Not surprisingly, wood clad and fiberglass window frames rated the highest. (These replacement windows also carry the highest price tags.) These window frame materials are better at keeping out the rain, wind and elements. Each window was put through a week of extreme temperatures to see how the window expanded, contracted and flexed with temperature and condition changes. Each window was then tested for water and air leakage. Windows that exhibit little or no change in performance from the start to finish were rank highest.
Vinyl is less expensive and convenient
Vinyl replacement windows account for nearly 50% of the market because they are reasonably price and maintenance-free. However, vinyl windows will let some air seep through, especially in colder climates. In addition, vinyl is less attractive than wood clad and is not able to stained or painted to match or compliment a home’s exterior color.
Replacement Window Ratings
When comparing the same type and style of window from different manufactures or even different lines from the same manufacturer, you have probably noticed one thing: no two windows are exactly the same. Don’t panic! There’s no need to resort to anything as drastic as defenestration – or jumping out of a window. In order to ensure that your replacement windows will provide you with great home comfort. And energy cost savings, the National Fenestration Rating Council or NFRC. And Energy Star provide a useful rating system for evaluating window quality and energy efficiency.
It can be difficult to compare claims made by different window manufacturers, mainly because they often use different window measures and rating terms to sell their products. For instance, some may use center-of-glass R-value and shading coefficient, while others use whole-window U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient. Fortunately there is now one place to look that has standardized ratings for windows – NFRC. The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) is a nonprofit coalition of manufacturers and window experts that has set standards for testing and labeling windows.