Manufacturers of Vinyl / Aluminum Combination Windows

I wrote a column about vinyl windows back in 1995. Manufacturers of vinyl windows at that time were held to standards of ANSI-AAMA 101-93 certified windows. That window certification standard has now been changed to AAMA/NWWDA 101/I.S.2-97. There must have been 100 plus companies across the USA that made vinyl windows meeting this standard. The field was narrowed considerably once another factor was thrown in. When you look for aluminum / vinyl combination window manufacturers, you only find two!

Both make what appears to be an excellent product. The Traco window, I know for a fact, is AAMA/NWWDA 101/I.S.2-97 certified. I believe the Sugarcreek Industries window is certified as well. You will have to check for yourself for BOTH if you decide to buy. Remember, a company can lose this certification if their quality falls off. The AAMA/NWWDA people come and take random windows for testing purposes at their discretion.

These two window companies seem to have significant distribution east of the Mississippi River. You need to contact them and ask for product literature AND the locations of distributors / installers in your area. It is the easiest way to do it. Do NOT call random companies in your yellow pages. If you contact a dishonest company, they may lie to you and pull the famous bait and switch scheme.

• Sugarcreek Industries, Inc.
  425 South Broadway Street
  Sugarcreek, Ohio 44681

• Traco
  71 Progress Avenue
  Cranberry, Pennsylvania 16066

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Storing and Installing Wood Windows

Wood windows are sensitive products. If you treat them roughly you can damage them. They may rack out of square. Weatherstripping that fit tightly at the factory can shift out of place creating drafts. In other words, make sure your contractor takes care when installing the beasts.

Always store windows in a well ventilated space. Cover them to keep them dry and clean. Beg your contractors to handle them with soft, clean cotton gloves. Oil and dirt from hands can cause blemishes when the painter shows up 2 or 3 months from now with stain and urethane!

ALWAYS install the windows exactly according to the written instructions provided by the manufacturer. It takes only 5 to 10 minutes to read these. Windows MUST be installed level and plumb.

Wood windows must also be square after they are installed. This is easy to check. Simply take a tape measure and check the diagonal measurements (upper left corner to lower right corner - upper right corner to lower left corner) of the outer frame that projects beyond the rough framing inside the house. The measurements should be exact or within 1/8th inch.

Flashing details and shimming windows is critical. Shims need to be placed under the outer side jambs and/or where two windows are mulled together. The weight of the sashes and frames is concentrated at these points. Windows with built-in nailing flanges and flashings need to be installed so the top flange slides under a house wrap or felt paper. This will require you to make a precise slice in a water barrier. Tape the slice when finished.

The sides and bottom of the window must also be flashed. The flashing order resembles that of a chimney going up a roof. The bottom flashing work is done first and then the sides. The side flashings overlap the bottom flashing. Finally the top flashing is done and it overlaps the side flashings. This allows gravity to pull the water over the overlapping flashings, not under them.

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Certified divers, financial planners, life underwriters, kitchen designers, and so on and so on... It just makes good sense that wood windows should join the club! Thank goodness! Shopping for wood windows you can quickly confound the most organized and logical person.

Tough Standards

The National Wood Window and Door Association's (NWWDA) Hallmark Certification program is not a walk through the park. First the manufacturers have to go the extra mile and build a quality product. They have to test it themselves to assure they meet the minimum standards. Unannounced periodic inspections by the testing labs are a reality. In other words, the certification program is real. The net result is that you can purchase a window that has proven performance.

Slick Salespeople

Watch out when you go window shopping. There is a bountiful supply of polished sales people who can sometimes speak with a forked tongue. They may downplay the importance of certification. They may make excuses that the testing is too expensive. Don't believe them.

The windows you are about to purchase are one of the most important aspects of your home. They are the weakest link in the energy chain that connects your interior comfort from the extremes of weather just inches away. The NWWDA Hallmark certification program and other certification programs like the National Fenestration Rating Council's (NFRC) thermal performance standards help you to quickly segregate the winners from the losers. If you can't find the proper labels with the best performance values, then keep shopping.

