We went with the Triple pane apex package (ultra-u plus8). We're in MN and suffer from both weather extremes. The windows are not yet installed, they were just ordered after before the Christmas. We are actually just doing two double casements first and will live with them for a few months before purchasing more. i want to make sure I truly like our windows before committing another $20-30k for the rest of our windows and doors. Yes, it cost more doing it this way, but I'm ok to pay a bit more to ensure I'm happy.

Would like to hear follow-up from those chosing either Andersen Renewal, Andersen 400 or Marvin Integrity on their projects, esp'ly interested in how your windows have handled wind and cold, plus your impressions of their overall appearance. We need to replace Vetter windows damaged in a 50mph+ hail storm in Aug.'07. We will switch brands--they've resized. We need to replace windows on 3 sides of our '97 built modern home which has several very large picture windows, casements w/ transoms, and finished oak woodwork. The only prob. windows now are 2 windows placed over the whirlpool tub on north wall & west walls. Renewals' interiors have a dif. appearance but the pitch about being built to last over 50 years sounds good. Andersen 400s are going into the model homes of our builder w/ exc. customer response in past 10 yrs. A contractor is evaluating Andersen 400s for sizing and is "close" on most; he is pricing the architectural series for windows set in the stucco front. The Andersen exteriors are darker than our existing but we are thinking the vinyl "permashield" inside wrap would elim. any future mold on the rim touching the glass. Renewals only have a thin veneer and the rep. could not tell us if that could ever mold. Marvin windows look closer to what we have, inside & outside and did fantastic in wind studies done by Cons. Rpts. last month but with the wood interior, will I be sanding and restaining due to moisture along the bottom rim where we have exper'd some mold on existing windows? We constantly run an air-exchange system and seldom have windows open. We hope to have a product that can handle the extreme weather, handle future hail since it's now occurring regularly, along with straight line winds & blizzards. Thanks for any feedback!

Windows on Washington, Thanks for your comments. I've had replacement window Reps in my home who offer Lifetime warranties on their windows, Reading through Angie's List in my area there seems to be many complaints from customers who can't get the company who sold them the windows to honor the warranty or they make the process so difficult customers give up. Nor can some customers get the manufacturing company to send a rep to access the problem. More attention is paid to the selling side than honoring the warranty side after they're installed. And the older the replacement window...the harder it seems to get some companies to come out to inspect it or they come out and find a reason to not replace the replacement. I've read quite a bit of that on Angie's List for my area and online even for companies like Marvin which surprised me. The replacement window companies would have fewer complaints if their Lifetime Warranty side of the business was just as eager to honor the warranties as the sales side is to sell the windows. In addition, the online complaints never disappear. So, even if/when a window company cleans up it's act and starts addressing their Lifetime Warranty promise new prospective customers will run into those negative reviews which cast a bad light on some companies. Marvin seems to have a lot of complaints. We love our house. Our goal is to age in place for as possible. We don't want to go through replacing the replacements! Experts say, vinyl does not last like wood and it will need to be replaced 7 to 10 yrs, or if you're very lucky you may get 15 yrs useage on some of them. I know people who've replaced vinyl windows after 10 yrs due to the clouding problem which they experienced on too many windows. Maybe the reputation of replacing the replacements for various reasons is why some vinyl companies offer the Lifetime Warranty. We have spent countless hours doing the pros and cons. Our biggest concern is our huge cottage picture window and 2 matching large companion windows on each side of the pic window in front of the house. The picture window takes up almost an entire wall in our livingroom. The light is wonderful especially in the winter, it's a southern exposure all day with no obstructions. We use to have trees but they're gone so, we can see why they built the these big windows across the front in '63, all 3 had shade from 2 trees. We also want to replace the small single pane wood grid windows on all with a no grid double pane large window that is designed for full sun on the picture and the 2 companion windows with a double hung double pane with grids only on the top window. All the local window companies are only as good as the sales team, installations team and fulfilling the warranties especially, in a timely manner. Failing to do so in any of those 3 areas means I'd be less likely to buy windows from them.

"wood pella windows as the gold standard for energy efficiency and quality" Just to let you know, Pella is about the worst in those regards. Avoid Pella. As to wood vs vinyl, certainly there is an aesthetic factor, and a wood-clad Marvin or Kolbe window will be beautiful. It is up to you whether that is worth the increased cost upfront for the windows (both Marvin and Kolbe wood clad windows are very costly), and the decreased efficiency. Many people think it's worth it - or Marvin and Kolbe wouldn't sell so many of them. And many people think it's not worth it, and Okna and Softlte vinyl windows are excellent. You need to go to showrooms and see them for yourself. You also need to decide on things like casement vs double hung - casements tend to be more energy efficient, but double-hung may be more suitable for your 1968 house. Also, double pane or triple pane - what part of the country do you live in, what is the climate? Edited to add: I have Marvin wood-clad casement windows. No problems with sweating, spacers or seals. Sweating is often due to the homeowner having the humidity too high indoors in winter. Also no problem with cleaning whatsoever other than the screens are a PITA to remove.