Windows and doors
 

Hey all, I'm thinking about getting all of my windows redone in my less then 10 year old house (yes...I know it's stupid, but they build new houses like crap around here lately). Some of my windows already have the seal broken on them and are crap. Others I can feel air coming through the actual window...even AFTER I caulked around the window. My neighbor is a owns a window business and I asked him if he may be able to replace all of my windows and he said sure. He quickly took a look at the window and he's like...this is just glass. He told me there was nothing to them...no UV protection, no insulation, nothing. Just a pane of glass (he didn't say if it was triple pane or double). I'm thinking of replacing all my doors too because they leak as well and the I get frost on the inside of my doors even though there's no gap anywhere in the seal. They're cheap crap and I want it all replaced. I also want storm doors etc...

Does anyone have any recommendations for what type to get? I live in Winnipeg so it's freezing cold her for 3-4 months of the year and mild cold for another 3-4 months after that. We basically only get about 2-4 months of nice warm weather.

The best windows I've seen (actually found them via the ads on the site here) are Serious Windows. I plan on using them when I replace my single pane windows upstairs. I have absolutely no idea how much they cost, but they have the highest R value windows I've ever seen.

You've lived in your house long enough that you should figure out if there are any windows that you never open and that no longer need to be a style that opens, replacing these with simple double or triple layer glass will do away with the worst part of windows and doors and that is that they need to seal while being able to open and close.
Also ask about how they seal around your new windows, they should caulk everything from the outside, first bit of caulk goes under the nailing flange or brick molding, 2nd bit of caulk seals the trim to the siding, then they should fill the gap between the rough opening of the house and the window with expanding foam, if they stuff the gap with fiberglass or say that doing that much is over kill and not needed then find someone else, don't use the guy just because he lives next door.

yep whoever replaced the windows on my house for the previous owner used good windows and did a horrible job installing them. No caulking on the outside. No shims holding the windows in place just screws and sitting on the bottom jam. the gap was stuffed with fiberglass. then some trim stapled in to hide the roughly 3/4" gap around the sides and top. When it's windy you can feel the air moving past them.

As each room gets painted I've been pulling the trim and spray foaming the gaps then caulking the trim. The original windows installed in the 60's were better installed and probably as effective as these new ones.

A good installation is necessary to make new windows worth it.

Thanks guys. Ryland I will definitely ask him those questions. I don't see him enough to even care if I use him or not. As much as I'd like to use him, I have to look after my family first. Plus it would bug me for as long as I lived there that it was done incorrectly.

How many windows/doors would you want to replace?

All of them. They're all crap so I'd end up saving money doing them all at once rather then one at a time. Both of my boys windows have the seal broken, but they all leak air no matter how much I caulk the suckers. I even spray foamed and caulked the front window and I can STILL feel air coming through. I have no idea where it's coming from. The only thing I can think of is that it's coming from between the seal in each window. Dunno. But I'd rather just get them all done and then it's out of my mind. The doors suck too so I may as well do those while I'm at it. Either that or I'm going to replace the two windows and sell the house. Which is a possibility as well.

You could look to reuse a door or two if you have a garage or basement, if one of the doors to the out side is better than what is being used on the garage or basement replace those with the better one that you currently have.

If the door is a cheap metal door with no insulation when you move it drill a hole or two in the side and fill with spray foam and give it a coat or two of paint so the door does not work as a heat sink.

What?
The whole idea is individuality. I am not going to ask my neighbor what design they have or are getting. I could care less if my neighbors like my choice of window design.
On the other hand, if there is a Homeowners association then you have to go by their rules. And those are usually really stupid.

I agree! it's going to look better if you choose windows that fit the style of house that you have, my house is from 1906 and the one next door is from 1950 and the one next to that is from 1880 or so, each one has detail that fits the house and a big part of that that you notice from the street is the style of windows that were installed from that time frame that they were built.