 When you like the smell of the wood you may want to go with Andersen 200 Series windows. With these windows you can get slick exterior design and natural wood interior. Andersen 200 is a cheaper option than Andersen 400 series. Once you put them into your house, they will make it more valuable and attractive. Andersen 200 windows do not come in custom sizes. All the sizes are standard. Most of the time you can use it in new construction house. Just make sure to find out the available sizes from Andersen window company. The Beauty of Andersen 200 SeriesThe interior of the Andersen 200 window has beautiful design and clean look. The pine wood comes primed in white color. That’s the only interior color available for this window. If you want more colors you are gonna have to switch to Andersen 400 series or just hire a painter and paint your new windows into any color you want. You should remember as well, that you are gonna have to refresh that paint each 7-10 years. The Andersen 200 windows come with balance covers, but no night latches. The thickness of the frame and sash combined is 2’’. It makes your windows look bigger, without any loss of glass areas. The exterior of the Andersen 200 series window is vinyl. This way you can enjoy the wood inside of your house and do not worry about painting the exterior of your windows each 5 years or so. Once installed, the window looks nice and easily becomes part of the house. The Andersen 200 is available in 2 exterior colors only. Performance of Andersen 200 Series Andersen 200 series windows are not Energy Star Qualified for New Jersey if it is a basic package. You should upgrade the window with better glass options to get Energy Star qualification. The U-Factor is 0.30, SHGC is 0.31. The window comes with Low-E glass and argon Gas. This is a double hung window, so both sashes are moving and can be tilted inside the house for easy cleaning. Air infiltration of the window is below 0.30, which is an industry average, but nothing to brag about. We can say that several streams of air are gonna escape the house or get into the house without your permission. Andersen 200 series window has block and tackle balance system. It does not need any lubrication or adjustment. This system is very durable and performs around 28,000 cycles before any failure. Quality of The Andersen 200 Series Window Andersen 200 series window is made from pine wood. On the exterior the wood is covered with vinyl for extra durability. Interior of the window is primed pine. So the window is well built and durable. Andersen company gives 10 year warranty on vinyl exterior and 5 years on wood components. The glass of the Andersen 200 window gets 20 years transferable warranty. When the window is installed into your house, you have the responsibility of painting the interior of the window, right after the installation. If you don't do it, the warranty on wood components might be voided. Andersen 200 Series Key Points:Positive Points:
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 When you want to get to top of the line, then you should consider OKNA Enviro-Star ( also called 800 Series) Double Hung windows. These replacement windows are the highest window line of the OKNA manufacturer. The Beaty of the OKNA Enviro-Star Windows  Eviro-Star series double hung window is a breakthrough product, which available in many glass and structural options. This double hung window when installed into your house blends in seamlessly and rejuvenates your house for many years to come. The interior of the window makes your room comfortable. When you install Enviro-Star windows, you can feel yourself proud and happy. The window comes with balance covers, no spider web or dust is gonna get into the balance channels. Night latches are standard as well. The Eviro-Star window has many interior colors and options. The thickness of the frame is a bit on higher side of 3 1/4. If you have smaller windows in the house, then you are gonna loose some of the glass area. When most of the windows in your house are big, then you are not gonna notice any big difference. The elegant beveled exterior profile of the Enviro-Star window will make the exterior of your house to look unforgettable and long lasting in memories of your family and friends. The 800 series double hung windows can be painted to match any exterior. These windows, once installed, are gonna look like the eyes of the most beautiful person you ever met. Performance of The OKNA Enviro-Star Window Okna 800 series double hung windows have the highest energy efficiency ratings in the industry. The U-Factor of the window is 0.20, SHGC 0.29. The window comes with triple pane glass, triple layer of weather stripping on both sashes. All that means, that you are gonna be able finally donate that heavy wool sweater and wool socks. The temperature in your house is gonna stay stable. Air infiltration is 0.01, which one of the best in the industry. No doubt that the air is gonna come in to your house or out of the house with your permission only. At the bottom of the window sash there is magnetic seal, which draws the bottom sash to the window seal, so it closes like a door of a fridge. The balance system of the window is very reliable as well, does not need any adjustment or lubrication. You can open and close it about 28000 times. Quality of The Enviro-Star Window The 800 series window is made from a high quality virgin vinyl. What does it mean? Well, it means, that all the OKNA windows installed into your house are not gonna fade too much in the next 10-15 years. You are gonna enjoy the true colors of the window for many years to come. The frame and sashes are fusion welded for extra strength and beauty. High density composite reinforcement is in the top part of your window sash. It makes the window very durable and 171 mph wind resistant. All in all, when you install these windows into your house, you are gonna feel yourself proud about that achievement. In other words your house is gonna become your precious nest, your fortress, where you are gonna feel yourself comfortable, happy and secure. Eviro-Star (800 series) Double Hung Window Key Points:Positive Points:
