.webp?w=3840&q=75)
PETALUMA — Host, Sarah Rutan: If you’re shopping for windows, you’ll need to decide whether to have wood, vinyl, or fiberglass frames. So, we’re in Petaluma with Diamond Certified Expert Contributor, John Gorman of Save Energy Company to find out.
Diamond Certified Expert Contributor, John Gorman: Today I want to talk to you about window frames. When you replace your windows, you have three different options of different window frames you can use; vinyl, wood, and fiberglass.
Vinyl windows came in to replace old aluminum windows that were put in houses in the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. So, these new vinyl windows are much more energy efficient, be far less likely to get condensation. Another great thing about vinyl windows, almost all the manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty on the product itself.
To many, nothing beats the look and feel of traditional wood windows and, in fact, in many townships throughout the Bay Area, it’s all you can use to replace your present wood windows. And it’s great; wood is a wonderful material. It’s just as energy efficient as vinyl, but there are a few down sides. The material is going to have to be maintained so you’re going to have to do a little bit more maintenance throughout the years. It costs more than vinyl, and the warranty isn’t as strong. It’s a 10-year/20-year warranty; 10 years on the product itself, 20 years on the glass.
One other option is fiberglass. Fiberglass is like vinyl only much stronger material and it can be painted inside and out. It also can come with a wood veneer on the inside to make it look like a wood window from the inside, but have the maintenance-free look on the outside that vinyl does. It also, like vinyl and unlike wood, has a lifetime warranty.
Well, now that you’ve seen your options, which one are you going to choose? Well, it depends on your budget, your personal aesthetics, and your local building code.
Host, Sarah Rutan: Thank you to our Diamond Certified expert contributor, John Gorman, of Save Energy Company. I’m Sarah Rutan.