Quote:
Originally Posted by wewantutopia
...I'm getting ready to replace a picture window; it is inoperable. I'm having issues finding a fixed window on the web...
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I recently bought a window for a remodel I'm doing.
I had several good conversations with the Lowes salesguy, who was in the window installation business for a couple of decades.
When we were talking about "standard sized" windows and the increased costs of going non-standard, he said that the cost increase policies tended to be historically based, and that the vinyl window industry entered the picture late in the game and were very highly automated from the beginning. The upshot was that they do have "standard sizes" which are lower in price, but the difference between standard and custom is very modest. Other windows, wood windows for instance, were in the game earlier, and even though they also are now also automated, their 'up-charge' (who made up that word?) have ignored the very small difference in manufacturing cost when varying from a standard size, so their charges are substantially higher for a custom window size.
Shopping at Lowes and selecting for performance, I decided on a triple glass vinyl. The vinyl window structure had a lower U-value than the other types I looked at. I was impressed with the cross section of the vinyl structure and how it contributed to strength while reducing conduction.
I decided to go double low-E. Where I live, the days that could give me solar gain in the winter are very limited. I put in a double low-E in the bathroom last year and I have been favorably impressed with it since. I have done lots of measurements during the coldest winter days, and the double low-E helps reduce radiant losses.
So my strategy in the weather pattern and house I find myself in is to reduce heat loss rather than seek ways to increase solar gain, since winter sunshine is infrequent.
What I got was not to Passive House standards, but it is a huge improvement over the 120 year old double hung windows I am replacing.
-AC