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.

Mary, Are you referring to window restoration or just sealing up some existing windows? The two are going to be very different type professionals. If it it just sealing up some exterior trim on windows, a decent painter can do that. If its window restoration, that is a different ball of wax. Window restoration is a very niché marketplace. The best thing to do is start with a Google area search near your home and especially in those areas that are more heavily concentrated in older homes. Next would be to ask around any of the historic districts that are in your area and see who they might have a list for. Hope this helps.

Pocket/Insert type replacements will allow you to keep your interior trim intact without disturbing it. Downside, although most still opt for it because of the cost effectiveness of pocket/insert vs. full tear out, will narrow the amount of visible glass a bit in the process. Most pocket/insert jobs account for cladding or wrapping the exterior trim once it has been repaired. Doing the insert style replacement usually entails ripping off the exterior stop and that will need addressing via clean up/cladding. A wood clad window is going to exacerbate the loss of glass even further as compared to some of the thin vinyl or fiberglass windows out there so be prepared for that. I would recommend a good fiberglass frame in your application. Keep researching your choices and don't count on your vendor to give you the most unbiased information. Keep posting and we will continue to give you feedback.

A sash kit with Dual pane and low-E would have similar performance to a triple pane unit. The STC rating would be better and much less loss of glass over an insert. Installation can be simple to comlex depending on who is installing and the condition of the existing opening . I rarely see them installed correctly by pros unless they are somewhat specialized in these, the ones they got right were because the openings and window needed no modification.