Andersen, Pella and Marvin Window Comparisons
Marvin windows review: These are Marvin double hung windows in my own home. It's a Queen Anne Victorian I built for my family that looks like it was built in 1890. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter
"If you want the best windows out there, then you want ones that carry the American Architectural Manufacturing Association's (AAMA) Gold Label."
Andersen, Pella and Marvin Window Reviews Checklist
- Look for AAMA Gold Label
- Higher prices usually equate to high quality
- READ installation instructions yourself - don't HOPE they get installed right
- Watch my Marvin Window Installation VIDEO Below!
- CLICK HERE to Get Tim's FREE& FUNNY Newsletter!
DEAR TIM: I was looking at your web page for some information on windows, specifically for Pella window reviews and Marvin window reviews.
I thought I had a handle on the basics of double pane, gas-sealed, low-e, high-efficiency thermo-pane windows, but from what I've seen of Pella windows, they're not sealed at all.
To me, this blows the whole "sealed = high efficiency" thing out of the water. How can Pella boast high/higher efficiency, when all they seem to do is provide two unsealed panes of glass? Am I missing something?
I know some folks swear by Pella, but to me, Andersen or Marvin seem to be a better product because their windows actually provide a sealed-space, which I thought insulated better.
I like Pella's casement product from a standpoint of no chance of seal failures and fogging, plus the in-between mini-blinds, but I'm not convinced that they actually deliver the same level of efficiency. Vic Johansen, Cincinnati, OH
Related Links
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CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local replacement window contractors in your city or town. Ask about AAMA Gold Label windows.
DEAR VIC: A good friend of mine who happens to be a CPA and a former mentor of mine taught me several years ago that numbers don't lie. When you couple this fact with independent certification numbers assigned by testing laboratories to the different windows, you have a clear-cut method of scientifically choosing top-quality windows.
What are the Best Windows?
The best windows are ones that have the gold AAMA label.
If you want the best windows out there, then you want ones that carry the American Architectural Manufacturing Association's (AAMA) Gold Label. CLICK HERE to discover all about this very important certification.
Windows that sport the gold AAMA label are simply the best ones made. Period.
What was Pella's Old Window Design?
Pella's window design for years has used a removable pane of glass that had a built-in gasket. This gasket, believe it or not, produced a seal that could rival those of the insulated glass you see in other windows.
Pella window reviews all show that Pella windows now have insulated glass. Years ago they offered a model that married the insulated glass with a third removable gasketed glazed panel.
What Windows Have you Installed, Tim?
I've installed all three windows, Andersen, Pella and Marvin in my jobs in the past. The last home I build for myself and my family had Marvin windows in it. They were gorgeous up-down sash windows with authentic divided lites that matched the Queen Anne architecture style of the home.
Marvin Windows Reviews - I Loved Mine
My wife and I loved our Marvin up-down sash windows. I installed them myself and the quality was superb. The fit and finish was exactly what you'd expect from a top manufacturer.
I currently live in New Hampshire. I didn't build the house I'm in, but it has Andersen windows and doors throughout it. They were installed around the year 2001 and at the time this column was revised in 2017, they all were doing well. I've not had one seal failure or any other type of problem.
The jobs where I installed Pella windows all went smoothly. Not one of my customers ever complained about their Pella windows.
CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local window installers in your city or town.
Is Correct Installation Important?
Correct installation is very important. You can ruin a great window with a bad installation job.
You can't hope your expensive windows will be installed correctly. I beg you to take a little time, once you've made your decision, and read the simple installation instructions.
Be familiar with the steps the contractor must take so you don't have any water or air leaks.
Here's a video I taped years ago covering the most basic steps in the window installation process:
Should I Use Expandable Foam Insulation?
Yes, be sure to use expandable foam insulation around your windows. You want the brand that's made for windows and doors. Look at the image just below for a great one.
Read your installation instructions and see if you're allowed to use expandable foam. It provides the best seal.
But you can't use just any foam. Use the wrong one and it will expand too much causing the windows to not work, or seal, right.
You can buy a special foam that is meant to use for windows and doors. Here's one I've used with great success:
This is a brand-name foam that's meant to be sprayed around the frames of windows and doors. CLICK THE IMAGE NOW TO BUY IT.
Is Window Flashing Tape Necessary?
Window flashing tape is necessary to prevent leaks. There are many different tapes and some confusion about how they're to be installed.
Most new windows come with a nailing, or installation flange. This flange is integral in the frame and provides a waterproof seal.
It's imperative this flange be taped with a rubberized adhesive tape that is applied over the flange and to the sidewall of the house.
The tape needs to be installed so it sheds water that might get behind the exterior covering of the house. The window installation instructions cover how these tapes should be installed.
Here's a great flashing tape to consider:
You can see the flashing tape framing the window. The nailing flange is beneath the wide tape. CLICK THIS IMAGE NOW TO ORDER THIS GREAT TAPE.
CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local window installers in your city or town.
Column QA
We are ready to replace the windows in our 1939 vintage Colonial house in the $1 M prox price range. I know I want wood interiors, and I want the windows to look good inside and out. We live in Seattle--moderate temperatures, so efficiency is possibly less of an issue. Also, in my professional career, I have seen how seals between panes fail. I'm not convinced that the old "storm window" removable (read not sealed) option wouldn't be the most cost effective approach. How do I factor all this into selecting the best window replacement option?
You need to schedule a 15-Minute Phone consult with me. Far too much to type.