Invisible Protection

Did you know that several wood window manufacturers also treat the wood used in the windows with a special water repellent preservative? This is a great feature for windows that might not get the long term care and attention they deserve once they are installed. The NWWDA also has a very stringent test for these products as well. Those manufacturers who currently incorporate a certified water repellent preservative in their windows are:

Some other manufacturers may include a water repellent but it may be a lower quality product. Or for some reason, they decide not to subject their windows or the water repellent to the NWWDA for testing. If you want piece of mind, then I suggest you go with one of the listed companies.

Be aware that the list can grow and shrink depending upon who decides to join and abandon the program. If a manufacturer or salesperson says they are certified in one way or another, then make them prove it to you in writing. If they don't do this or produce promises that evaporate into thin air, then walk. The proof should be a copy of the letter they received from the certifying body like AAMA or the NFRC.

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Hallmark Certified NWWDA Wood Window Manufacturers

There are a minimum of 67 wood window manufacturers in the United States. That is how many I have been able to identify over the years. Would you believe that of these 67 manufacturers only 10 of them (at the time this was authored) have taken the initiative to have all and/or a portion of their product line certified under the new NWWDA Hallmark Certification program!

In fact, when you review the list below of the 10 manufacturers who have gone the extra mile, you will be shocked at some of the big name manufacturers who are missing from the list! My take on this is that they manufactures feel the certification is not worth it or the power of their brand will get them through a sales presentation. They may be right, but as time goes on, more and more people demand quality.

Windows and doors are probably one of the most important aspects of your home when it comes to comfort, energy savings, and performance. You should absolutely invest as much money as possible in your windows and doors.

You want ones that will save you money over time. I recommend that you check out the windows made by the companies below. If you aren't satisfied and you decide to go with a company that is not listed, don't blame me if you have a problem at a later date.

• Andersen Corporation

• Eagle Windows/Doors
• Kolbe & Kolbe
• Malta Windows
• Marvin Windows/Doors
• Norco Windows
• Sealrite Windows
• SNE Enterprises
• Sun Windows Inc.

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100 ... Oooooops! I Meant 1,000 Plus Certified Wood Windows

I was aiming to deliver to you 100 wood windows that carry the NWWDA Hallmark Certification. Guess what? There are actually well over 1,000 available and more will be available each month as more manufacturers see that they must participate in this program to remain competitive.

Some of the manufacturers only have a portion of their windows certified. Others have their entire product line certified. For example, BiltBest has only one portion of its line certified. It is the Spirit Clad and Wood Casement Windows Product category. There are a total of 91 windows in different sizes just from this single manufacturer.

Certain manufacturers - believe it or not - did not respond to my requests for a listing of their products that are certified. I hope you don't run into the same difficulties when you call them!

Here is a partial list of NWWDA Hallmark Certified Wood Windows:

Andersen Corporation

Their marketing manager called me and said that every single wood window in their product line carries the certification. I opened my most recent Andersen Window catalog and lost count at 314 windows...... I know there are more! You can call Andersen for a full line catalog or visit one of the hundreds of distributors across the nation.

BiltBest Windows

At this time, just the Spirit Clad and Wood Casement Windows are certified. These include roundtop units and transom windows. There are a total of 91 windows with this manufacturer.

Eagle Windows & Doors

Several of Eagle's product lines are certified. they are as follows:

I was not able to get a quantity count, but I suspect that they have a minimum of 125 wood window products in these combined lines.

