I got an estimate for 4 windows with R9 and argon gas triple pane vinyl. The price? $2270. Any suggestions? $500 a window seems kind of high to me or is that the price that is going around these days? Haven't bought windows since 1984, which are the ones that I want to replace.
I bought 10 double-pane windows with argon and low-e glass for about $1,400 two years ago. You must be talking to Barrier Windows - did the salesperson show you some display with a heat lamp shining through a regular window vs. a window stuffed with fiberglass insulation vs. their super-duper-window? It's probably a great window, but it's hard to justify spending that much on windows. It's called "diminishing returns". If 90% efficient costs 200% more than 80% efficient, is it really worth it? Usually not.
Have you checked the prices of replacement windows at home depot, or else where?can run from 175.00 to 295.00. Can you install them yourself? I just put in 17 windows, including one picture window for $3400.00. Installation is simple, pulling out the old windows is simple. get a how-to book, unless your a acomplete klutz, you can do it.
At 55 years of age, the only ones of these that I did myself were fixed windows over a door and a window.
All the others were too big, too heavy for one person to lift and hold in place while screwing the frame of the window to the house.
IOW, I had to get help, and yes, I replaced single pane aluminum crap with double pane vinyl. Windows get at most 1 hour of sunshine a day
10-11 am, so low-E, argon don't help very much. All windows are on the NorthEast facing side of the house.that does sound high for vinyl windows. its about right for good sized aluminum clad wood like marvin or anderson.
R9 , yea sure, Triple pane is at best, just maybe, R6, but R5-5.5 yes. Get their independant lab result and verify it, then contact the atty general to turn the liars in.
No expert here, but the more panes (dead air space) it means somewhat better insulation.
As for the argon, while it is excellent for this purpose, it does leak out inevitably & eventually (likely within a year or two). So the Low E or similar coatings might be worth while cost/benefit over long term.
You probably get what you pay for as for quality construction etc. Custom large or curved windows cost more. No idea on current prices.
When I bought windows for our house we had built 1993, I got Pellas for most of the windows with Low E double pane and the blinds in between the glass.
They have worked fine.
Morenuf
You must be talking to Barrier Windows - did the salesperson show you some display with a heat lamp shining through a regular window vs. a window stuffed with fiberglass insulation vs. their super-duper-window? It's probably a great window, but it's hard to justify spending that much on windows. >>>
Who are Barrier Windows? Yes, he came in with all demo's, window, heat lamp treatment and etc. I was impressed..but who am I..an expert? I mentioned if the gas leaks, then what. He said that I have lifetime guarantee and they would take care of it and the gas is not dangerous if it leaks. As a handy man, when I was younger, now at 77 I find it hard even to open these old windows without straining my back for days...thats why I want to replace them. i got to this May 16th to cancel contract..if I had to.
Barrier windows sent a salesperson over to my house when I was looking to replace the 10 I mentioned. Maybe you were pitched by a different company, but it sounds the same. I'll agree that those windows ARE impressive, but certainly not worth 3 or 4 times the cost of a vinyl clad window. Just FYI:
Low-e glass is good for keeping the house cool in the summer, IF it's a window that gets a lot of direct sunlight (ie. south-facing). Otherwise, it doesn't do much for you.
Argon is an inert gas that is used to fill the gap between the panes and can decrease the heat loss through the window (or heat gain in summer time). As others have mentioned, it does leak out, though I don't know if it leaks as quickly as a year. It's true that it's not dangerous.
I didn't buy the windows from the salesman who came around, mostly due to price, but also due to the high-pressure, buy-it-right-now, sales pitch and the hour of my life wasted listening to him. If you have a chance to cancel the contract, I would, but be warned, a friend of mine did that and the company sent another salesperson to talk him out of it. He was not threatened, but the person they sent was not the nice, happy, polite one that talked him into the contract in the first place. Fortunately, my friend was not intimidated by the second person, but he mentioned that many people could be, so be prepared for the second "attack" in their sales arsenal and be ready to forcefully tell this person to leave your property and take his cancelled contract with him. Have a phone ready to call cops if necessary, though it shouldn't come to that.
I went to Barriers site and saw no mention of any performance values, my impression of not including performance data is they are cheap average windows. R9 would be worth extra bragging rights, but there is no mention of anything on insulating value. Or did I miss a page on their site. R5.5 is all one can expect of LowEargon tri pane, I have a few.
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