Manufacturers have their windows tested for use in various altitudes. Using double-pane insulating glass at altitudes higher than its rating will result in glass distortion and increased possibility of breaking.  As the altitude increases, the atmospheric pressure decreases, causing the sealed window glaze to expand its volume to reduce the interior pressure.  This will cause the glass to deflect  and can lead to damage.  The difference in pressure is also applied along the edge seal and ultimately failed sealing.

Some window manufacturers have developed glass technology that increases altitude limits on energy efficient glazed inputs to as high as 10,000 feet. When selecting windows in various locations that have possible altitude problems, check with the manufacturer to verify the suitability of the windows chosen.  For example, Andersen Windows has data on windows for altitudes from 3,000 to 10,000 ft.

If you live at an altitude over 5,000 ft, you will want to check with your window company that the windows you are going to buy are manufactured for altitude.   If you live in Colorado and need new windows, give Prestige Window & Doors a call (303) 502-5888.  They work with several different manufacturers that specialize in high altitude window.

Window installation costs can bump up the price of window replacement quite a bit. But there are a few ways homeowners can reduce the total costs of replacing outdated windows in their homes.

What Contributes to the Cost of Installing Windows?

Window contractors make money in one of two ways: marking up the windows they sell to you and charging you for window installation. Window installation cost vary greatly, depending on the type of window you order. For instance, vinyl and aluminum framed windows are less expensive than wood windows. Also, if you replace the entire window package, including the window frame, the window contractor must remove exterior trim, siding, vapor barrier, and interior casings--a significant and costly task for each new window. This is especially true for stucco homes, because the exterior stucco must be cut and then patched after extracting and replacing the old window.

Trimming the Cost of Window Installation
Three ways to save money on window installation:

• Window inserts. Inserts fit inside the existing window frame and have become popular for window replacement because there's only a fraction of the labor involved. By re-using the old frame, window installation costs are much less.
• Self-perform labor. Another way to defer cost of window installation is to expose the old window yourself by removing exterior trim and siding. A good window contractor should be able to cut removal costs out of his bid. Since waterproofing is so crucial in any climate, it might be best to let the contractor re-install the vapor barrier, trim, and siding, however.
• Tax credit for new windows. Through December 31, 2010, homeowners can be reimbursed for 30 percent of costs up to $1,500 if they purchase new energy-efficient windows. This tax reimbursement, provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, can help defer the expense of buying and installing new windows. The federal tax credit does not cover window installation costs, but rather the windows themselves.

For more helpful information about windows, check out the Window FAQ page.

By Brian M. McLauren

There's no doubt about it, swapping your old windows out with new replacement windows is a sure bet to instantly add beauty and value to your home. Along with your home's roof and siding, the windows are one of the most important factors that can elevate your home's aesthetic while keeping it protected from Mother Nature.

Old windows not only look bad, they also act like sieves, letting warm air out during the winter and cool air out during the summer. Replacement windows are your best defense when it comes to saving on your energy bills.

Beyond the look of the replacement window, one of the most important factors to consider is efficiency rating. As you begin to window shop (pun intended), ask window providers about their windows' U-factors. A window's U-factor can significantly help your home's energy efficiency, depending on the climate you live in. U-factor is the rating given to a window contingent on how much heat loss it allows. In general, a window's U-factor should be between 0.2 (allows extremely little heat loss) and 1.2 (high heat loss). If you live in a colder climate you should be sure to buy replacement windows with the lowest U-factor possible.

In addition to a window's U-factor, ask your window provider about Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, or SHGC. SHGC ratings should range between zero and one, signifying the amount of heat the window allows to pass into your home from sunlight. Ratings closer to zero allow little heat in, while numbers closer to one allow more solar heat in.

Enough about the technical stuff - what about the look? Getting rid of your aged windows bearing cracks, chips or murky glass is the best first step to giving your home the cosmetic overhaul it deserves while boosting its value. New windows are also easy to clean and low maintenance. Believe it or not, attractive, energy-efficient replacement windows are surprisingly affordable and tend to pay for themselves over time due to the money they'll save on bills.

