Apr
26

Make Your Replacement Windows Vinyl

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April 26, 2011

There are many reasons to replace your old and drafty windows with new vinyl ones.
Vinyl windows are:
  • Affordable = WISCO
  • Durable – All WISCO windows are thoroughly tested for structural and thermal performance, to ensure they hold up under extreme weather conditions. Silver Line windows are also tested and certified to meet AAMA standards for forced entry resistance, for your protection.
  • Energy Efficient - Vinyl is a great insulator, superior in its resistance to heat transfer. Dual weatherstripping, standard on many of our windows, creates a tight seal, maintaining the efficiency of the window and effectively eliminating drafts.
    Our many glazing options enable us to produce a window that will provide year ’round comfort and energy savings. Dual pane insulated glass, created by sealing two single panes to a spacer, establishing an insulating chamber, is nearly twice as efficient as a single pane of glass at reducing heat loss. The transparent metallic coating on our optional LoE² (low emissivity) glass filters out solar radiation, thereby reducing heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter, for maximum comfort and energy efficiency. Many of our windows are available as ENERGY STAR® qualified to ensure high energy efficiency and savings.
  • Aesthetically appealing- Color is consistent throughout the vinyl, making scratches virtually invisible and eliminating the need for painting.
  • Requires minimal maintenance - WISCO windows are low maintenance and are designed to provide a lifetime of enjoyment and easy care.  Tilt-in sashes allow for safe and easy cleaning from within the home with just soap and water, keeping the windows looking like new for years to come. A well-designed balance system ensures smooth, easy sash operation and never needs adjusting. Sashes open and close effortlessly for as long as you own your home, regardless of the temperature or humidity level outside.

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Permanent link to this article: http://wiscowindowsandsiding.com/2011/04/what-you-should-know-when-shopping-for-vinyl-siding/

Apr
26

Why Buy Fiberglass Windows

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April 26, 2011


Fiberglass windows outperform wood, vinyl, and aluminum.
Every Time. All the Time. For a Lifetime

Simply put Fiberglass windows are more energy efficient and when you combine them with superior Cardinal glass you have the Complete Energy Efficiency Package.

WISCO’S Fiberglass Replacement Windows by Comfort Line

Are you wondering if Fiberglass replacement windows are right for you?  Consider this: boats, bridges, cars, and trucks are all built from this high performance material. No other material is as strong, as durable, as weather resistance, or lasts as long as fiberglass. To be confident that the money you spend on your windows,is a wise investment that will endure over time, then fiberglass is your only choice!

Choose from four standard colors, or select from the thousands of Sherwin Williams colors, factory applied by Comfort Line.

 

  • White
  • Almond
  • Cobblestone
  • Bronze
  • 1000s of colors from Sherwin Williams

You have the option to choose colors for your exterior and interior frames or different colors for each

Fiberglass:

  • Stronger: It is 8x stronger than vinyl, 3.5x stronger than wood/vinyl composites and 2x stronger than aluminum.
  • More Energy Efficient: Less thermal conductibility than aluminum (500x less), so it doesn’t allow heat or cold from the outside into your home.
  • Longer Lasting: Almost zero thermal expansion rate (essentially the same rate as glass) means tighter seals against weather and longer lasting. Vinyl expands at over 7x this rate.
  • Lower Maintenance: Virtually maintenance-free frames stay true to form due to strength of materials. No need for sanding, painting, or staining.
  • Environmentally friendly: less energy and resources to manufacture. Made from partially recycled materials.
  • More Durable: Won’t discolor, warp, rot, corrode, dent, or rust. Can withstand winds up to 203 mph, and does not absorb moisture.
  • Slimmer in profile: Because of the strength of the fiberglass, the frames are slimmer allowing more visible glass area in each window.Unlimited in Design
  • Possibilities: Offered in virtually unlimited colors and an interior wood veneer.

WISCO uses Cardinal Insulated Glass:


In addition to Superior quality fiberglass frames, WISCO uses Cardinal Glass.  WISCO uses thermally improved Cardinal insulated glass and the Cardinal XL Edge Spacer Bar system.
Cardinal Glass has the lowest expansion and contraction rate of any window material made, so the result is the best seal and insulation against weather possible. Add inert gases between the double panes and you couldn’t be more comfortable. All covered by a lifetime warranty. And, all without sacrificing one bit on style.

To calculate your own savings, with this glass, go to the Cardinal calculator.

 

The Complete Energy Efficiency Package:

Fiberglass windows are more energy efficient
Windows can be responsible for 25% overall heat loss in your home.
Top 3 reasons fiberglass windows excel at energy efficiency:

  1. Stability. Fiberglass has almost zero thermal expansion. Essentially the same as glass itself, which means tighter seals against weather and always a true fit.
  2. Durability. Fiberglass can withstand all of the elements and harsh weather. It will never rot, rust, corrode, warp, crack, dent, or split.
  3. Thermal Superiority. Fiberglass has low thermal conductivity, which means that it doesn’t allow heat or cold from outside into your home.

WISCO makes fiberglass replacement windows that are highly engineered to bring the maximum energy efficiency to your home. Our windows meet or exceed ENERGY STAR® guidelines, which means a more comfortable home for you.

The secret? Glass supporting glass. Through a special process that twists and hardened glass fibers, fiberglass is made. The fiberglass frames then hold and support the window glass, so it’s essentially glass holding glass

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Permanent link to this article: http://wiscowindowsandsiding.com/2011/04/why-buy-fiberglass-windows/

Apr
26

What is a Windows U-Value?

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April 26, 2011

When comparing energy efficient windows, the one number that really matters is a U-Value. Knowing what the U-Value actually means makes the difference when selecting the right energy efficient window for your home.

