windows are you looking at getting? There is sliders, casement (crank outs), single hung and double hung...Quite a few options. If the windows are up high you may want double hung, theses allow you to tilt the window in to clean the outside easier. But they cost more and aren't as energy efficient, because to allow the window to tilt in you have lots of gaps and mechanisms (make sense). Sliders are the cheapest but not everyone likes them. Casements seal really good but not everyone likes crankouts. So its all on your preferences.

Whatever window you get should be Low E with Argon. Its standard on all good quality windows. Don't invest in the cheap trailer window replacements, in a lot of cases they don't even make code.

Window brands that I recommend are Marvins, Thermo-Tech, Andersen, Vetter. Umm, thats all that we carry where I work. But to work properly they need to be installed correctly. This is tricky. So you need to hire someone, a LICENSED contractor, to install them. Not just some random guy off the street that does it himself.

Another alternative to a whole new window is ask about a sash pack. A sash pack pops into your opening but leaves the original frame of the window there. These can be much cheaper if your frame is in good enough condition to reuse. But be sure to ask because they will want to sell you new windows and not replacement so they get more $$$. HTH. Any specific questions you can PM me.

[AutumnMama]

Originally Posted by sweetbaby3

Doulamommy...
I find that interesting that the house is cooler in the summer....do they have central ac?

I'm not Doulamommy :
But IME (unless you live in Phoenix or some place equally as hot!), if you leave the windows open in the evening/night during summertime it lets the cooler air in; then if you have well-insulated windows/doors and close up the house before it starts to get warm your house will stay cool all day

[Lucky Charm]

Originally Posted by EFmom

I'd rather get great windows over a period of time than get second rate ones all at once.

I was thinking the same thing. Get a few awesome windows, a bit at a time. I will defintely do the 3 upstairs bedrooms first.

Then the living room and dining room, then the rest.

I am also going to have french doors put in insplace of the slider in the family room.

[Lucky Charm]

Originally Posted by Starr

Finally something I know alot about. Yes, if your windows are as cold as you say they are it would be a good investment. But there are a few things to consider.

Number one is you will want a vinyl window, meaning no maintenance on the outside, and you can either get vinyl or wood on the inside. Wood inside is much more expensive, but can look better.

Second what type of windows are you looking at getting? There is sliders, casement (crank outs), single hung and double hung...Quite a few options. If the windows are up high you may want double hung, theses allow you to tilt the window in to clean the outside easier. But they cost more and aren't as energy efficient, because to allow the window to tilt in you have lots of gaps and mechanisms (make sense). Sliders are the cheapest but not everyone likes them. Casements seal really good but not everyone likes crankouts. So its all on your preferences.

Whatever window you get should be Low E with Argon. Its standard on all good quality windows. Don't invest in the cheap trailer window replacements, in a lot of cases they don't even make code.

Window brands that I recommend are Marvins, Thermo-Tech, Andersen, Vetter. Umm, thats all that we carry where I work. But to work properly they need to be installed correctly. This is tricky. So you need to hire someone, a LICENSED contractor, to install them. Not just some random guy off the street that does it himself.

Another alternative to a whole new window is ask about a sash pack. A sash pack pops into your opening but leaves the original frame of the window there. These can be much cheaper if your frame is in good enough condition to reuse. But be sure to ask because they will want to sell you new windows and not replacement so they get more $$$. HTH. Any specific questions you can PM me.

I will print your post, and I will probably PM you Saturday after they leave. And the company is a good one Dutch Windows in Colorado Springs.

Autumn, that makes sense Why didnt i think of that??

[Starr]

I know a lot of homeowners or handy men can install windows but I still HIGHLY recommend hiring someone. There is more to it than popping it into place. There is window wrap, getting it shimmed properly and bending the housewrap so you don't have water leaking in.

[MrsMoe]

Yes, good thermal windows make a huge difference, and yes, for sure hire somebody because everything has to be in-line/level etc or it won't fit properly.

[westernmamomma]

we got new windows last summer, two panes with the little plastic piece inside that makes them look like they're panes. They have definitely made a difference here. We had the original windows on our house (a 19th century Victorian) Though I was sad to see the beautiful windows go, I didn't miss the breezes blowing through our bedroom when the windows were closed, or the ice that formed on dd's windows each morning. So, though they were pricey, they were totally worth it, especially with the rising heating costs.

[katiecat]

Last year we replaced our front door (and the window beside it) and the door/window combo in our living room with a patio door. Today the same guy is supposed to replace two upstairs bedroom windows. I can't wait!! We bought our house in spring 2004 and only one window (in the other upstairs bedroom) had been replaced, otherwise all the windows are the original ones from 1970. We don't really have problems with heat, though, but I have lived in other places where I'd get the ice on the windows. Brrrrr! Good luck! New windows should make a difference (as everyone has said).

Allison
ds 5/8/02

[kate42]

We just replaced ten windows at a cost of $197.91 each, and my DH installed them. Ours are the argon-filled kind (no clue what that is, but DH insisted) and made by Farley.

LOVE THEM.

Our house is so much warmer, no ice on the inside, and the kind that we got has a lifetime glass replacement guarantee...so if DD breaks one by throwing a baseball at it, it's covered.

New windows add value to the equity in your house as well as keeping you warmer.

I spent the first week that we had them amusing myself by tilting them in to clean the outside every day. That got old kind of quick.

We still have about five more to do, but we ran out of $$$. That's next summer's goal.

PM me with any questions after you get your estimate. I can ask DH anything you need to know...he did massive amounts of research before choosing our windows.

[momto l&a]

We have vinyl double paned windows in our house that I am soooo not impressed with. The seal has broken in 5 of the double paned windows leaving this silver staining behind. All of our windows condense in this cold weather we are having. Right now in between the glass we have lovely frost patterns : Haven’t a clue what type of windows, they sure are junk. Think they have been in this house for about 8 years.


In another house we use to own it had vinyl windows that where wonderful, none of this crud we are experiencing right now. Those window are about 10 years old.


All of this to say get good quality windows. Ask around and see what others have and if they like them.

Double paned windows really do make a huge differance


And I have to disagree about having a 'professional' do the installation. I know many meticulous handymen homeowners that can do a better job than the professionals. Maybe we just have sloppy professionals around here.

Happy window shopping

[townmouse]

Our new windows make a huge difference!

We were only able to get two large windows done. Dh is going to replace the bedroom windows himself.

(He's in construction, and has fixed up several houses. He can do windows, plumbing, masonry, woodworking, and electric. We paid Nu-Sash to come do the two, and Dh has been kicking himself ever since. The windows are fine, but he can do as well himself. And their customer service wasn't ver good.)

We have to do the bedroom windows very, very soon because the extra dampness causes mold. So we're scrubbing daily, and wiping down the wet windows.

[Lisa Lubner]

i have the same problem with my windows, and our sliding glass door that goes out to our porch... and i RENT! what can i do to make it warmer???