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 When you have hard access areas in your house, then one of the good options might be OKNA Casement 700 Series. Double hung windows are the best choice for window replacement, but in some places like around kitchen sink or bath tub, you may consider installation of a casement window. Beauty of OKNA Casement 700 Window  OKNA 700 series windows have modern design and look. Once it is installed, it becomes a part of the house. The interior of the window has straight modern touches and eliminates all the unnecessary noise, that other windows have. The window has well designed crank in and out handle. When you do not use it, you can easily fold it in and the handle becomes part of the window. The exterior of the window has relatively thin profiles, which adds to the beauty of the window, without sacrificing the energy efficiency of the window. Performance of the OKNA 700 Window OKNA 700 casement window boasts with high energy efficiency ratings. The U-Value is 0.24, SHGC 0.27. The air infiltration rating is below 0.02, which makes this casement window solid like a wall, not a stream of air is gonna come into the house or out of the house without your permission. The window sash has triple layer of weather stripping, which gives all that extra insulating qualities to the window. In the window is used multi locking system, which improves security of the house substantially. There are two locks inside the frame of the window, when you lock the window, these two locks draw the window sash very tightly. OKNA 700 Series casement can be opened 90 degrees for easy ventilation and cleaning from the inside of the house. Quality of The OKNA 700 Series  The frame of the OKNA 700 series window is made from high quality virgin vinyl. The sash and frame of the window are fully welded for exceptional strength. The glass panes of the window are separated with HeatSeal warm edge spacer system for excellent thermal performance and reduction of the possibility of condensation of the window glass. 700 Series Casement Window Points:Positive Points:
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 The middle range replacement window by OKNA manufacturer is Eco-Pro Series double hung. This type of the replacement window is called OKNA 600 Series as well. Let’s see what is it in the window that many people love them. Beauty of the window Eco-Pro Series are available in interior woodgrain colors. The frame of the window is slightly thicker than Precision-Weld Series (Okna 400 Series windows). The Interior of the window makes your room much more cosy and comfortable. The round edges of the window frame enhance the beauty of the room. All the balance channels of the window have the balance covers, this way no dust or spider web is gonna accumulate in these channels. Night vent latches are standard as well. You can vent just the couple of inches at the bottom or at the top of the window. Eco-Pro Series windows have a slim looking sash lock with many color options. The thickness of the frame and sash of the window combined is 3 1/4, slightly on the bigger side. If you have smaller windows in your house, it may make them look even smaller. If your windows are bigger in size, then you are not gonna notice the loss of the the glass area. The Exterior of OKNA Eco-Pro Series window has an appealing modern look. You can tell that when you look at the slightly beveled and rounded screen channel of the window. Once Okna 600 windows installed into your house, they become a beautiful part of it. Performance of the window Okna Eco-Pro Series double hung windows have very high energy efficiency ratings and very low air infiltration ratings. The U-Factor of the window is 0.25, the SHGC is 0.27. The window has triple layer of weather stripping on top and the bottom sashes. There is an air bulb between the both sashes, as well as at the bottom window sash. All that adds to good air infiltration rating of below 0.02. Both sashes close as tight as the door of a fridge. The balance system of the window is block and tackle system. It can achieve more than 28000 cycles. You can close and open your window that many times and still it is gonna be working. Quality of the window The frame of the widow is made from virgin vinyl. It means that the vinyl used in a window was not recycled. It is used for the first time in the frame of your window. Block and tackle system is maintenance free and does not need any adjustment or lubrication. The whole frame of the window is fusion welded for enhanced beauty and extra durability. High performance HeatSeal Spacer is used between the two glass chambers of the window. It prevents any moisture to accumulate in the space between the two glass panes. The frame of the window has High Density Composite Reinforcement. It makes this window extremely durable and 171 mph wind resistant. Both sashes are foam filled for extra energy efficiency. Eco-pro series window advantages and disadvantages:Advantages:
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When it comes to windows selection, we have a wide choice of manufacturers. OKNA Precision-Weld Series is the product of OKNA Windows And Doors Company. This type of the window is one of the most popular products offered by the company. The other name that these replacement windows go is OKNA 400 Series. So let’s see why some people say it is the “future today” windows. Beauty of The Window The Interior of the window makes it look like the part of the room. The frame of the Precision-Weld replacement window has rounded edges and gives richer look to the interior of the room. The frame has balance covers, that gives to the window a finished look and prevents dust and spider web build up in balance channels. Night latches are standard as well, so you can vent several inches of the top or the bottom of the window. The OKNA 400 Series have a slim profile sash lock, but you have an option to add Auto-Lock feature. The thickness of the frame and sash combined is 3’’, which is a bit on the bigger side, especially if you have small windows. If your windows are bigger, then you are not gonna notice the loss of some of the glass area. The Exterior of The OKNA 