The term "clad wood" doesn't mean much anymore. The most likely IMPACT type windows use wood behind an extruded aluminum/fiberglass/composite outer structure instead of wrapping wood with roll-form aluminum or thin molded PVC. Marvin Integrity wood-ultrex Impact windows seem to mull together well but any such detail will be susceptible to water intrusion because it relies on sealing of a butt joint that inevitably draws water in a heavy rain when the sealant fails. Water really likes narrow horizontal joints so the top of any such exterior joint should overlap the bottom one. Often the only reliable detail is preformed flashing that starts high on the inside of the upper window frame and ends with a lip turned down over the top of the lower window frame. This principle is known to well-trained building designers but few window manufacturers use it.

Thank you in advance for any feedback you can offer. It's a long winded post, but I tried to get all the info out there. My husband and I are looking to replace the windows in our single story 1979 block construction home. We're in central Florida and are set on impact windows, white vinyl, Low E, Argon, insulated, screens, no grids - really anything would be better than the builders grade single pane aluminum windows we have now. We've researched and have had several quotes. We like to think of ourselves as pretty handy and are thinking about purchasing the windows and trying to install them ourselves (except the first large one noted below). The windows we're replacing are: (1) 105 wide x 49-3/8 high - looking to get XOX where the outsides slide inward (this is the only window that can be seen from the street) will likely have this one installed by a professional due to the size and weight of it (3) 51-7/8 wide x 49-1/2 high in the bedrooms - to meet egress code, I understand we have to go with horizontal roller or casement - I think I'm leaning towards horizontal roller aka gliding or glider (2) 25-3/8 wide x 25 high in the bathrooms - no temper required - will probably do single hung or horizontal roller (1) 35-7/8 wide x 37-1/4 high kitchen - horizontal roller Quote #1 - $3800 CWS Custom Window Systems on the front window and all others PGT WinGuard horizontal rollers, plus optional $500 install (front window separately matl's+install $1600, included in the $3800 price) - this guy's local and has been in business for over 50 years, seems reliable Quote #2a - $3100 Material's only, we could install or hire a contractor - CWS Custom Window Systems 8200 series (horizontal roller) Quote #2b - $3900 Material's only, we could install or hire a contractor - Simonton StormBreaker Plus 300VL horizontal roller with CWS for the large window (Simonton only option was putting 2 HR's together with a mull) Quote #3a - $6400 Matl's, install, everything CWS Custom Window Systems (horizontal roller) Quote #3b - $7500 Matl's, install, everything Simonton (didn't specify which series) (horizontal roller) We're going to get a quote on Jeld-Wen impact HR's this weekend from Lowe's or Home Depot just to get all options. Lowe's is running a 20% off custom windows which may apply to the windows we need. We got a quote for 1 before and it was somewhere between PGT and Simonton's price, around $550 for (1) bedroom window, not counting the promo discount. I don't know much about CWS Custom Window Systems, other than they're a local company (actually made about an hour west of us). Their price is about 15% less than PGT, and Simonton is about 15% more than PGT. We're going to apply for the tax credit (30% of materials up to $1500). I've never actually operated a horizontal roller / gliding window. Most local showrooms are closed when I'm off work, but we have a neighbor who has them and I'm going to ask him how he likes them this weekend. I guess my questions are - 1. Is Simonton really that good and worth the extra cost, I know this board or are they known so well because they're all over the nation as opposed to CWS and PGT who are more Florida focused? I haven't heard much about Jeld-wen impact either. Are there other good impact mfg's we should consider? We're planning on being in this house for at least 5 more years, but want the windows to be great for the next owner too. And we're willing to pay the right price to get good, quality windows but don't want to get more than we need. 2. Are horizontal rollers better sealing and function wise than casements? 3. Do you think installing block construction windows is too much to take on? It seems pretty straight forward, even the people quoting said so. 4. I think the windows quoted are Low E 270, which will qualify for the tax credit, except the front large window would need to be Low E 366 to qualify - I don't know how much extra the cost is or if it's worth it. The first quote for $4300 installed seems pretty reasonable, and I would assume with that company being in business for so long, they wouldn't try to sell window brands they wouldn't believe in.

