Uncomfortable homes may have drafty windows

A Lake Minnetonka condo in Minneapolis was remodeled using Renewal by Andersen windows. (Courtesy of Karen Melvin Phtography/For Andersen Corp.)

It can be difficult to climb out of bed if your windows contribute to a chilly room. Renewal by Andersen replaces thousands of windows each year. (Courtesy of Andersen Corp.)

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Do you have rooms in your house that heat up in the summer and are just too hot to use? Maybe you have to keep your blinds down all the time to keep the heat out. Are those same rooms drafty and cold in the winter?

The problem might not be your air conditioning or heating system; your windows may need to be replaced.

Scott Grider, the local general manager of Renewal by Andersen, is an expert in the field of replacement windows and patio doors.

“I would say the most common window issue that people have in the Chicago area is that they are just no longer energy efficient, and that means no matter how high you turn up your AC or your heat, you’re just never going to be comfortable in your own home,” Grider said.

Because of drafts homeowners feel in colder months, it’s easy to think about replacing your windows then, but inefficient windows can wreak havoc in the warmer months, too.

“I can’t tell you how many homes I’ve visited where there’s a room or two that the homeowner literally can’t use in the summer — they were just way too hot,” Grider said.

Fortunately for Chicago-area homeowners, there is a replacement window that’s custom-built to stand up to the drastic temperature swings of our seasons. Renewal by Andersen’s window is made of its exclusive Fibrex composite material. Fibrex material is two times stronger than vinyl, and its windows’ SmartSun glass blocks 95 percent of the ultraviolet rays that can cause floors, rugs and furniture to fade.

“Not only is our SmartSun glass up to 70 percent more energy efficient than ordinary dual pane glass in the summer,” Grider explained, “but because it helps block out UV rays in the summer and helps keep warm air inside in the winter, your rooms will be more comfortable.”*

Andersen created Renewal by Andersen, its full-service replacement window division, to give homeowners one accountable company that handles the entire process. And that means with Renewal by Andersen, there’s no typical, frustrating middleman with which to deal. Renewal by Andersen sells, builds, installs and warrants their replacement windows and patio doors; it’s refreshing to homeowners that they don’t have to lift a finger during the whole process.

The warranty is an important factor for many homeowners when they choose a window company.

“Often window companies say they offer a lifetime warranty, but I always caution homeowners to look at the fine print,” Grider said.

Many window companies’ warranties, whether they span 10 years or a so-called lifetime, only cover the windows, but they don’t cover the installation.

“Our limited warranty covers our windows, patio doors and our installation, so you can have complete peace of mind,” explained Grider.

Visit renewalbyandersen.com to read the limited warranty.

“If I could give homeowners one piece of advice, this is what I would say: if you are considering replacing your windows, I would strongly caution you against choosing a low-end vinyl window,” Grider said.

“You can replace your windows and patio doors once with a highly-engineered product and likely never have to do it again, or you can replace them several times with a low-end product and end up paying more in the long run,” he added. “Just to give you an example of the strength of our window, we custom build, install and warrant a replacement window that has been tested to withstand temperatures from 180 degrees to -20. Not only will our window help save you money on your energy bills — it’s beautiful, too.”

Renewal by Andersen replaces thousands of vinyl windows each year. Its composite Fibrex material, its professional, certified master installers and its legacy of excellence as an Andersen company are all what helps it be part of the most trusted family of window and door brands in the country, based on 2016 homeowner brand survey.

“The process starts with a free window diagnosis,” Grider said. “We’ll assess your current windows, answer all questions, and then after you choose your style, color and hardware options, we’ll give you a down-to-the-penny exact price quote — not an estimate — that is valid for a full year.”

To see if Renewal by Andersen can help solve your window and patio door problems, call (630) 318-0550.

* Values are based on comparison of Renewal by Andersen double-hung window U-Factor to the U-Factor for clear, dual pane glass, nonmetal frame default values from the 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2018 International Energy Conservation Code “Glazed Fenestration” default tables.