400 Window has a modern look. The screen channel of the window has curved edges, which gives to the window pretty much a unique look. Most of the window industry uses square strict edges, which makes the window look a bit colder and boring. Performance of the Window Precision-Weld Series double hung replacement window boasts with very impressive energy efficiency ratings. The U-Factor of the window with the basic package is 0.28, the SHGC is 0.30. You can see on the pictures the thick double layer of weather stripping on both sashes and air bulb on the bottom sash. The air infiltration rating is 0.05, which means the window closes tight as the door of a fridge. The special bulb between the top and bottom sashes adds to that great air infiltration rating. Most of the air comes from that spot. Other manufacturers neglect to insulate well that important part of the window. The engine of the window is block and tackle balance system and can achieve about 28,000 cycles, so you can open and close your window about so many times, before the engine is gonna blow up so to say. OKNA Precision-Weld windows come with standard half screen or can be upgraded to full screen option. The screen is made from extruded aluminum, which adds to durability of the screen. The screen does not not have locking mechanism, but there is an option to add that feature. Quality of the Window The window frame is made from the virgin vinyl. It means that the vinyl used in the window was not remelted from other vinyl products. Block and Tackle balance system is maintenance free and does not need lubrication. Both the frame and sashes are fusion welded for extra durability. High performance HeatSeal Spacer is used in glass pane system and prevents any moisture to accumulate between the two glass panes. Precious-Weld Series Window Key Points: Advantages:
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We get a lot of questions about the these two windows. Harvey Slimline and Classic replacement windows are the most affordable high quality windows on the market. So we would like to show what is the difference between these two windows Let’s have these windows side by side and have a closer look at them.
You can see from that comparison chart, that Harvey Classic replacement window is slightly more energy efficient than Slimline window.
The main difference is the style of cam lock and the locking half screen in Classic window, while it is not in Slimline. The frame of the Classic replacement window is thicker by 1/4 than Slimline. Classic Double Hung Replacement Window People say all windows are the same. We can tell this is not so. We would like to chit-chat about Classic Double Hung window. The manufacturer of the window is Harvey Building Products. The company is in business from 1961, it is one of the top 100 window and door manufacturers in the United Sates. Harvey Building Products has in-house vinyl recycling facilities and design lab. The company is involved into charitable home building for injured veterans. So we can see that the manufacturer is well established business and will honor window warranties. Now let’s have a look at the Classic Double Hung replacement window Specifications of Harvey Classic Double Hung Window The U-Factor is 0.27, SHGC rating is 0.25. It means the window is Energy Star qualified in North Eastern States of U.S. The window comes with Low-E and Argon Gas filled glass. The design pressure rating is 50, which means the window withstands the wind blows of up to 85-90 mph. Interior of the Classic Double Hung Window The frame and the sashes of the window are fusion welded. No screws are used to hold them together. The thickness of the frame and sash combined is 3’’. If you have smaller windows in your house you may loose some of the glass area. This Harvey Classic DH window has block and tackle balance system. It is one of the best balance systems, does not need any lubrication or maintenance. It is one of the most important part of the window. So you want to have it the best. The window comes with balance covers. It adds beauty to the window and prevents any dust to get into the window channel. Night latches are standard as well. You can vent a room with the window opened just a couple of inches at the bottom or the top. The window has low profile cam lock, which enhances the interior look of the window. Exterior of the Harvey Classic DH window
The exterior of this replacement window has pretty much slick look. The screen channel looks like part of the window and blends in well with overall window design. Classic DH window comes with standard half screen or can be upgraded to full screen. The frame of the screen is made from extruded aluminum, which makes it more durable. The fiber glass screen has a locking mechanism. That feature adds to the safety of the window, if you have small children in the house. Energy Efficiency of the Window Harvey Classic Double Hung Window is an Energy Star qualified window. Both sashes of the window have double weather stripping and heavy duty bulb at the bottom sash of the window. Air infiltration is about 0.07, one of the best in the window industry. Harvey Classic Double Hung window key points Pluses: — Energy Star qualified — the frame and sashes are fusion welded — Well built extruded aluminum fiber glass locking screen —balance covers are standard — maintenance free block and tackle balance system — lifetime warranty on all hardware and 20 years glass warranty — the window has beveled sill, no weep holes — the window is available in 28 exterior colors and 4 interior colors Minuses: — the thickness of the frame and sash combined is 3’’ a bit too much for the smaller windows. Before getting to the window let’s talk about the manufacturer. Harvey Building Products was founded in 1961 and it is among the top 15 on Windows & Doors Top 100 Manufacturers list. All of Harvey products are made and designed in America. The company has in house window testing lab and vinyl recycling facilities. Harvey Building Products has been a sponsor for Homes For Our Troops since 2009, a top performing non-profit organization that builds specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans.
