Shopping for windows
I am going to be replacing the windows in our home and possibly the furnace this fall. I am clueless on where to start. Anyone replaced these items recently and who did you use or did you go through Lowe's, HomeDepot, or Sears??
Any help is greatly appreciated. I have never taken on something this big
Thanks : )
Hockeymom
It depends. Many years ago we used Marvin and private contractor. Excellent if you are restoring old house.
My friend used Andersen Renew or whatever, the Andersen direct that supposed to have "special" better windows. What a crock. But then we used Andersen with private contractor and excellent. The Andersen site and 1-800 were very helpful BUT do your research carefully ---- they have many, many, variables and options. We did a lot of reseach, but end up with a bank of three windows, boxed, with custom grills that look like Frank Loyd Wright designed it. No grills in the bottom sash ---- very trendy, classic and arty at the same time. We were very pleased witht the windows and ourselves. But a lot of research and, much, much, better than if we just walked into BlueRidge (where we got them) and just had them help us. Although BR was great too (the one in Blairstown, I hate the H-town store people).
And be sure to get your Obama tax credit, $1500 back on $4,500 of MATERIAL (not labor) till end of year. You need to be sure of that in the research too.
Hackettstown Harold 
Hockey mom
go to blue ridge lumber ask to see flyes on replacement windows or(home depot or lowes-) pick out the windows you might want then get the price sheet , ask at the lumber yard fo three contractors they recomend and get total price from them , you can do home depot but they charge for estamates .
as far as furnace rich nolan 637 6327 or All temp 637 4863
all so get a move on it
Caged Animal please do not use HD or Lowes. Personally had problems with HD and neighbors had problems with Lowes. Read their reviews online.
We got Anderson windows and used a private contractor and I was very happy. The Anderson windows in Lowes or HD are a lower quality than the ones the private contractor got.
Hockeymom, I work for a building products distributor. We sell replacement and new construction windows. I can refer you to some qualified installers in our area. PM me if you'd like more info. If you go to one of the "Big Box " stores, you become a number. My customers offer much more personalized service.
collegeviewrider Before you buy from the brochure or off-da-floor at Blueridge or whatever, please, please, be sure that you use the web site and 1-800 to research all the Andersen options. Any of them can be ordered from Blueridge, the contractors or the store has no edge, just experience.
Even when the Andersen direct said his windows were better, not true, you still could match his Andersen DIRECT quality with self-ordered Blueridge Andersens.
In addition to the advice above, check out this thread:
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,218006,00.html
Read it and then, when interviewing installers, have them run you thru a step by step of their installation process. Proper installation will be a bigger factor for energy savings than the quality of the window.
I just spent Saturday removing my old bathroom window and installed a new one. The old one did not have any insulation on the sides and there was no weatherproof wrap on the outside. As a result, I had a constant draft and water penetration on 3 occasions. It literally took an extra 15 minutes of my time to properly waterproof the opening and installation.
The old window, based on the label on it, was a custom ordered window from a local glass supplier so it was a quality window. The installation was faulty.
emaxxman Thanks for your input. It looks as if we will be starting with the furnace first ( oil burning). Anyone know of reliable contractors/ companies I would appreciate info.
Thanks again !
Gosh, would love to find a good company..... I have been researching for years and from what I found, first look to see what alternatives to oil you might have. The problem with oil is that the technology has not really improved over the years. Most burners are below 90% efficient, you can get above 90%, but you pay, not sure theres a payback, and generally they are more complex and unproven. So, they "wrap" other things around the burner to enhance it, but again, that's just more stuff to buy and break.
Geothermal is best bet for green, lowest cost, but needs forced air system to work. Nice part is once you have it, you keep you house at 72 since its "free" and the system does not like to jump 10-degrees at a time (takes awhile to bring the heat up).
Since I do not have forced hot air and I don't want to put a secondary system in, I opted to tune-up my 30-year old boiler. So, now I am running better than I did 10-years ago and only 5% off the top efficiency. So if your boiler is not cracked or leaking water, then you might be able to use my secret, ask for ED from Budd Oil. May take him a few months to get it ironed out (get a service contract), but like I said, I have all new electronics (free) and, knock on wood, am running like a top with a 5-year or so break even on a new boiler so not now for me.
We have used David Due Construction from Roseto, PA to replace windows on 3 homes, one of them being a 100 yr. old house. David specializes in window replacement. He will come to your home with the samples to choose from. He is licensed in NJ and PA. Very dependable man and excellent workers. They clean up after themselves and arrive when they say they will.
I was looking to replace windows on my primary residence with Anderson, but at the time they didn't have a replacement that had a vinyl interior to the window, David sold windows that did. No more hearing the wind through the windows or having to get mold from moister on the interior window off. When I had trouble with one window on my NJ home I called him about it. He came and showed me what I was doing wrong and didn't charge me to do so.
I've never used HD for either of the items that you are looking for but I did use them recently for a counter top. Even with their computer measurements it arrived incorrectly and had to be recut to the proper dimensions. A friend used them for carpet installation and they never replaced the tack strips along the walls, using the old ones instead, causing the carpet to shift.
David's number is 610-588-5145
Magpie I am a contractor and I have been doing my research and found the Serious 600 window, they call it Quantum 2 and recently had the folks at Roeland Home Improvers install them. Honestly I never thought I would hire someone else to do my window job, but that's the only way I could get this Super Efficient window. I will say the crew at Roeland was really professional, neat and clean. I even think I will copy some of there practices, my wife and daughter loved the "roeland red carpet" at our door Amanda kept calling the little guy Mario from nintendo too funny. But seriously these windows from Serious are awesome.
Johnnie Waters Oh yea, duh the owner is Arnie Roeland they are in Rockaway and there website is www.roeland.com
Hockey Mom - I hope you stopped by and we were able to help you in our Hackettstown Location!! 120 Liberty Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840 908-852-0100
Thanks for the shout out Caged Animal!!!
Hackettstown Harold - I would love for you to contact me and I will gladly help to resolve any of your unsolved issues with our Hackettstown Yard!!!
Carol Metzgar
Office Manager
Blue Ridge Lumber
908-362-8252 ext 222 or cmetzgar@blueridgelumber.com
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Just had my old oil burner removed and new one put in on Saturday.
Scotty and Son did a great job. I highly recommend them.
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