The U-value of a window  is a measurement of 4 combined ways windows lose heat.  This is a standard by which a homeowner can evaluate the performance of manufacturers on an even playing field.  Simply put, the U-value of a window combines the heat loss of a window through (1) radiation, (2) convection, (3) air leakage and (4) conduction.

The lower the U-value the better performing the window is.

If I walked into your home and offered you $1 million house tokens to buy it from you, the first thing you’d ask is, “how much is $1 million house tokens worth in dollars?” It’s the same with a U-Value. If I tell you my window has a U-Value of .25 that number means nothing to you until you understand what a U-Value is.

What’s the Value of “U”?  For starters, a U-Value measures how well a window insulates heat. That is, how efficiently does it keep heat out of the home in the summer and  keep heat in the house in the winter to put it more simply. The reason a lower U-Value is better than a high one is because lower numbers mean that a particular window is allowing heat to transfer at a lower rate.  Heat is always active and will escape or enter your home regardless of how well your windows are insulated. But technology in replacement windows and efforts by manufacturers to lower the rate of heat transfer have given windows great insulation value. Putting  it into perspective you may have heard of “R-Values” before.  The higher this number the better. R-Values apply to things such as fiberglass insulation (or new spray in foams and other methods of insulating a home), walls, and doors. For example:Your insulated walls may have an R-Value somewhere around R 10-18.And Your floors may be insulated well enough to achieve a R 20-25. Your attic space may have an R-Value up to R 39-49.So with higher being better you can get an idea of what the actual value of these numbers are in terms of “R-Value”. Now back to U-Values. To understand their value think of the U-Value as the opposite of the R. Since R-Values measure how well solid materials insulate heat you can’t apply them to glass. Glass in windows is designed to see through and open and no matter how well it is insulated it will let heat out at some point. So in order to understand how well a window is insulated we have to understand how well it is slowing heat down NOT keeping it in like we would want to know with an R-Value. That’s why a U-Value is the inverse, or opposite, of a R-Values. So, to keep the math easy…a window with a .25 U-Value has an insulation value equivalent to a R Value of 4. a window with a .10 U-Value has an insulation value equivalent to a R Value of 10. Now it’s not safe to assume that R Values and U Values are quite as interchangeable as I’ve just demonstrated but the purpose is to give you an idea of the value of each “U” number you get as you look at thermal double paned windows.To sum up, lower U Value means a lower rate of heat transference. The lower the U Value the better the insulation of the window. We use U Values rather than R Values when considering windows because they’re really more accurate for judging how well a window is insulated. Also, keep in mind, when looking at a U Value make sure you know whether or not this number is for the whole window or just the center of glass. Center of glass numbers are always going to be better than the overall U of a window and to really get an accurate comparison you want the overall U Value. Check NFRC.org to look up insulation ratings on windows that are thermally certified or give us a call at WISCO Windows and siding  to find out about which thermal windows we offer.

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Permanent link to this article: http://wiscowindowsandsiding.com/2011/04/what-is-a-windows-u-value/

Apr
26

The 189 Window Myth

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April 26, 2011

Have you heard the radio commercials and seen the billboards touting windows for $189.00.

Is this for real?

The answer in one word is NO.

The sad thing is, it’s not even close.

Here are the facts:

The 189 Mechanical Frame Vs. WISCO’S Heat Welded Frame

The window they show for $189.00 is a vinyl window that uses a screw to hold the corners together. This is called a “mechanical” frame. This is inferior to the better windows that “heat weld” the corners. This forms a stronger and air-tight corner.

Well, OK, a welded window from them is only an additional $20.00. So for $209.00 you get a good window right? Not really.

WISCO OFFERS Low-E Glass Windows

The window comes with clear insulated glass. This window does not meet the current IRC codes for energy efficient windows. Basically they are violating housing code with this window. To meet the housing code they would have to add Low E glass. This is glass that reflects out the heat in the summer and keeps it in, in the winter.

Well to add Low E to the window is only $50.00 per window. OK, so for $259.00 you get a good window right?

Not quite, you see this window would not even qualify for the Energy Tax Credit.

WISCO Offers an Energy Tax Credit

To achieve the energy standard for the tax credit would require a special insulation in the frame and argon gas in the glass.

This is available for only and additional $20.00.

So there you have it. A tax Credit Approved window for only $279.00.

Unfortunately we’re not through yet. The $279 price tag assumes you do not want or need to have windows that have the grids in the glass. Should you choose this option it will run you another $40.00 per window.

WISCO Offers Custom Exterior Trim

The price is only valid if you have wood windows and you do not want the exterior of the window to be clad in a matching vinyl material. This “Custom Exterior Trim” is standard with WISCO, however; with them it is an additional $60.00 per window.

WISCO removes Old Metal Windows at no additional cost

If you are replacing old metal windows you can expect to be charged the $60.00 also.

So, now you are at $339.00 for no grids and $379.00 with grids. Certainly this is it, Right?

WISCO offers s FREE Site Set-up and Disposal Fee

Almost, no price would be complete without the “Site Set-up and Disposal Fee of $75.00.

There is no such “Fee” from Wisco windows and siding.

So, here is the bottom line. If you need to replace 10 metal windows in your house and you think it is going to be $1890.00, ($189.00 x 10). I am sorry to tell you that you will end up being charged $3,540.00.

This is $354.00 per window. A long way form $189.00. So, why would anyone want to do business with a company that is so misleading?

At WISCO, all our windows qualify for the energy tax credit and we will not try to mislead anyone with “Bait and Switch” advertising. We will show you a variety of windows and try to find out which one best fits your needs.

Call us today for a No Pressure consultation. 489-8676

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Permanent link to this article: http://wiscowindowsandsiding.com/2011/04/the-189-window-myth/

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