| Window Replacement
Had To Be Done Over - Bad Installation - Costly Experience
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Windows from the big box
stores or the big retailers are not always the best deal
no matter what the payment plan the fancy talking sales
guy touts in front of you.
Case in point: Salesman
said, “Lifetime Warranty.” He left out that
it only covered certain parts of the window. The warranty
on the installation was only what was legally mandatory,
one year. We recently replaced an entire window job done
a little over a year before by one of the biggest names
in replacement windows on the East Coast of the United States.
The new windows were drafty, and massive condensation was
occurring on the inside of the windows with frost in the
winter.
After the complete removal
and disposal of the new windows, we were able to completely
diagnose the problem. Elaborate brake work was done to create
external stops and the capping retuned into the interior
of the home, just behind a bead of caulk. These were originally
metal framed windows that were ripped out, and no buck frames
were installed, hence the fancy brake work. A fundamental
lack of understanding of the concept of a ?Thermal Break?
was blatantly missing from the training of the crew. The
fancy breakwork brought the cold metal into the warmth and
condensation was enormous. The complaint was that the windows
"leaked."
Long story made short: Who
can you trust? It is sad that the homeowner had a one year
warranty and after several return trips to caulk and attempts
to band-aid fix the problem, they called Four Seasons and
paid again for the job to be done properly.
Update:
Subsequently, this client did have a stress crack in
one of our windows and we quickly had a remake made and
serviced our customer free of charge. Our warranty is ten
full years and the window warranty is lifetime. When our
customers call, we respond and make sure they are serviced
with the highest level of professionalism in the industry.
These
stories are common. To the right are 3 thumbnail photos
that are linked to actual photographs of window installations
that were failing on a job where Four Seasons was
doing siding. The windows were obviously top of the
line, but the installation was faulty. It seems our
customers were sold the best, but the production department
of another one of these major Big Box players in the
industry, sent out the window installers with only
the windows, aluminum, and nails and caulk. This is
an example of fancy break-work in the making of a
one piece external stop and trim, but the metal transfered
the temperature outside, right into the building!
You will see more highlighted on this in the job photos
for siding. |
Before
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| What we
did: We removed the hollow metal back as far as was
accessable without complete removal of the windows.
We insulated the perimeters and installed one inch of
rigid insulation, mechanically fastening the trim (as
a batten) to the framing. AND THE TRIM - WOW - TAKE A LOOK. The windows are now performing
well! |
AFTER |
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It
is a shame that the times of the astute and caring career
old world craftsmen that were aware of such issues has faded.
What we have today is a majority of window installers that
remain in the trade only a few years, never to really learn
and to grow as seasoned journeymen and to mature in the
trade and to pass it along to the next generation.
Other
pages that may be of interest:
The
truth about Vinyl Siding...a
must read....The Plastic Man is Worse Than the Tin
Man
Vinyl
Siding Myth #1 Shattered:
Vinyl Is Not Energy Efficient
We
have the seasoned craftsmen that mentor our journeymen to
maturity in thier trade. |