Kolbe & Kolbe

These people supplied me with information that stated that a portion of their product line is certified. Here is what they told me:

• Clad Magnum Casements
• Wood Magnum Casements
• Clad Magnum Double Hungs
• Wood Magnum Double Hungs
• Wood Magnum Tilt-Turn
• Wood Magnum Hopper
• Casement Single Sash
• Traditional Double Hung
• Royal Double Hung

Marvin Windows

I was told by a Marvin executive that a majority of their entire wood window product line is Hallmark certified. This represents possibly well over 500-750 wood window products. If you operate under the assumption that they will incorporate the same quality in their custom made windows - then they offer an infinite amount of certified products! Marvin will make any window you want. They have made many custom window units for me.

Here is a listing of the Marvin Window categories that are certified:

• Wood Casemaster
• Wood Awning
• Wood Double Hung
• Wood Glider
• Wood Round Top
• Wood Polygon
• Clad Casemaster
• Clad Awning
• Clad Double Hung
• Clad Glider
• Clad Round Top
• Clad Polygon
• Wood Magnum Double Hung
• Wood Magnum Historical Double Hung
• Wood Magnum Single Hung
• Wood Magnum Tilt-Turn
• Wood Magnum Hopper
• Clad Magnum Double Hung
• Clad Magnum Tilt Turn
• Clad Magnum Hopper

Sun Windows

Sun Windows offers a huge variety of certified products. They are located in western Kentucky and distribute all over the nation. The following lines are certified:

• Clad Wood Double Hungs
• Clad Wood Casements
• Clad Stationary Units

The Clad Stationary Unit category includes hundreds of windows - fixed picture windows, circle tops, octagons, etc.

Malta, Norco, Sealrite, and SNE did not respond to my request for certified products.

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Vinyl Windows - Buy Quality

Cold drafts in the winter from windows are really an uncomfortable feeling. The drafts can be direct air leaks caused by inferior weather-stripping and/or old technology glass. Believe it or not, you can buy brand new vinyl windows today in your town that have both! The sales presentations are often slick and some of the claims made by the salespeople are not always the complete truth. So how do you buy a quality vinyl window? It is not as hard as you may think.

Ingredients are Important

Every part of a vinyl window contributes to its performance. If you want the actual vinyl to not fade and crack, then you better get vinyl that has the best titanium dioxide in it. This chemical blocks and absorbs ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Glass is glass, right? No way! Insulated glass has come light years from its inception. First we had standard insulated glass, then hard coat Low E, then soft coat Low E, and now Low E with invisible heat films.

The two pieces of glass are actually separated with a spacer that can directly affect inner glass temperatures. Old spacers were made with aluminum. Aluminum quickly conducts heat and cold. This is bad. New steel and plastic glass spacers slow down energy transfer. This is good!

The actual vinyl window frame and sash components vary in type and efficiency. Some windows have minimal chambers, others have lots of individual chambers. Some are hollow, others are foam filled.

How do you keep all of these parts straight in your mind? How will you know if you are getting a bad deal?

Vinyl Windows - Independent Testing

There are always good manufacturers in every product category. These are the ones who want to make a good product and strive for perfection and supplying great value to us, the consumer.

The vinyl window industry is no different. Because quality can vary from very poor to excellent, the good manufacturers banded together years ago to develop testing standards that allow high quality to be quantitatively measured.

There are three testing organizations. All of the testing standards are very technical - so much so that the average person can't begin to understand the testing methods and raw numbers that result from the test procedures. That is what engineers go to school for. Once the test data is refined and charted, it begins to make sense to us common folk.

The three testing organizations are: AAMA - NWWDA (American Architectural Manufacturers Association - Window & Door Manufacturers Association), NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council) and Energy Star. If a vinyl window company goes to the effort to get tested by any one of these organizations, it is "trying harder." If it passes the tests, it is a great accomplishment. Suffice it to say that if you can find a vinyl window company that sells windows that have passed any or all of these standards,you have a great product. If you are looking for windows that save the most energy, then look for windows that are NFRC or Energy Star certified.

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Quality Window Installation

Who is going to install your windows? I hope you don't plan to do it. If they are replacement windows, you can have a difficult time if you are not experienced. The final fit and finish of the windows and their performance is directly related to expert installation.

