Wisconsin homeowners should avoid “cheap” vinyl replacement windows

We all see those “too good to be true” deals on the TV, in magazines, in the Sunday paper, on the internet, and on billboards.  Most of the time we just give these deals a glance and then move on.  But if you are in desperate need of new windows for your entire home ASAP and are short on cash, then a deal for a whole house full of vinyl replacement windows starting at $1500 could sound like a deal too good to pass up!  But will that good deal on new windows end up just leaving you with poorly installed cheap vinyl windows that will end up costing you money and headaches in the long run?  Here are some issues that could happen with cheap vinyl replacement windows:

Inexperienced Installers = future window problems!

Cheap replacement window companies either use subcontractors or cheap labor (check out our blog on subcontractors to learn the disadvantages of not using in-house installers).  We have seen windows installed backward, upside-down, the wrong materials used, and more leaving the homeowner with more troubles than what they had anticipated.

Warping

Cheap vinyl windows are prone to expanding and contracting with extremely cold temperatures and hot summers in Wisconsin.  The expanding and contracting leads to warping that can end up forming gaps around the frame and even window cracks.

Very little energy efficiency

We love lots of windows in our home because they bring in more natural light but we don’t want our windows bringing in drafty cold air in the winter and leaking our nice cool air from our air conditioner in the summer.  Cheap windows are usually low efficient double-paned with hollow frames.  Even if the frame is not hollow, they are usually poorly filled with cheap insulation which will save you little to no money on future energy bills.  If you are looking to save on energy costs, cheap vinyl windows are NOT what you are looking for!

Cheap windows will not save you money in the long run because they are poorly installed, susceptible to warping with extreme Wisconsin weather conditions, and have little to no actual energy efficiency.  At AHT Wisconsin Windows, we have chosen to only install premium windows that result in nearly 40% energy savings and we only install windows with our own in-house crew.  Learn more about triple-pane, composite frame, solid core windows by calling 888-874-9339 to book a free in-home estimate.