In other words we can see, that Harvey is well established company and is going be able to take care about window warranties. The company is involved in charity giving, it can make you feel better about your window purchase as well. Now let us talk about the window itself. Specifications of Harvey Slimline Window The U- Factor of the window is 0.30, SHGC rating is 0.27. The rating is not the highest. Still, the window is qualified for Energy Star rating in North Eastern States of U.S. The Slimline replacement window comes with an optional clear or Low-E glass, as well as argon gas fill. The design pressure rating for that window is 35, which means it can withstand the wind blows of up to 70 miles mph. Interior of the window The frame and sashes of the Harvey Slimline replacement window are fusion welded. No screws are used to hold them together. The window comes with balance covers and vent stops. The thickness of the frame and the sash is 2 1/4. It means if you have smaller windows, you are not gonna loose glass area. So all in all Harvey Slimline window has slick and clean interior, that will make your house more comfortable. Exterior of the window Harvey Slimline replacement window has modern exterior look as well. It has slightly beveled exterior, that becomes part of your house. The replacement window comes with half screen or full screen option. The screen frame is made from extruded aluminum, which adds strength and durability. The screen does not have the lock mechanism. Energy Efficiency Slimline replacement window is Energy star window. Both sashes of the window have double weather stripping and heavy duty bulb at the bottom. The window has one of the highest air infiltration rating in the industry of 0.09. So the window does a good job at preventing the air from coming into the house or out of the house without your permission. Harvey Slimline Replacement window Key points: Pluses: —Energy Star qualified — Fusion welded frame and sashes, built like one solid piece —Heavy extruded aluminum screen — Balance covers are standard —Double weather stripping with heavy duty bulb at the bottom —Block and Tackle sash balances, never need adjustment or lubrication — solid lifetime warranty on all the hardware and 20 year warranty on a glass — the window has beveled sill, no weep holes Minuses: — the screen does not have locks — the window is available in white color only —the hardware is available in white only Windows are the eyes of your house. At Siding & Windows Wizards LLC we understand that. We offer several choices of replacement windows. Our premium option is United 8000 series replacement window. Let us talk a bit about the manufacturer of these windows. United Window and Door Company is local manufacturer, located in Springfield NJ. This is a privately owned company with more than 50 years in business. We like the window products of this company, because they are well designed, durable and reliable. Specifications of the United 8000 Replacement Window The U-Factor of window is 0.26-0.28, which means that the R value of the window is around 4. The SHGC rating 0.24-0.27. With these rating the window is qualified for Energy Star Rating in most states. The glass of the window has Low-E coating and Argon Gas between the two glass panes. Glass pane thickness is 1''. The Design Pressure rate for that window is 50, which means it can withstand wind blows of up to 140 mph. When you install these windows into your house, definetly you are going to see energy savings and less noise coming from the outside into the house.  Interior of the window The window frame is solidly built. The frame and both sashes of the window are fusion welded for extra strength and stability. This is a Double Hung Window, so both sashes move up and down for ease of use and maintenance. When you look at this window from the inside, you can notice that it looks different. The one thing that strikes is the clean look of the bottom sash of the window. You can see, that there is no tilt in locks on each side of the sash. This window has high-tech Lock-N-Tilt System. To release the sash for cleaning, all you have to do is twist the two window locks to the opposite side and the bottom sash tilts in. The window comes with balance covers for extra beauty and cleanliness. United 8000 has vent latches as well. If you want to vent just three inches of the top or the bottom of the window, you can pull them out. The thickness of the frame and the sash combined is 3.25’’. When you have smaller windows in the house, you might loose a bit of the viewing area.  Exterior of the window United 8000 window has rich exterior, that blends in to your house and makes it look like a million bucks. The frame of the window has a nice beveled exterior. Around the window glass there is a beautiful casing, which enhances the look of the window. The window comes with a half fiber screen or full optional screen. The screen is made from fully extruded aluminum and locks at the bottom. When it is windy, your window screens will stay in the windows and are not gonna be blown off and damaged. At the bottom of the window there are no weep holes, because all the frame is fusion welded and water does not get inside the window frame. Wheather Stripping
