Window Shopping Tips and Resources

Questions every home owner should ask before buying windows
Value added benefits to choosing Western Windows
What do you want in a window questionnaire
Warranty Information
Condensation Concerns
Frame features, what are your window concerns
Speaking of windows

Questions every home owner should ask before buying windows

Here are some important questions to ask when purchasing or replacing your windows / doors:

• Do you have any unresolved or unanswered complaints at your local Better Business Bureau?
• Do you offer lifetime/transferable warranties?
• How many years have you been in the business?
• Do you have references in my neighborhood?
• Do you manufacture your own product?
• Do you have factory trained installers?
• Are your installers Bonded and Certified?
• Do you service what you sell?
• Are your products CMHC tested and certified?
• Are your products Energy Star compliant?

These questions should help ensure that the investment you make in windows / doors is a lasting investment in your home. Like any investment, you want to make sure you get the best value for your money. Take your time and become informed.

Back to top

Value added benefits to choosing Western Windows

• 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee
• 2 Warranties Depending on your needs (Lifetime & Transferable)
• Factory Direct Savings Straight from the manufacturer (No middleman)
• Full Service Company
• We measure, manufacture, install and service
• Locally owned and operated
• Our name is on the product, so we have to do it right
• Professional Installation
• Insured and bonded, factory-trained installers

Back to top

What do you want in a window questionnaire

Rank in order of importance, 1 being most important,2 being next important, etc.

• Reduced annual maintenance
• Increased energy efficiency
• Increased security
• Fade protection
• Strong Warranty
• Enhanced appearance of home
• Easier to clean
• Increased property/home resale value

If you are thinking of new windows / doors make an appointment with a consultant at Western Windows and learn more about what we can do for you.

Back to top

Warranty Information

Glass
Western provides a Standard transferable Twenty (20) Year, Non-Prorated Warranty for the supply of insulated glass units which are designed to conform to Federal specifications and be free of vision obstruction resulting from moisture, film or dust collection between the interior glass surfaces of the insulated glass unit. Western will not warranty and glass unit that has had a secondary film applied.

Vinyl
Westerns Windows provides a transferable Lifetime / Non-Prorated Warranty against such defects in material and workmanship that may result in blistering, peeling, flaking or corroding of the vinyl window or patio door frame or sash members, in accordance with all terms as specified in this warranty.

Window Hardware
Western also provides a transferable  Lifetime / Non-Prorated Warranty on all window hardware found to be defective in materials or workmanship. This warranty is for the repair or replacement of hardware.

Labour
Western provides a transferable 10 year warranty on labour for all products installed by Western. At no expense to the customer Western will provide for the replacement or repair of the product that is in need of coverage.

Wood Framed Doors and Slabs
Western provides a transferable 10 year warranty covering all wood framed door systems and the accompanying slabs. Any slab painted by Western will also be covered for 10 years. Any damage to paint or slab inflicted by the customer will not be covered by this warranty.

Back to top

Condensation Concerns

How to reduce and prevent condensation

Surface Condensation: What can effect the performance of windows
Each person has his or her own preference regarding the humidity level in his or her home. If the occupants insist on a high level of humidity within the house, surface condensation must be expected when outside temperatures are low.  Because windows are often the coldest component of a building enclosure they can be an indicator of humidity problems. Because condensation occurs on inside window surfaces whenever the surface temperature falls below the dew point temperature of the room air, window condensation may signal a need to reduce the humidity level in your home.

Controlling Humidity

• Varying Humidity Levels: remember that the humidity in some rooms, kitchens and bathrooms in particular, can be higher than in other areas of the home, thus encouraging condensation to form on the windows in these rooms.
• Exposure: some windows in the home may be protected by other buildings, trees, etc., which form a windbreak while others are totally exposed to the wind and, therefore, colder.
• Ventilation is the most effective means to remove moisture from your home. By exchanging some of the drier outdoor winter air for warm humid interior air, the moisture level inside the house will be reduced. 
• Open a door or window for short periods to allow moisture to escape.
• Gas appliances produce moisture from combustion. Cooking adds even more moisture so be sure to run your kitchen fan while cooking. Vent the kitchen fan directly to the outside to achieve the desired effect.
• Showers are a high source of moisture. Keep bathroom doors shut and run the exhaust fan to eliminate moisture.
• Clothes dryers should be vented to the outside. Hanging up wet clothes to dry inside your home can add significant moisture to your home.
• Shut off the furnace humidifier and any other humidifying device in the home.
• If you have a fireplace, open the damper occasionally to allow moisture to escape.
• Free air circulation is important. Do not cover hot or cold air registers with furniture or appliances.  Leave bedroom and bathroom doors open.
• Keep the temperature of all rooms at a minimum of 10 C (50 F), even if unoccupied. Condensation will occur in an unheated room.
• Wipe up any tracked-in snow before it melts and evaporates.
• Floors wet from mopping can add large amounts of moisture. Run exhaust fans (bathroom and kitchens) while floors are wet. Avoid washing floors on extremely cold days.
• Most builders install a fresh air intake into the cold air return duct of the heating system. Make sure that the intake damper is open and that there are no obstructions to prevent airflow. If you do not have a fresh air intake, have one installed.
• Drapes and blinds should be left open during the daytime. At night, raise blinds at least 100mm (4") up off the frame to allow air to flow against the glass.
• Certain fabric blinds that are designed to fit from jamb to jamb must be left partially open to ventilate the window cavity. Failure to do this can cause extreme temperatures between the blinds and the glass.  Glass breakage or warping of PVC can occur, which can void warranties.

