greetings to you too.. and welcome to GW ... where are you ... big city.. soil type... and ... hmmm... that ought to get us going... i like oak .... but i wonder about the rest of her list .... and BTW.. how old are you.. maple roots arent going to be an issue for 20 to 30 years... is that really a reason not to placate wifey ???? .. [i mean really.. she could kill you in your sleep in that time frame.. and still have time to plant her maple.. you better think that part out .. lol ..] do you have any plans to garden under the trees.. other than lawn????? ken

WindowDog, It is not my intent to get into an argument with you. That being said, millions of viewers read this forum so I think it is worthwhile to make sure that we deal in facts so that future readers can make decisions based on that rather than opinion. For the sake of future discussions into the comparison of fiberglass vs. vinyl, lets assume that we are comparing the premium versions of vinyl. Comparing some cheap, builders grade junk vinyl to fiberglass is not a level comparison from the outset. The fact that you have installed thousands of vinyl windows in which the customers have commented about glass loss is great, however, if done as a comparable insert installation, the Infinity provides very little advantage when compared to narrow line vinyl. If you were installing a vinyl insert with a edge of frame to glass dimension of nearly 4", then yes...customers are going to note a difference. Using that as the benchmark and therefore basis of the statement that you loose much more glass with vinyl is accurate in that application but false as a whole. As I noted above, the Infinity only provides you with 1/4" more glass per side as compared to narrow line vinyl and a whopping 1% more visible light. Sunrise is one of the more well regarded windows out there and nearly all of its product lines will have very similar reveal and dimensions to the Infinity. Couple this with the fact that it is much more airtight and achieves much better thermal numbers and I think that a customer would likely choose the more performance yielding windows at the expense of 1/4" and 1% light. Much more is certainly an apt description for the Infinity's air leakage number. Most of the premium vinyl windows out there on the market have air leakage numbers that are 0.05 and below. An air leakage number of 0.19 does not even approach the performance of the better units out there. The Infinity, by comparison, has and air leakage rate of 0.27 based on the AAMA test report that I have in my hand of their insert window. It also has a DP30 rating. Interesting performance out of a window that is supposedly 8X as strong as vinyl (an often quoted data point on their site although it is referring to tensile strength and that is a completely unrepresentative force that is ever placed on a window installed in an operational capacity). It the material for the Infinity is so superior to vinyl, why the low DP rating and the high air leakage. The best explanation that I can come up with for the lower DP is that it begins to leak water at what is and equivalent rating of DP30 and is therefore assigned that rating. Looking at the Sunrise again, it has an air leakage rate of 0.04. The Infinity's leakage rate of 0.27 is absolutely "much more" than 0.04 (a nearly 7 fold increase). You mention that the degradation of vinyl window performance in the sun. This has been a well debated subject but without any real data. Heat of deformation on vinyl is over 160 degrees (far from normal conditions or even possible in about 99% of the country) and I don't see windows reaching those temps. Until someone can provide me with a data report to indicate the degradation of vinyl performance as a result of normal exposure, I don't see it and it purely conjecture at that point. All windows will loose a measure of performance tightness over time because the weatherstripping seals will loose some of their pressure but that is window universal. Again, I appreciate your personal experience and the conditions that you are exposed to, however, data and facts are just that and are laboratory generated. By comparison to the higher end vinyls out there, the Infinity leaks more air. It is enough to create and issue for the customer, probably not but, it does have a higher than average rate and I doubt you will ever see it being installed in a net zero energy home. I would agree with you wholeheartedly that the RBA is a less than average window.

Back to an earlier question, the house is about 2200 square feet. We are considering finishing about 400-800 square feet of the basement and in that case is the current 100k size of the system + Infinity zoning sized well? If I end up replacing the furnace on my own I'd need to know if I should downsize to 80k and/or if Infinity zoning vs a separate (ductless) system for the basement would be a better option. Zip code is 22015 (northern Virginia). Also, the FAD that gave the $7k quote didn't have great things to say about Carrier and suggested that due to the age of the A/C unit, if I was going to buy a new furnace we might consider starting from scratch with a Daikin system that they also carry and recommend over Carrier. Nothing is ever simple, right?

^You are the exception DavidR. I was coming from the point of view of the average DIY'er when it comes to electrical, plumbing and HVAC. I happen to be in S Fl where a/c is more common than heat. Also in an area where even if you are replacing the a/c system with a like system, a permit has to be pulled and signed off by the inspector. I see too many DIY's that don't do the extensive research you do. I'm a Realtor so I see it at the point of sale and you wouldn't believe how many people patch in inappropriate electrical work or rig up plumbing! I agree, if you are working on your own home that you occupy, and have extensive knowledge it makes a difference. However, I must mention in our area we have an inspection report (called a 4-point report) that is required by the insurance companies (here) if a home is more than 25 years (IIRC) old. The requirements were 30 years, but the insurance companies have tightened the guidelines and have an extensive form with photos that is required. The 4 points are: roof, hvac, plumbing and electrical. The inspector has to check the permits for each home showing the last update - or the update doesn't count as far as the insurance company is concerned. Naturally here, if your roof is a shingle roof and it is older than 20 years - you aren't getting insurance except for special extremely expensive coverage. I sell homes of all ages. It is not uncommon for the insurance co to require electrical panel box changes, electrical wire changes, HWH changes, roof replacements and more. Or the buyer can't get insurance at all. It is brutal. That is one very common reason I highly suggest licensed professionals that will pull a permit to do the work for which they are hired. It probably is different in your area but many of my answers stem from practical experience as an owner, a landlord and/or Realtor selling other properties and the impact of these changes as they relate to getting somewhat reasonable HO insurance policies. You may or may not have a similar requirement in your area. We also have wind mitigation reports - but I know that is unusual for the US as it is hurricane windstorm related. I only go by my direct experience. :)