All too often rookies or weekend warriors forget important steps regarding air infiltration or insulation. Caulking is also very important. Sometimes an inexperienced installer can install too much insulation, use the wrong spray-foam insulation or make a horrible mess with a caulk gun.

So who should you have do it? I vote that the window company installs them. Not only that, I want an actual employee of the window company and NOT a sub-contractor.

You need to ask about this because the use of sub-contractors can be appealing to a window company. Using sub-contractors can save a window company money because they have cost control. They pay the sub a fixed sum to install the job. This is good for the window company but bad for you. Why? What happens if your job is exceptionally difficult? The sub may cut corners so he makes more money or doesn't lose money.

Insurance issues are cloudy with sub-contractors. What happens if the sub gets hurt on your job? I know of one job where a sub-contractor severely cut his hand while removing an old window. Fortunately, the sub-contractor had Worker's Compensation coverage. The sub on your job may not have this coverage. Who pays for his medical bills and lost work wages? You do!

Employees of window companies know their product very well. They know the best tools to use, the best insulation, the best caulking and the best techniques. They get paid by the hour so they are under no pressure to "rush" your installation. Be sure that the window company you select proves they have insurance coverage. Ask for copies of the certificates. Get all promises in writing.

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Energy Star Vinyl Window Manufacturers

I've convinced you that it is important to buy a certified vinyl window. But it is still a little confusing. There are three certification programs. One is the AAMA-NWWDA program. The other is the NFRC. And the third is the Energy Star window and door certification program. Which one is better? Well, that is hard to say because they certify different aspects of the window. The AAMA-NWWDA program looks primarily at the material aspects of the window while the NFRC and Energy Star certification tests take a close look at the thermal performance of the glass.

The glass is very important. Glass used to be the weakest link in the energy shield of your home. Vast improvements have pushed the insulating factor of the window to new levels. Invisible heat films that are sandwiched between panes of insulating glass are allowing window manufacturers to build better and more energy efficient windows. The invisible films are absolutely on the cutting edge of technology. If you can get windows that have this Low E film, do so.

Go to the Energy Star web site to find a current list of manufacturers which meet the Energy Star certification standards. If you don't find a manufacturer in your town or city, don't panic! Many of these manufacturers make windows that might be distributed by another company in your area. If you don't see a familiar name, simply call your local companies. Look for the Energy Star blue/green semi-circle global logo on the windows!

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Window Glass Performance Comparisons

Your upcoming window purchase is important. You need to spend as much money as you can afford on the glass. If you spend wisely, you will get long-term benefits. The charts below illustrate this clearly. Look at the following chart. It is the Winter Performance Chart.

The insulating values of windows are measured in U-values. Low U-values mean BIG energy savings. The Low E glass that contains the invisible heat films simply work the best. If you sit or work near windows during cold winter months, you need windows that have the lowest U-value you can buy. The inner pane of glass in these windows will be warmer to the touch and as such will produce fewer cold convection drafts.

Summer heat gain is also a big concern. The sun's infrared heat streams in through regular dual pane insulated glass. Old technology hard-coat Low E glass doesn't help too much in blocking solar heat gain. Look at the following chart.

It clearly shows that once again windows that contain the invisible heat film do the best at blocking the solar heat gain from entering your home. Invisible heat films are a must if your home contains lots of windows that face west, southwest, south and southeast. Heat gain from these exposures can be massive in the summer months. If you run central air conditioning in your home, windows that contain the invisible heat films will help you lower your cooling costs.

If the window sales people look confused when you mention U-values and Solar Heat Gain Coefficients, go elsewhere! The two charts are courtesy of Gilkey Windows in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Remember, when comparing SHGCs, lower numbers are better. For example, a window with a SHGC of .19 is a better window than one with a rating of .34. Another tip is to be very careful of verbal promises. If a window salesperson promises you something, make sure the exact wording is in the contract. Never accept verbal promises or excuses. Remember, excuses are reasons for failure.

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