Evolution, For what it's worth, I happen to really like your product concept which leads to a quick story.... About 15 years ago (give or take a couple), a guy i was working with on a project asked me to help him out with an idea that he had about hurricane protection shutters. His thinking was that the major downside of shutters and plywood (pretty much 100% at the time) was that they covered the window making it impossible to see in or out. He had the idea of building shutters out of polycarbonate that wouldn't ever have to be removed from fixed windows, and when installed over any window wouldn't block the light or the view. My thinking was that he had a heck of a good idea and I offered encouragement and helped him with a few simple calculations and some minor proof of concept ideas. We lost contact not long after and I THINK he was contemplating moving to florida, but don't recall for certain. Anyway my point was that I had to wonder when I was looking at your website. Have to admit it made me wonder... To questions/comments.... 1) Nothing involving storm protection (or bullets, or bombs, etc) is proof. Resistant, yes, proof, no. Laminated glass is shatter-resistant, that's what it's for and there are required tests that exist to confirm. A dual pane impact window is with very few exceptions manufactured with one laminated lite and one non-laminated lite. As I mentioned previously, it's possible for the laminated lite to be mounted as interior or exterior, often depending on how the glass was glazed into the sash. If the laminated lite is inside and the window is broken by an impact then the loose (non laminated) broken glass WILL remain outside the building blocked by the laminated lite that isn't going to shatter. This is the make-up that I personally prefer and would generally recommend, and i have never been shy about telling people that here or real time. If the laminated lite is outside and it takes an impact that is powerful enough to break both windows, then breaking the inner non-laminated lite will result in broken glass inside the home. You have seen the hurricane impact on you tube, so have I, but I haven't seen a video of an impact that shows the glass shattering and flying into a room. In all seriousness I can't find one even though I looked for it. Can you drop a link, I am very curious to see it. I have personally performed, participated in, and/or witnessed impacts over 3000 times. I have also witnessed testing for impacts based on tornado level wind-speeds, but have never performed that test myself. The tornado test is a 12', 15#, 2x4 at 150fps. Interesting thing about the tornado testing was that over half of the impacts that I witnessed (and that was typical), the 2x4 shattered into kindling when it hit the glass and the glass was undamaged. I mentioned earlier that it is entirely possible to manufacture laminated glass that won't break when tested to TAS201 large missile and/or ASTM 1996, any level. I can think of three ways to do it as I type, and while I KNOW for a fact they all work because either I have personally been involved with manufacture and testing it or else coordinated with people who were, they aren't generally available outside of specialized applications. 2} There is no requirement for testing a window for water penetration after impact, primarily because they are two different test requirements from two different agencies. The impact test is all about the product's resistance to penetration by the 2x4. The glass can break, but penetration of the glass isn't allowed. If the interlayer isn't torn then water can't penetrate it, broken glass or not. 3) The requirement for water resistance testing is not related to or is part of the impact test protocol. As mentioned previously, windows are required to be tested for water penetration based on the DP level, and it makes zero difference whether the window is impact resistant or not, other than impact windows often have higher DP than non-impact windows. Although the requirement is based on the DP, this doesn't mean that's the maximum window performance. While I do know specific companies that do test higher than the DP requirement for their impact windows, I have no idea how many actually do so.

Unless you have significant trade skills and will help to construct your own home, I think building a custom home is something for the rich who want what they want at a premium price. Most people cannot afford the premium in a custom home, and it certainly is a losing investment nine times out of 10. Reading your remarks, I think you are clearly the person who should be looking for a premium-built used home that is selling below its cost to build. Such homes can occasionally be purchased at steep discounts. I was toying with the idea of retiring to Nevada, and one home I saw had outrageous build quality. They had high-end stone masonry everywhere and things like custom arching beams. They spent about $375/square foot to build but because the neighborhood had homes with $150 to $200 build cost, the resale value of the home was $240/square foot. I would rather pay $250/square foot as an investment, and buying $375 for $250 is the way I would want to invest $250. I think the problem for people building a custom home with a tight budget is they can be easily fleeced on the home build quality without ever knowing what hit them. For example, to get costs lower the builder may switch to 2x4 framing on 16" centers instead of 2x6 framing on 24" centers. The 2x4 home will be much less insulated and will have very shallow window bays. It will feel cheaper. The odds are you would never ask about the framing. The homebuilder saves a ton of money on his material costs by switching to 2x4. You end up with a home that does not feel quite right and never know what hit you until much later down the road. Where custom home building really shines is in the ability to select high-end materials and building approaches that are never seen in tract homes. For example, when you do the framing you can use new stud designs that incorporate closed-cell foam into a truss design inside the studs. Normally a wood stud in the framing has very poor insulation and directly acts as a heat/cold sink that bypasses your home's insulation. The newer style studs (e.g., "T-Stud" is a brand) have an R-value of 20 (versus 6 for a normal stud) and have four times the strength because of the engineered design. Alternately, you can insulate the outside wall of the home and use SIP insulated panels on the roof, to directly overcome the insulation problems with normal studs. These things can greatly increase the comfort of the home, but they also increase build cost, and in any case, they are rarely done outside of a custom build environment. In a perfect world, in addition to an architect, it would be great to find a home builder that you could hire as a consultant - at an hourly rate - to help educate you about key variables in building a home, and that person could help you to understand budget impacts of various build choices, as well as help you specify things to the builder and architect. I wonder if there are retired home builders who do this on a consulting basis, even remotely.