In this post you will learn...
- What is causing new, cheap vinyl windows to fail?
- How can you determine if your windows are failing?
- Looking to replace your home windows? Learn more about Stanek Windows’ energy efficient windows.
The old-time single-pane wood windows of the past used to last for 40 years, with some scraping and painting. Many windows today, however, don’t come close to that. Today’s cheap windows are doomed to fail at the tender age of just five to ten years, sometimes even three to five.
New Windows- Do They Last?
According to Sven Kramer, National Sales Manager at Great Day Improvements, it’s a common misconception that the newer windows should last longer than the old standbys. Many sweeping improvements have come about in the contemporary windows industry, but when it comes to lower-end products, longevity is not one of them.
“What we’re seeing today,” Kramer says, “is a lot of homes that were built back in the ‘90s to present, with windows that are failing, rotting from the inside out. Many mass home builders use low-end builder-grade windows in new construction to keep costs down, but we're seeing these windows fail in as little as three years.”
Kramer elaborates: “Most window failures are with the homes built since 1975 or later. These homes require corrective action to the home structure to understand the cause of the failure, correct the problem and then install new custom-made windows.”
It’s troublesome. What can you do?
Bad Bones or Good?
Our resident expert Sven Kramer has this advice for you:
Take a close look at your windows. Are they bowed or rotting? If you answered yes, your windows were probably structurally weak to begin with, often made only out of low-grade vinyl without any kind of reinforcement.
Stanek’s “Wood Series” windows, unlike the many cheap windows on the market today, are a combination of vinyl and fiberglass. Stanek reinforces these custom-made vinyl windows with fiberglass in order to provide the benefits of a strong, sturdy window that won’t sag or warp, a window that will last for generations.
Along with their stunning durability, these fiberglass-reinforced vinyl windows offer all the maintenance-free properties of vinyl. The end product is a much sturdier, more user-friendly, better-insulated window. One that will last.
How Not to Buy a Vinyl Window
Our resident expert, Sven, has this to add about buying cheap vinyl windows:
“Beware! Don’t buy a window from a brochure. See a full-sized sample or visit the showroom to get a feel for how that window is constructed before you purchase. If it seems flimsy and cheap when you first look at it, then it will not last in your home.”
Wood Windows Are Suspect, Too
It’s not just the cheap vinyl windows that cause consumers woes these days. Wood windows warp and rot too, and need to be repaired or replaced. Unlike vinyl, wood demands regular repainting to avoid peeling, which exposes the wood to moisture and eventual decomposition. Without this kind of strenuous maintenance, wood windows are doomed to rot and fail as well.
Even when aluminum cladding is applied to wood windows, they can fail rapidly if water reaches the core. (See photos above) Notice that when the aluminum cladding falls off, the entire wood window is already rotted away.
Those Eye-Catching, Hot Pink Flyers
Don’t fall for the low-cost specials advertised on colored paper stuck to a telephone pole, either! These usually come from fly-by-night companies that know the weaknesses of the average consumer. They’ll install windows that look fine and work for a few years, then start to fail. You’ll drag out that guarantee you conscientiously kept, only to discover that the company has disappeared into the night, taking their tents with them.
Think Stanek. It's the Real McCoy
When you buy windows, find a solid company like Stanek for your provider. Stanek Windows, which is now owned by Great Day Improvements, has been a leader of the industry for well over a half-century. We know what works for long-term, long-lasting, beautifully satisfying windows. Stanek products are renowned as among the best-quality available today. We make and install each one by hand, so there’s no middleman to make tiny mistakes or cut corners, causing problems that will show up later. And there are no extra middleman charges!
All of Stanek windows arrive at your home direct from the factory, where they were custom-made for your specific needs. They carry a lifetime guarantee, a real one, so you know they’re built with durability in mind.
A Stanek Windows expert will be happy to come to your home or office and give you a consultation, professional advice and an estimate. This service is 100% free, so schedule your in-home estimate online today!
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