Need Help - Replacement Window recs 4 coastal NC

17 years ago

It gets really hot & humid here in the summer & cold & often quite wet in the winter. We are in a high salt environment (across the street from the ocean) & get visible salt buildup. I need to replace 5 STD size 13 yo double hung wooden Anderson windows which leak air(& fine mist in storm conditions in spite of rolldown hurricane shutters) & their rotten surrounding sills on North, south & west sides of house. The eastfacing Pella glass door is leaking air abit - noticable soughing through invisible gap during recent northeaster. This door is flanked by 2 glass windows the same dimensions as the door.

I would love recs for this type of environment. DH wants to get all vinyl single hungs from wither Home Depot or Jennweld. I am not so sure about these choices but have gooten really frustrated trying to decipher different values & methods of manufacture, not to mention then locating reputable installer in our area (insert high-pitched nervous laughter).Thank you in advance.

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Comments (7)

sada
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
not to mention losing my ability to type LOL! wither = either; gooten = gotten.
BTW - Anderson windows are douple-paned Thanks again!
oberon476
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi sada,

Are you interested in impact-resistant windows (you should be)?

Ease of maintenance?

Longevity?

Energy performance?

Budget concerns?

All factors to consider at this point -

Please continue...
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guy_exterior_man
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Sada, Oberons list of questions is a great way to figure out what you need & want. This will help eliminate some of the frustrating issues. I'd strongly recommend staying away from the DIY windows. They're usually cheap for a reason.

Hey Master Obi One, I hope things find you and your family in great health and happiness. From me to you, I wish you and your family a Safe and Merry Christmas!!!!!!
sada
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
1. Impact resistant not as big a concern - we are careful use our rolldown hurricane shutters on 2 & 3rd floors & have the aluminum slat-style coverings for east-facing door/window combo & ground floor windows. Not averse to pricing recs though.

2. Energy performance is a prime concern as is ease of maintenance/longevity in this fairly harsh climate which has microclimates on 4 sides of the house (year-round pelting sun on south & west, heavy winds in storms usually from the northeast, damp & dark on northside).

3. I don't want to say $ no object but first want to get understanding of what would be most useful given our environs. Personal comfort, energy savings & good workmanship go a long way towards evening out $ invested. This home is where I want to retire someday so I am interested in quality products. Anyway I am not travelling overseas anymore, given the geoploitical climate so, hey, this IS my vacation!

Neighbor down hee brought a team in from 1/2 way across state to replace his windows - he went with a triple pane vinyl (?) that has some coating to prevent salt deposits in our night air from depositing on his windows - hmmm, seems a bit over the top but he was pretty jacked. I don't relish getting up on back of house to paint - 3rd floor mighty high & am actually a little squeemish even about hired painters doing that (we had 1 painter who actually reeked of alcohol on the job - a big no thankyou for safety reasons!) Any recs with logic behind are most welcome - I actually started to investigate a year ago & got fed up - inspection this summer reveals soft outside sills on southfacing windows so I have got to get a plan going for this. Thanks again!
sada
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
did I say something wrong?
oberon476
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Good morning sada,

And you certainly said nothing wrong - if that was directed towards me. I just haven't been here for a couple of days...

If you were looking to replace your windows and you didn't have storm shutters already then I would be very much recommending that you consider impact windows in your home. Since you have impact shutters, then impact windows would probably be overkill. Still, I would suggest that you at least consider the possibility.

Impact windows are passive protection which means that you don't have to be there to protect your home - the windows will do that for you - if, for example, you do decide to travel overseas again one day.

Triple pane is also probably overkill in your environment. Without knowing specifically what your neighbor put into his home I cannot comment on his windows, but there are a number of options for you to consider.

If you want ease of maintenance in your location, then vinyl or fiberglass frames might be your best option. Both of those materials area able to resist the effects of weathering, including salt spray as well as anything on the market.

For energy performance and comfort, then you will want at least a dual pane window with a LowE2 coating. The LowE2 coating will work in each of your micro-climates and it will give you significant energy performance improvement over single pane or clear dual pane alternatives.

You can also get a tinted LowE2 to block even more solar heat and glare - or, you can opt for the new LowE3 coating which has the same low SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient - or how much solar heat gain gets thru your window) numbers as the tinted LowE2 but virtually the same visible transmittance as the untinted LowE2 product. All that means is that the LowE3 blocks as much solar heat as the tinted LowE2 but without the darkening of the window that relates to the tint.

But, if solar glare is a problem then the tinted version might work for you.

Don't get "ordinary" tinted glass - without the LowE2 coating. Some window sales folks may tell you that ordinary tinted glass is your best performing product. Not true. Ordinary tinted glass will cut down on glare and it will block some IR so that you may not notice the direct solar heat gain as much, but non-LowE tinted glass absorbs heat rather than reflecting heat and a good bit of that absorbed heat will eventually end up in your home where the air conditioner will be working extra hard to make it go away.

So sada, my next suggestion would be to do talk with a few window folks - even big box folks - just for more information gathering. I suspect that after a few salesfolk visits you may end up with more questions than answers. What I have said here is very general information and if you have more specific questions please feel free to ask away!

And I cannot overemphasize installation! Install is so very important in window performance - energy, sound, water infiltration - even more so in a climate like yours where the windows do tend to take a beating.

Guy - thanks Bud! And from me to you a very Merry Christmas to you and your family as well and a safe and prosperous New Year.
sada
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
thank you so much for the info oberon ( & no, my plea was general!)! After Christmas I will be pursuing this hard & will likely be back for more discussion with more specific windows, You have gotten me started in a good way & I really appreciate it. Installation is HUGE & will no doubt be the trickiest thing to set up - will address that issue as we Hone in on windows themselves.

One final question - fiberglass - would that need care like a boat hull or is it totally different? This is the newest home I have ever had - 1rst was 1034 with leaded glass casement windows & 2nd was 1954 with single paned double hungs so I am not as wordly about "modern" windows & their construction - LOL, thanks again!

Need Help - Replacement Window recs 4 coastal NC

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