shouldn't Marvin windows/doors last more than 20 years?

11 years ago

I have some Marvin swinging patio doors that started leaking at the bottom recently. These were installed when the house was built 20 years ago. I've had someone try replacing the weather stripping at the bottom but this had no impact. I'm now looking at replacing these doors. I have another older home and as we've needed to replace doors and windows I've always gone with Marvin. So far no problems but none are 20 years old yet.

I'd like to replace these leakers with Marvin sliding french doors but I find myself asking - why am I replacing a failing Marvin product with more Marvin? Could it be an installation problem? The contractor who has been working with me to fix/replace didn't mention anything looking to be wrong from that perspective.

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Comments (13)

millworkman
11 years ago
Without know more about the product, how it was maintained, type construction, condition of construction, and installation it would be impossible to give you a correct and proper answer. Pictures would probably help tell us more of the story. But in a simple answer yes a properly maintained, installed product in its recommended application should last more than 20 years
HomeSealed
11 years ago
The leaking could be due to a variety of things and is impossible to diagnose without more info. A picture would definitely help.
On Marvin, it is definitely one of the top offerings available in wood windows/doors. That said, any wood product is going to require maintenance if you want it to last.
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hi All, Thank you for your questions/comments. I should have expanded more into why I have commented on the SHGC, and the context. Most people do not pay attention to SHGC therefore my point was bring it to your attention so you can research and select the correct SHGC/U-Value that works for your home and climate. In Canada, the earlier conventional wisdom (which some still hold today, but awareness is starting to shift) is that using high solar gain windows allows "free heat" into the homes particularly during the cold months. This may be valid in some homes in some areas, but it should not be blanketed across all homes in cold climates. As our building codes continue to increase in overall energy efficiency and more high performance homes are being built, these builders and the industry as a whole have found heating loads are dropping to very low numbers (20,000-30,000 btus is very common in single family homes (in some areas). In multi's like town homes the numbers can be even lower). With heating loads that low, the home doesn't need the added "free heat" from the high solar windows in the winter. In fact for some time it was difficult to get forced air systems small enough to avoid oversized units and therefore short cycling of the units. We are finding the free heat becomes a detriment in the summer cooling seasons in many areas. With the low load homes, it is becoming common for cooling demands to exceed the heating demands and therefore forced air duct systems that were historically designed for heating loads are now being designed to cooling loads in many cases!! Although the high solar gain windows are adding free heat in the winter which is a marginal benefit, they are actually overheating some homes in the summer, resulting in more demand on cooling units or even having to install larger systems. Every home is different, with unique orientation, window/wall ratios, insulating types and values, size, geographic location, age, etc. Therefore this is why I recommended seeking out professionals in your area to work through what are the best windows for your home to achieve the overall best comfort for you, and to avoid the pitfall of affecting the operation of your mechanical system. Point is, pay attention to the SHGC and the U-Factor because they both make a difference. When you are spending that kind of money on windows, you want to be sure you are comfortable in your home. Again, thank you for feedback. It allowed for the opportunity to expand with more context. And, Happy Fathers Day to all of the dads out there!
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HomeSealed
11 years ago
...or in other words, ditto to mwm's comments ;)
PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
11 years ago
I think is about sums up your post....
millworkman
11 years ago
wow, I just spit coffee thru my nose and now to clean up my computer!
HomeSealed
11 years ago
lol, I actually wrote that a couple hrs earlier and never hit submit, but that's ok... leave it to WoW to draw from his vast library of cuddly kitten pics ;D
3katz4me
Original Author
11 years ago
I'll try to take some pictures and post. It's clad on the outside wood on the inside. What type of maintenance is required for this type of door? What is an incorrect application for a six foot French door with one side that opens? It seems pretty basic.
HomeSealed
11 years ago
Pics would definitely help, but the primary maintenance would be to maintain the finish and seal on the wood.
3katz4me
Original Author
11 years ago
Okay - I think that could be part of the problem then. I think there could have been some issues with how well the hinge sides of the doors were finished initially. At this point I am planning to replace with Marvin sliding French doors and hopefully the person doing this work will get it right. What do I need to look out for?

What are your thoughts on sliding vs swinging?
PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
11 years ago
HomeSealed...are you a felinist?

That is a hate crime in today's day and age. Be aware that I may report you.
WindowDog
11 years ago
With doors you want to make sure that the threshold of the door is set in sealant and sits solidly on the sub-floor. It's common for this to not be the case, and eventually the threshold bows down and creates a gap where dirt collects and holds moisture. Don't know if this is what happened to you, but it's something to watch for.

And like the other guys said, make sure that the bottom of the door itself is sealed properly from the get go. Also, personally, it doesn't hurt to remove the hinges and seal behind them as well.
brickeyee
11 years ago
New windows more than 20 years?

You must be kidding.
PRO
East Bay 10
11 years ago
Gibby - To answer your question of swinging vs. sliding, there is no difference with Marvin as far as design pressure (performance) is concerned. There are more moving parts on the swinging doors thus, more to go wrong down the road.
As for the leak on your existing door, where is the water coming in? That can usually indicate if it is product or installation issue. Highly unusual for a door to remain dry for nineteen years and then suddenly leak without something happening (broken door sweep, etc..

shouldn't Marvin windows/doors last more than 20 years?

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millworkman

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shouldn't Marvin windows/doors last more than 20 years?

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