Casement and double-hung windows are always popular choices. Casement windows provide unobstructed views and are hinged from the side, allowing you to fully open the window for wonderful breezes, easy cleaning and a beautiful look. Double-hung windows are popular because they don't consume exterior space, making them a good choice for walkways, porches and patios. Also, the window sashes open vertically and they have a stacked appearance, meaning both sashes can slide past each other.

Also, slider windows and bay or bow windows are consistent favorites. Slider windows are economical and provide large openings for maximum viewing with a modern exterior look. Bay windows typically have a large, fixed center glass panel and bow windows are made up of six equal sized window units joined at equal angles to form a curve. Each of these choices will provide energy efficiency, beauty and enhance your home's comfort.

Not sure what's best for your home? Go to a local window provider near you and start asking the informed window shopper's questions. The perfect windows for your home are nearer than you think.

About the Author
For more information on Bowie replacement windows or replacement windows in MD, visit our website today.

By Adil Akkus
Your wooden casement windows would swing open with the assistance of a crank that is often operated from the interior of your house. The crank is often made of vinyl, metal or a wooden material. The older versions of casement windows often come with wooden crank and they are likely to need new weather-stripping in order to keep out drafts and retain warm air inside your house. The procedure of weather-stripping upgrades is just so easy and you can pretty much do it on your own. You will need to make use of an adhesive vinyl pliable gasket weather-stripping and this is just so easy to mount and remove.

Things you will need
Before you begin the process of replacing weather seals on your old wooden casement windows, you need to make sure that you have all the things you need. Here are the things needed for this process:

· Adhesive vinyl pliable gasket weather-stripping
· Hammer
· Instructions
· Scissors
· Screw drivers

1. First of all, slowly remove the screen of your windows by simply detaching the screen clips with the use of a screw driver. Set aside the window screens and move on to the next step.

2. Afterwards, open your wooden casement windows by simply turning the crank. Open the windows enough for you to be able to reach out to the 3 sides of the sash comfortably. This comprises the bottom part, the top, as well as the far side of the sash.

3. The next step is to take off the old weather-stripping. If this was nailed directly towards the windows, then this can be a bit difficult to remove. If the material that was used is pliable, then you can just remove it entirely without any nails coming out. If there are some nails, then try to remove it as much as you can until it will be totally taken out of the wooden casement windows.

4. Next, measure both sides of the sashes that you need to be sealed. From that point, unroll the adhesive vinyl pliable gasket weather-stripping and then cut off the sections of weather-stripping and then peel off the backing.

5. Finally, slowly press the sections of the weather-stripping in place on the side channels or along the outside channel if you are installing it in the inside channel so as to prevent the wooden casement windows from closing. Press it along the top and the bottom as well.

Maintaining timber sash windows require special knowledge and attention. If you need to repair your box sash windows, please do contact a specialist first.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adil_Akkus

By Randy Covington
Simply put windows...are what you put in the holes in your house. Think about that. Holes in your house. It seems to me that if you are going to have holes in your house, you want a very good quality window to prevent the those holes from letting the conditioned air out and the cold air in and rain from destroying the interior of your house.

Their are three basic categories of windows:

• Aluminum
• Vinyl
• Wood
  

I will discuss wood windows in particular in this post and specifically clad windows as very few people wish to put unclad windows in their house due to the added maintenance of having to paint them every 3-5 years.Wood windows are made of wood, (primarily pine) but are sold primarily with a cladding on the exterior to reduce the exterior maintenance requirements that attach to all windows (no painting). The cladding is typically Aluminum, however their are increasing options in this regard in the form of extruded and sheet noble metal claddings such as Bronze, Copper and Zinc.

The last 3 materials are generally sold only on custom windows which are very expensive and typically can only be justified on hard budgets of over $ 400 PSF. If your like me (and most others) you will not be building a home in this range.

However, there are a few copper alternatives manufactured by commodity window manufacturer's that might in fact fit into your budget. I will discuss these in greater detail in a later post. Anyway back to clad wood windows.

