Vinyl, Aluminum, Wood or Fiberglass?

Recently, we have been talking to some potential customers who have mentioned our "pro-aluminum" competition. Of course we understand that we still have some "old school" window competition around Dallas who have exclusive deals with aluminum window manufacturers. Heck, even we still sell Aluminum Windows on occasion. But to argue that aluminum windows are in any way superior to vinyl windows is just irresponsible of any window company who plans to remain in business long-term..
Folks, the windows that you currently have are probably aluminum. And how old are they? 15 - 20 years old? Simply walk over to your existing windows and examine their condition. Aluminum replacement windows fade, corrode, conduct heat/cold, conduct sound, they often "rattle" and the seals never last very long. Aluminum windows become hard to open and sometimes difficult to keep open (SLAM).
Every summer day the Texas sun heats the exterior of an Aluminum window to extraordinary temperatures, melting the silicone seals. That evening those seals re-congeal when the temperature drops. Repeat... month after month, year after year. This cycle is one of the reasons that your windows are so drafty. Also, because Aluminum conducts so well - when the exterior aluminum gets hot/cold the interior also gets hot/cold. The inside aluminum temperature simply radiates through the room as if it were a space heater or A/C vent.

Vinyl Windows on the other hand, are terrible conductors of heat/cold. They don't get nearly as hot and the seals stay in tact throughout the summer. Vinyl doesn't corrode like Aluminum and they tend to "flex" with the movement of Dallas homes, allowing them to smoothly open and stay open throughout the lifetime of the home. Aluminum windows can be painted. That is the only edge that they have on Vinyl. But in Dallas - a painted window must eventually be re-painted. Vinyl is virtually maintenance free.

Wood Windows are the most energy efficient type of window but most of our potential customers simply can't afford them.  Of course, wood is paintable and easy to match to your existing interior / exterior but if you paint them you must ALWAYS paint them.  Yes, they are more decorative but those decorative moldings rot and decay.  There is a risk of buying an expensive window that will need to be replaced relatively quickly if the homeowner forgets about inspections or painting for a season.  However, for those diligent homeowners who can afford them, wood is an extremely attractive option that adds warmth and beauty to a house.

I'm sure that some of our competition and any manufacturer who offers them will disagree with our opinion of fiberglass windows.  Unfortunately, the truth is the truth.  Fiberglass windows are not only expensive, they are brittle.  It is very common to see splintering and cracking relatively quickly with fiberglass windows and they're (in our opinion) just too expensive to have such expensive problems.  Of course, there are salesmen out there who make huge profit margins from selling fiberglass windows but Adams Exteriors is still searching for one that we can stand behind.  Check back in a few years.

        

Sloped Sill vs. Pocket Sill vs. Stepped Sill

Here at Adams Home Windows, we frequently get asked about the different types of available window sills.  When multiple companies are competing for a job, it's not unusual for one of them to proclaim their window superior because of the design of the sill.  Sketchy salesmen are very quick to inform confused homeowners of the gloom and doom of buying any window but theirs.  Usually this includes statements like: "Slope sills are cheap and not rigid enough", "Pocket sills will leak and the weep holes clog up", "Step sills are new and unproven".

Please keep in mind that reputable window manufacturers have been selling and warrantying each type of window sill for a long time.  If it were true that any of these types of sills were unreliable, these companies would surely have re-designed their product by now.

However, lets take a look at each ~
Slope Sills shed use a thin piece of vinyl to lock the sash into when it closes.  Other than this... it's exactly what the name implies, "sloped".  If the screen is up and rain is allowed to splash directly onto the sash, the water will run down to the sill and run off.  Simple stuff.  This works.

Pocket Sills use a cup design that the sash closes into.  If the screen is up and rain is allowed to splash directly onto the sash, the water will run down into the pocket and drain out of the "weep holes".  This works.  However, it's a good idea to keep the screen on the window... you don't want dirt and leaves clogging up the drainage.  The benefit of a Pocket Style frame is that it's bulkier and more rigid.  Some customers might prefer a stronger frame for larger windows.



Step Sill is a hybrid of both Slope and Pocket sills.  The sash closes into a pocket and uses an outside slope design to direct water off of the sill.  This works.  There aren't as many "honey combs" inside this frame as there is inside of Pocket style frames so the window itself won't be as rigid and sturdy, but there should be no reason for worry.  Again, if the screen is down only a small amount of water will need to be drained by the sash.