Choosing Replacement Windows For Your Home

By Bill Wilson, CEO, Peoples Products, Inc.

One thing is for sure, if you are looking to replace the windows in your home, and you get it wrong, you’ll run the risk of having to re-replace them in as little as seven years. Does that sound strange? It sounded unbelievable when I first read about it years ago, but it turns out I’ve been persuaded it’s true. Given that there are many, many companies who sell replacement windows in your area, there’s a good chance you may never get the truth behind what’s most important to know, unless you knew what to ask in advance. Window systems have advanced greatly in the past 20 years. What used to be considered top of the line yesteryear, is today, considered disposable. Yet, if you’re like most people, you’ll likely own your home longer than 20 years. Why do so many people get it wrong? The answer is actually quite simple. I call it the guitar shop syndrome. If you walk into many guitar shops, you’ll likely meet salespeople who will appear to know a great deal about the gear they sell. Unfortunately, much of the time the information is misleading and inaccurate. Why, you ask? Guitars, like replacement windows are often sold from only the perspective of what a given company wants to sell you, and often salespeople will say anything (truthful or otherwise) to get you to buy.

So, let’s talk about how to avoid the traps of buying the wrong brand of windows.

First, any double or triple pane window you purchase will come standard with Low E Glass, and Argon Gas. The Low E coating on today’s windows are essentially mandated by state law as a basic requirement to lessen energy consumption. Low E coatings reflect radiant heat waves that come from your inside heater, and also from the sun in the summertime. If it’s cold outside, we want it warm inside, so Low E glass helps to retain the heat waves by bouncing them back into the house. In the summer, it reflects the sun’s heat waves away from entering your home and warming it. The only way to avoid a high rate of radiant heat waves from escaping in mass volume is to reflect those waves back to its original source.

Argon Gas serves the purpose of adding density to the air between the two or three panes of glass. Argon Gas is colorless, odorless, harmless, and it helps to insulate the glass of your window against unnecessary heat loss.

What you may not know is that Low E glass is very basic when it comes to reflecting radiant heat waves. Other technologies, such as Heat Mirror work much better than just Low E, and when in concert with Low E, the results can be astounding. Argon Gas is heavier than air, yet Krypton Gas (sounds like Superman’s nemesis) is double the insulation value of Argon. If you’re thinking long-term, these upgrades can greatly reduce the energy consumption of any home. If a company does not offer these upgrades, chances are they won’t talk about them in a sales presentation.

If you find a buy 1 get 2 free offer, or another gimmicky-sounding advertisement, what good would taking advantage of it be if the product is still not worth owning? With energy prices soaring, it’s more important than ever to think clearly about these choices. They may make the difference in what could be great satisfaction and long-term regret. Many home improvement do it-yourself warehouse outlets have a great staff who know how to help you find the paint isle, but unfortunately when it comes to new windows, it takes a deeper dive than that to get it right. In my next article, I’ll cover other important differentiators that also lead to long-term satisfaction. Knowing what to ask is the key to getting it right.

Bill Wilson is the author of Master Virtue, Master Selling.