The best known names in this field (due to huge marketing budgets) are Anderson, Pella, Weathershield, Jeld-Wen and Marvin. They probably comprise about 65% market share between them and each of them have their own specific advantages and disadvantages. Only a careful review of the features and benefits of each window will reveal what is best for your project. A brief description of the features that I consider important when reviewing the various windows follows below:

Anderson - unique in that the wood window made by Anderson is clad with a PVC vinyl cladding. The cladding is bound to the wood substrate with an adhesive type mechanism which has shown effective, but in some extreme climates worries me that it could detach.

The window is backed by a top-notch warranty and I have anecdotal experience that the company takes its warranty obligations seriously. A good thing indeed. There was manufacturing problem with the welding of the corners of the vinyl cladding some years back on a lot of windows that made its way to Colorado. I was selling Anderson windows at that time and know that the Company spent a very healthy sum of money to find the windows with the problem and fix them before the owners knew there was a problem. It is not that usual to see this kind of pro-active attitude in any company.

The other features of the window include a proprietary glazing system that will require that you will always have to go the Anderson for replacement and a reticence by the company to put breather tubes in their glazing system (critical in high altitudes). Anderson is the largest manufacturers of windows (under one brand) in the U.S. Anderson sells their product through a dealer network composed of lumber yards, window dealers and home-improvement contractors. Anderson mow also sells a line of composite windows made from the waste wood derived from manufacturing its wood windows,

Jeld-Wen - sells wood windows under a variety of brand names including Jeld-Wen, Pozzi, Wilmar and a few others. All of these brands were more or less regionally well-known brands and Jeld-Wen has made a weak effort to unify the brands either from a marketing perspective or from a manufacturing perspective from what I can tell. The various brands have quality reputations that you will have to judge for yourself. The Jeld-Wen moniker is a holding company for a broad range of construction products that make Jeld-Wen a very large presence in the construction products category, a great many of them in the commodity category. They are an excellent manufacturer.

Marvin - is an old line family owned firm that manufactures a broad line of wood windows and composite windows. One of the distinguishing features of the Marvin brand is that the aluminum clad version is actually an extruded aluminum sash with a Wood insert to the interior. This scenario is also a feature of the Weathershield line and the Window Technologies line in the Midwest. This method makes for a more rigid sash, and eliminates the possibility of oil-canning and reduces the chances of moisture forming under the cladding. It also places a barrier dead air space underneath the sash which should add somewhat to its performance in cold climates.

Pella - Pella manufacturers windows clad and unclad in Iowa and markets them through primarily authorized distributors although they have recently started to distribute their builder grade line through Home Depot. The Pella product is distinguished by the availability of buit-in roll-down insect screens, between-the-glass window blinds and and an exclusive distributorship for the clearest window screening material made in the United States.

Pella's clad system is roll-formed and loosely attached which can cause problems such as "oil-canning" in very hot climates and the possibility of condensation forming underneath the cladding in high-humidity locales leading to rot of the underlying sash. Otherwise Pella makes good quality window. Pella now manufactures a line of composite windows which show promise from a performance perspective.

These are the (4) largest manufacturers of wood windows in the United States based on market share. The relative value of their products is affected by a range of factors that will make your choice dependent on your specific needs. There are also a great many regional manufacturers that make good quality windows that will be equally prevalent in your locale. I will discuss those in another post.

My personal selection for the highest quality wood clad window available would be Loewen Windows. Loewen is a Canadian company that is based in the far Northwest so I am not sure you will find them widely distributed in your area of the country. A few things that distinguish the design of the Loewen is that it is built out of Vertical Grained Doug Fir which is a moderately durable wood (better than pine) and is more beautiful than pine if you are staining the interior.

About the Author
Randy Covington has over 30 years experience in construction. Formerly Licensed as a Residential Builder in Florida and an unlimited General Contractor in South Carolina, he has built small commercial and residential projects in the Southeast and West. Randy has spent the last 15 years selling construction products from lumber to custom windows with Bronze and Copper cladding to some of the most expensive residences on the planet. If you have question on constructing your own home or on windows, or need to source something really unusual for your home, you may reach him at www.myhomespace.biz

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