Patio Door

[Ed Pawlowski]

In our Family Room we have a Pella 8' slider about 17+ years old. The stationary side is in perfect condition, but the moving half has some rot in the bottom panel. Not sure how bad it is, but where the wheels fits it cannot be adjusted and that end is dragging. The aluminum front panel is coming off, but since it is cold I don't want to go tearing into it just yet.

Couple of questions and observations. Aluminum cladding looks nice but can hide problems A good door should have a much longer life Should I even consider Pella again? We have a Marvin distributor in the next town. How good is Marvin? This is on the north side so it never gets direct sun. Aside from insulated glass, does any of the low E stuff do better?

Other thoughts?

[trader_4]

Most often rot is caused by water failing to drain away. I'd take a good look at it and see if it's salvagable. If it's not seriously compromised, removing the rot, followed by treating with anti-freeze, then wood hardner and/or filler can often make it good for a long time again. If it requires structural strength because of the rollers, etc, then an epoxy filler is appropriate.

[Meanie]

Much depends on the frame material...fiberglass, wood, vinyl, aluminum or wood clad.

Much also depends on the glass spacing and filling. Most windows now come with two panes filled with argon gas and they offer three panes, but is considered a bit overkill. These panes can also come in 3/4" to 1

1/4" (I think) between them which can aid in insulated value.

Low-E is basically standard on all windows and sliding doors and adds a great deal of efficiency.

It's best to consider the overall U-value, R-value and Solar heat gain coefficient of the window/door. The lower the u-value (0.20 to 1.20) the better the efficiency, the higher the R-value the better and the lower the SHGC (0 to 1) the better. Much also depends on your geographical region.

Marvin and Pella still make outstanding products, but they have faults in some of their other series. There are other manufacturers such as Anderson, Simonton, Weather Shield, Reliabilt, Ply Gem and more who have good and bad products as well. Read up and compare them all.

Overall, even the best window or door money can buy isn't worth a dime if not installed properly. At the same standpoint, even a cheaper window or door will be sufficient when installed properly. Therefore, do it right or find a reputable installer.

[Bobby R.]

Pella & Andersen are well known because they spend millions on marketing. Both are at the bottom of the quality list. Marvin is ho-hum, but after the sale, they fade away.

Provia is at the top, and you will pay for it. Polaris is also a well regarded door, but is available to contractors only. If you want service after the sale, Polaris is the way to go.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Out of 5 houses I had built and lived in, 2nd house had Pella windows, patio doors. Worst I ever had. Now I use local window manufacturer by custom order since. Good price, good service.

[Meanie]

Wow....perhaps demographics play a role. Pella and Marvins have a better reputation than Andersons and local brands around her. Also for the past several years, Consumer reports has listed them at the top. Though, I must honestly say, this year isn't good for them. Perhaps installation is the key point.

[Ed Pawlowski]

I can see where warer was getting in. The cladding offered protection when sealed, but once the seal is gone the damag is hidden.

I'm sure it is fixable to some extent, but right now I don't have a warm place to work on it and the main entry we use would be out of commission. Would have been much easier in June.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Never heard of either, but that is why I posed the question. The group here has lots of good information. Turns out there are a couple of ProVia dealers within 30 miles of me. I'll check them out.