I replaced 12 Pella windows in my home in 2012. The original windows were Pella double-hung installed in 1988 during construction of my home. The original windows had wood rot. The new windows are aluminum clad Designer Series, Low-E and Argon Gas filled. We cannot raise the windows, thy leak air in several places and KC South, LLC and Pella refuse to correct the problem. Actually, the only way to resolve the problem is to replace all of these windows. KC South, LLC, Pella's authorized distributor and installer of the windows abandoned the project. Help please! Suggestions greatly appreciated.
When you reached out to Pella - at their national headquarters - what did they say?
I'm glad I read your review. I am in the market to replace 16 windows in my Oklahoma home. After reading your comments, they will not be Pella. It seems your original windows should have lasted much longer.
I'd like to raise a question on your concern here. As soon as you say that you cannot raise the windows and that they are leaking air, it raises an eyebrow as to weather or not they were installed plumb and square, and with correct shimming. No matter what window brand is used, if the windows are installed haphazardly, you will experience the same problems. If this is the issue, of course the manufacturer would be unwilling to fix the issue as installation is not a manufacturing issue. If you remove the interior casing, you should find shims (at the very least) 6 in from each corner (except the very top), and shims at the check rail (this is the center rail of a hung window where the top and bottom sash meet. Also, placing a square in the frame of the window will let you know if your unit is square. Just remember, poor installation will make even the best windows look like junk.
I replaced my doors with Pella doors and when I had issues with the door handles Pella gave me a hard time getting replacement handles and wanted to charge me a large amount to have them changed out. I had paid for a good warranty but recived nothing but a hard time.I will not purchase any Pella products ever again.
Marvin is junk and good luck getting problems fixed. When cold I have ice build up on the inside of my very expensive 2 pairs of 9′ French sliders ..not a moisture problem in house there is no moisture on glass …the ice is on the bottom wood panels, you can see the water running down the wood …all 6 wood panels are rotting and the track fills with water…the local co I bought the windows from said this was a manuf. defect…but they are 1 year out of warrantee so Marvin will not cover…so now it will cost me another $5 grand to have the panels pulled out and replaced…they have done 1 set already and the installers from the local Marvin dealer said they have done this on a lot of these Marvin windows…a very common problem. I also have a Marvin casement window that is junk. Don’t spend extra for Marvin windows the are over rated.
S Wood - How old were the windows when this problem began? Marvin currently has a 20 year warranty on their doors and windows, so you would have had to have them 21 years to be a year out of warranty. Though I will admit I do not know what their warranty was prior to 2014 (when the most recent warranty was last updated).
Also if water is running down the wood, it sounds like a installation issue, where the drip cap was not properly installed, or the flashing.
Hi Tim, can you recommend a good Pella installer in the New York Metro area?
Hi Tim
My son has an upscale stucco home in suburban Pa that has about 1/3 of the windows rotting at the borrom corners and sill. We spoke to a Pella consultant and got an estimate. One of the things he stated was that his installation of Pella pro line 450 would use a block to raise the window up slightly and a clad exterior set of panels to trim the outside. these would allow moisture to drain to daylight. Seems logical given the places our windows rot but both marvin folks and renewal by Anderson folks seem to find this silly. What do you think? This is a big job if he does all the windows ($90K+) so w want to get it right. Also what do you think of the fiberglass options mfg use?
Hi,
We live in the greater Cleveland area and would like to start replacing our Pella windows, which are about 30 years old. They are double hung with the built-in gasket. In the new part of the house we have Anderson windows, which are about 5 years old. I am not impressed with Anderson- we have three doors where the handles keep falling off. Two of the new windows are not working properly.
Our Pella windows have never given us any issues, but they are very hard to lock and let in UV rays. Our carpet in the dining room has turned from green to blue. I was thinking about replacing them with new Pella windows, but someone recommended vinyl Marvin windows. Also, I read online that Pella receives 90% more customer complaints than Anderson and Marvin.
Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks
Lucia,
Lots to discuss. Way beyond three sentences I normally leave on a comment.
You're going to be spending THOUSANDS of dollars. It might be wise to get me on the phone.
Best money you'll spend on the project:
http://shop.askthebuilder.com/products/15-Minute-Phone-Conversation-with-Tim.html
All of my junk Pella Windows need replaced for the 2nd time. House was built 30 years ago. What do you think about Anderson renewals?
Rick,
What do you think of that quote of mine way up at the top of the page just under the photo of those windows?
What do you think of fiberglass windows and particularly Pella Impervia fiberglass? I have not seen to much of the Impervias but some reports say they are flimsy.
I am beside myself trying to commit to a solution for replacing my windows. I have Hurd builder grade windows that have big problems. I got a quote for Anderson for 38k and a quote for Lindsay pinnacle vinyl for 15k. The Lindsay have a lifetime warranty for the life of the house that is transferable. The Anderson is better quality but only a 20 year warranty.
The Anderson installer warrants the install for 5 years. The Lindsay installer warrants for 7 years. We will probably be here for 5 to 10!years at most. What do you think? If I go with Anderson, will I recoup cost in the real estate sale/transaction?
Tina,
Far too much to type. I offer you my protection to prevent making a grave financial mistake:
https://shop.askthebuilder.com/products/15-Minute-Phone-Conversation-with-Tim.html
Hello, I want to replace two sliders in my townhouse; Ideally, would like black interior/exterior frame or something dark. Impervia is a beautiful product, but expensive; any suggestions . Thanks