ann m

Anyone replaced windows in their home?

Anyone in Calgary can recommend anyone to do so?

Anything we should be on the look out for? Triple glazing, double, quadruple!! Solar this, R-rating that ....

All I know is this could be an expensive exercise so we want to get it right.

Any (useful, albeit probably boring) comments and experiences gratefully received.

I thank you.

Greenhill

Full frame windows or insert windows: that is the question.

If the current frames are good and only the windows need replacing then inserts might do the job.

If the frames are shot and/or you're thinking about redoing the siding/shingles/cladding/trim etc then full frame windows are likely what you need.

There might not be a huge deal in difference between the cost of full frame versus inserts (although there might be these days, IDK) but the labour to put in the full frames (both cost and time) can and will be a way lot more.

Around here, the best time to buy windows is during the winter sales - could be the same out west??

Piff Poff

We're just about to get a few done - 5 windows, a front door and a patio door, we're just going for double glazed and they are full frame as the ones we have are the old secondary glazing even though they work really well they are a bit ugly. The brand we are going for are All weather windows (I think and I think they are made in Edmonton). They should be installed in September and they came in at just under $9k

BristolUK

Do you want panoramic windows or pornographic ones?

ann m

Thanks folks (and thanks for the PM).

Current windows are blowing their seals, one by one, so are "smoky" - I think we are up to six now. They are 15 years old, which is nothing in my book.

Current windows have the white pvc on the outside and what I suppose was once really nice looking wood on the inside. The ice build-up in the corners of the windows (on the inside) during the winter melts into delightful puddles, and the wood and varnish have taken a hammering. It's a pig of a job to keep re-doing.

So although I think we could have the inserts replaced or re-sealed, I'm not sure a) if I'd trust them again, and b) it doesn't solve the continually soaked wooden sills indoors. I want wipe-clean pvc!

And is it natural to have such a build up of ice inside anyway? I expect a bit I suppose. -23 seems to be our ice point!

ann m

Oh God, another decision to make.

Simon Legree

Ice build up is not normal. It would indicate air leakage. As for only lasting 15 years I'd be ticked too. That's nothing. I personally would avoid wood. Vinyl is easier to maintain and doesn't need painting.
Here is a website that you may find helpful:
www.peterkohler.co

They are just down the road from me and have a very good reputation for quality products.

Hobbess

We had a flyer in for these guys: http://www.ecolinewindows.ca/ as we've been looking at doing ours, though we're also trying to get the kitchen done so it just depends on the priority list.

They came to do a quick quote on Monday though we've not seen the details, for a "normal" size window it's about $1000 to replace we were told. They are doing an upgrade to triple glazing and no GST promo just now i think.

Ours are original 1980 windows, wood interior and exterior. We've had the exterior painted twice in the 4 years we've lived there and the interior sills are looking a bit beaten up after similar condensation issues.

For the smoky issue we've used the fog guy, who has come out and it fixes the in-window moisture.

Just to add - a friend had these guys in http://www.supremewindows.net/, and he's happy. Similar pricing to ecoline based on his reports, if we were serious about getting ours done I'd be getting a quote from them too.

iaink

We replaced just the glass panels as the seals had gone. double glazed, solar coating, argon fill. Works for us. The originals were ten to 15 years old, my guess is the seals just cant take a 60°C temerature swing.

If you have a humaine amount of humidity inside in the winter, then a little bit of icing on a cold night is almost inevitable.

Greenhill

Contraction and expansion of the window frame and the house around it probably a factor, too.

Piff Poff

With the windows we are replacing we have had no ice build up at all - one has gone foggy/condensation this summer but that is probably due to the big crack in it and one is smoky, if we didn't have to replace those two and a door we wouldn't be doing anything with them right now as they were doing their jobs. I hope we don't start getting ice with the new windows (we did in the 5 year old house we had). Our windows have been estimated to be early '70's.

iaink

Once we insulated and sealed up the basement (the blower test went from the equivament of a 6' x 6' hole in the house to a 6" x 6" hole) the amount of condensation increased noticably. No condensation might be a sign of a less than airproof house?

Piff Poff

But would a non airproofed house have higher heating bills? I know we weren't living in the house during the winter but we did have the heat on and only a tad lower than the old house. This house is bigger and our heating bills were really quite low, around the summer price for the old house, same provider, same plan. The real test will be this winter but I'll have new windows then

iaink

Yes, heating bills were the whole point of airproofing it.

Then you find after youve done it that its so airprood that an air exchange unit is a good idea....

Insulation is of course a big factor in heating costs too, and if your new place has lots of south facing windows that would make a difference too. And of course it could be different windows having different results too...

Piff Poff

We have windows all around, lots of lovely (if old) windows letting in lots of lovely light, I was really impressed last year with the windows we have as they were not the drafty old things I thought they were going to be - obviously why they have never been changed, just hope the new windows will be as good.