Replacing old windows can enhance the look of your home and make it quieter and less drafty with vinyl window replacement. Many double-hung windows currently on the market are now easier to clean and maintain than older windows with combination screens and storm windows.
Given the high cost of replacing windows, the more you know, the more informed a choice you can make. Contractors often have their preferred brands, but do not rely on a contractor to choose your windows for you.
Full-frame vinyl window replacement
- To create a water-tight seal when replacing vinyl windows, it is best to completely remove the old window (including its nail fin) and install a new window frame with an integral nail fin that can be properly flashed. The shortcut of sawing off the old nail fin creates an unstable water plane that could result in water damage, an unhappy homeowner, and an expensive callback. The proper removal method often involves removing or cutting back the siding on the home, adding time and creating extra trim work. Best practice for vinyl window replacement requires a water-resistive barrier, sealant, and flashing tape, in conjunction with the integral nail fin frame.
- With fewer finished trim pros around today, the task of measuring, bending, cutting, and mitering a 5- to 6-foot piece of sharp, wobbly aluminum is often left to inexperienced hands. That results in jobs that often take too long and have high scrap, driving up the cost of the job.
- Aesthetic variability is a subtle but expected part of trimming out replacement windows. A seasoned pro is skilled at presenting the homeowner with a uniform, pleasing aesthetic across all installed windows. Less experienced crews will find it challenging when addressing this variability.
Solving these issues is not easy. One leading industry player has heard the concerns and understands the difficulties with vinyl window replacement. The work of window manufacturer Alside presents the trade with a replacement window product that breaks new ground with material and time saving value, unmatched trimming simplicity, and the kind of high-quality aesthetics contractors can count on. Alside recently introduced a contractor-friendly window system that features a breakthrough called Trimworks with SwiftLock Technology.
The patented SwiftLock Technology provides the means to quickly and simply finish off the trim work needed on each window. “The challenge of welded vinyl windows is an inherent but slight variability in window dimensions,” explains Alside Senior Vice President Shawn Hardy. “SwiftLock Technology addresses variability with a snap-in-place trimming solution that exactly matches and fits the window frame, no matter size or configuration. Beyond the simple attachment, it requires no work to be done on the job site and doesn’t rely on accessory grooves at all.”
For an industry looking to improve productivity through reduced crew size and lower talent requirements, the timing couldn’t be better for vinyl window replacement. Contractors now have a proven workaround that eliminates the metal bending, measuring, cutting, and mitering that can easily add up to 40 minutes of time to each window installation. Now any rookie can trim out a high-performing, thin-line frame in under a minute. The time savings can mean nearly seven fewer hours for every 10 windows on a job, taking days off the time needed to complete larger jobs. Those days can then be used on the next job, providing window dealers the opportunity to complete more jobs per year. This can not only improve revenues, but it can enhance profitability, too.
To learn more about Trimworks with SwiftLock Technology, part of the Mezzo Full-Frame Replacement System, visit alside.com/mezzo.
There are many window styles and manufacturing companies to choose from. Here are a few we recommend; Renewal by Anderson , Pella Windows and Doors , Jeld Wen Windows and Doors , Home Depot and Lowes.
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