Back to top

Frames

Multi-Hollow Thermal Chamber Design provides superior thermal and sound insulation. Quality Manufacturer and Installer - Proper installation is crucial to assure that the window performs to its potential. The installer should weatherize and insulate the windows to ensure this efficiency. CMHC Certified Western Windows have been tested and certified. Better Business Bureau This signifies Western Windows participation with the Better Business Bureau. Our frames are built to keep out the weather.

Features

Thermal Efficiency
is extremely high due to the excellent insulating properties of PVC in combination with multiple air chambers.

Fusion Welded
corners on both frame and sash are virtually indestructible and do not deteriorate with age.

Maintenance Free
Because Western 1000 windows are constructed of B.F. Goodrich geon PVC, they won't pit. peel, rot, dent, corrode or warp. So you can throw your paint brush away! Just wipe off dirt with a damp cloth and your windows will look like new.

Heavy Duty Hardware
with concealed hinges for positive sealing and maximum security achieved by using the Truth EntryGard operator which is fastened through two walls for extra strength.

Sealed Units
Available with Low E argon gas and super spacer employing warm edge technology.

Three Compression Seals
Virtually eliminates air and water infiltration as well as any possibility of frost build up on hardware.

Ideal for the Older Home
Frame width of 3 1/4" is well suited for any wall thickness with several optional extenders available for custom widths.

Security
With double locks on all venting windows you get vastly improved tightly sealed windows.

Back to top

Speaking of windows

Windows used to be little more than a hole in the wall keeping out weather elements. Today’s attitude is that windows are a wall you can see through while remaining comfortable. In the average home windows cover from 10 to 15 percent of the total wall area, yet they are responsible for 20 to 30 percent of the total home-energy loss.

Windows lose heat, or in the summer when the air conditioning is operating, gain heat through the glass, the frame, the edge spacers separating the panes of glass and through cracks around the sill. These losses cost the homeowner big bucks.

Good windows keep energy costs down”. They reduce drafts, increase the home’s comfort level, block exterior noise, provide fade protection to carpeting and furnishings, and increase the value of the home.

Windows have three integral parts: glazing or glass, edge spacers and frame. Each contributes to, or detracts from, a home’s comfort level. Each conserves or wastes energy.

Single-paned windows offer little or no insulation. Two panes of glass are more energy efficient than one, and three panes are even better. However, triple-paned glass is heavy and expensive. Current technologies make the glass itself an energy saver.

Low-E glass makes double-paned windows equivalent to triple-paned ones by using a colorless, invisible coating that transmits high levels of light but reflects heat. Heat Mirror ™ , another energy-efficient glazing option, suspends a thin, clear, polyester film with low-e coating between two panes of glass. Some windows have krypton or argon gas between the panes. Because these gasses do not conduct heat as fast as air does, they can deliver efficiencies higher than any other type of window.

Edge spacers that hold the glazing layers apart used to be made of aluminum which conducts heat rapidly. Today they are made of materials such as structural foam that conduct heat more slowly.

Frames make up 10 to 30 percent of the total window area. The framing material used can make a difference in the efficiency of the window and, consequently, the energy cost to heat and or cool the home. Metal frames conduct heat faster that other window frames. Metal frames with a thermal break, a plastic insert that separates the inside metal framing from the outside, conserve energy. Wood frames conduct heat much more slowly than metal, but require more maintenance. Today some wood windows are available with metal cladding which can reduce the need to paint. Vinyl frames have an efficiency comparable to that of wood and they require less maintenance.

How do you know when you need new windows? A rule of thumb is, “if you feel air when sitting or standing next to the window, you know that moisture and air is coming through”.

Determining the best window to buy depends on a number of factors, including budget. Orientation of the window is one factor to be considered. Windows used to be rated with R-values, the measure of resistance to heat transfer at the center of the glass. The higher the R-value, the better the window’s insulation ability. A new system, the U-value, usually displayed on the window, measures the efficiency of the entire window unit. Typically, U-values range from 1.15 to 0.15. The lower the U-value the less heat transfer between the inside and outside air. The Shading Coefficient (SC) and Air Filtration (AF) are other measures of window energy efficiency.

No matter how energy-efficient a window is, proper installation is necessary to assure that the window performs to its potential. Windows need to be weatherized and insulated when installed. Qualified installers provide this service.

Back to top