When you open the window, you notice that bottom and top sashes have three weather stripping. On the bottom of the window there are two weather stripping. United 8000 series window has the vinyl lag that part of the window and locks inside the bottom sash. Energy Efficiency The window has enhanced energy Efficiency. As you can see, all the way around the window frame there is a weather stripping to improve energy saving capabilities. This channel protects the walls of the house for any moisture accumulation. United 8000 Replacement Window Conclusions:
Pluses: — High Energy Efficiency — Lock-N-Tilt System — 140 mph wind resistance — Heavy Extruded Aluminum Screen, that locks into the frame — 1’’ Insulated Glass — heavy duty weather stripping — rich interior and exterior design — balance covers are standard —available in six colors Minuses: —The frame a bit thick — the price is higher United 8000 Series window has solid non prorated Lifetime Limited Warranty. It is easy to understand and easy to use. You don't have to be a lawyer to figure out what your warranty covers. You have decided to refresh the look of your house. Now you want to shop for the new windows. There are many replacement window brands available on the market. We want to review one of the popular Simonton 5500 series replacement window. General Specifications of the window Let us start from specifications of this window. Simonton 5500 replacement window boasts U-Factor at 0.29 and SHGC 0.18. This gives not bad energy efficiency rating for this window. It qualifies for Energy star Rating in most states. The glass of the window is double pane and comes with Low-E and Argon Gas between two panes. The DP rating for this window is 25. It means that the window can withstand winds of up to 75 mph.  Interior of the Window Both the window frame and sashes are fusion welded. It means that the window performs like solid piece. No screws used to hold together the parts of the frame or sashes. This window is double hung, so both sashes are moving for the ease of cleaning and venting the room. On the top sash there are two vent laches. When you want to vent just three inches on the bottom you can use these vent latches. The thickness of the frame and the sash is a bit too wide. It measures 3” 5/8. You should not be worried about that if you have wide windows in your house. But if you have smaller windows then the thickness of the frame steals viewing area and your windows look smaller. Simonton 5500 does not have balance covers, which annoys some people.  Exterior of the Window Simonton 5500 replacement window comes with half fiber glass screen. It is made with fully extruded aluminum. The screen is of a high quality. The only downside of the screen is that does not lock into the window frame. It means that with a strong wind the screen can be blown off. At the bottom of the window there are two weep holes. They drain all the water that gets into exterior frame of the window. We believe these weep holes are located somewhat too low. There is a high chance of weep holes clogging. If that happens, the water may find the way into the house. Weather Striping
When you open the window, you can see that the bottom and top sashes have double weather stripping. On the bottom of the sash there is a double rubber weather stripping as well. It means when you close the window no air leaks can happen. Simonton 5500 Double Hung Replacement Window Conclusions: Positives: — High Energy Efficient Window — The Frame and Sashes are durable — The Acceptable Design — Aluminum durable extruded screen Negatives: — No Balance Covers — Weep Holes are too low — The frame is a bit too thick —The window screen does not lock For Warranty Information click the link below: www.simonton.com/sites/Simonton/Files/Simonton-Reflections-5500-Warranty.pdf If you prefer to watch a video about Simonton 5500 Review, please visit our Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs05r1QsBFE&t=473s |
At Siding & Windows Wizards LLC we like to take care about people's houses and like to share ideas about vinyl siding, replacement windows, fiber cement siding, roofing, or anything else that can make people's life easier. Categories
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