WINDOW OPTIONS.. EXPLAINED
/This post is perfect for you if:
You like to do research before making a buying decision.
You can get overwhelmed by decisions or fast- talking salesmen stress you out
You like to spend time thinking through options before making a decision.
Choosing Window Options Can Be Easy.
Replacing the windows on your home is something most people only do one time in their life. As you start shopping it can be easy to get overwhelmed by the options and decisions to be made.
The goal of this guide is to identify the big decisions you have to make and help you understand what the options mean so you can choose what is best for you.
Ready to get started?
Interior Window Color - What is the difference?
Vinyl windows are extruded in one main color. Interior wood grains can be applied.
White is modern and fresh. IT brightens up a space instantly. We see it most in new construction and newly remodeled spaces.
Tan is softer. It isn’t as bright as the white, but it also isn’t as heavy as the dark brown. We see tan most often in homes with a lot of wood in them already, or homes that couldn’t handle the sudden shock of a white window.
Wood grain offers the warmth of a wood window while supporting the maintenance free lifestyle. The beauty of all wood is that the color and textures generally complement each other without the need for exact matches.
Steve the Window Guy says: Think about how you want the room to feel when you think about color, and always review wood grain matches in different lights.
Exterior Window Color - What options do I have?
The Exclusive UniShield window we offer boasts 3 main window colors in white, tan (bisque, bone, beige, almond… it’s been called everything) and dark chocolate brown.
Looking to jazz up the exterior even more? Choose from 11 more colors. including hunter green, cottage red and black. Exterior paint is guaranteed not to chip, crack, blister, peel for 20 years. We find exterior paint options to be popular with buyers who live in an association with strict rules about the exterior window color - or by buyers who like the super modern look of a different color.
Remember..., window replacement often includes an exterior wrap around the window to finish it off and prevent water intrusion. The wrap literally comes in 100 colors so if a pop of extra color is what you’re after, the wrap is the most cost-efficient way to achieve it.
Steve the Window Guy says: Choosing 3 colors on the exterior of your home adds the most visual interest. Less than that can be too quiet, more than that can be too loud.
Glass Spacer - Should I care? (YES!)
What is the glass spacer? It’s the piece of the window sash that spaces the interior and exterior panes of glass and seals the insulating gas inside. Historically all window spacers were metal or aluminum.
In fact, lower end and entry level windows still use these materials. The problem? Metals are conductors. They are great at creating a pathway for that vicious cold winter air to come right inside. And… metal isn’t flexible. So over time when our MN temps fluctuate from 95 and sunny to 30 below and windy, at some point that seal is going to give out causing the insulating gas to rush out and moisture to rush in creating that fogged up window look no one likes.
The alternative is a warm edge structural foam spacer. Not only is the foam not a conductor of temperature, but it is flexible and can move WITH the glass package through the MN seasons to maintain and hold the glass seal longer than any other spacer on the market. In addition, the warm edge spacer has been tested to make the edge of your interior glass up to 22 degrees warmer than glass with a metal spacer. Warmer is always better, right?
Steve the Window Guys says: “It’s a no brainer. Super Spacer is the only spacer that makes sense.
Grids or No Grids?
Are you thinking about adding a little character, sass, personality or class?
Window grids can do all these things. And Guess what? It doesn’t have to be an all or nothing decision. You could choose to put grids into the windows on the front of the house only for curb appeal. Or… you could put them everywhere except the back of the house so your view of the lake, the woods or the kids playing outside isn’t obstructed.
You know what else? If you have double hung windows (the kind that go up and down) you can put grids in both sashes OR just in the top sash. You are only buying windows in this house one time. You should choose what you want.
Steve the Window Guys says: Don’t make this a tough decision. If you’ve never thought about the grids before the way your windows are right now are probably perfect for you.
Grid Styles
Once you decide where you want grids you can decide what type you want.
The standard colonial grid pattern is a classic. The colonial grid pattern is what you think about when you think grids. Another option is the prairie view which provides a little visual interest around the outside of the glass, and the double prairie which is even more visually appealing.
We even have a floral etched view option in for the glass. Want to hear a secret? Hundreds of people at home shows have stopped to admire our sample with the floral view and ZERO people have every ordered it. There is a place for it. It is in your house?
Steve the Window Guys says: If you are thinking about putting grids on a window that hasn’t had them before, try using tape on the existing window to visualize it.
Double Pane or Triple Pane
Here is the scoop. 90% of the homeowners we have worked with over the years choose double pane windows. Is triple pane a nicer window? Absolutely. The upgrade to triple pane will give you an improved sound barrier and a higher rating for energy efficiency. It will also make the window feel heavier and some people like that feeling of a heavy solid window.
If you live near a busy road, an airport or a school and you want to hear less of that noise when your windows are closed, triple pane is for you.
If not, the double pane glass is going to perform very very well for you over time. The truth is,people very rarely regret replacing their windows because the newly replaced windows are such an upgrade over the old ones.
Steve the Window Guys says: If you don’t know what to do, stick with a double pane window.
Energy Star Ratings
Energy Star has assigned ratings that windows must achieve to be Energy Star Rated. In fact, they adjusted their ratings in October 2023 so a window in Minnesota needs to be MORE robust and MORE efficient to earn the rating. And the MOST EFFICIENT rating is even tighter and is needed to qualify for a tax credit.
Energy Star Ratings have changed a few times in the last few years. So while there are definitely bad windows out there, there are also good windows out there that no longer meet the Energy Star requirement. How weird is it to have a window that met the requirements a few monthes ago but doesn’t now? Weird. Also.. necessary as we continue to make improvements and move forward.
Is there an exception? Sure. If you have a cabin, a 3 season porch or a window in an un-heated garage the rating may not be as important to you.
Steve the Window Guys says: It’s just silly to end up with a replacement window that doesn’t carry an Energy Star Rating.
We sincerely hope this guide was helpful you as you consider the many available options in window replacement.
We are a shop at home company specializing in replacing windows, siding, roofs and front entry doors. As we sit with you and learn about what you want to change on your home we can provide the best product and color options to you. You can expect lots of questions from us as we try to understand what you're looking for. For that reason, it is best if both homeowners are there. We commit to giving you a detailed, same day estimate. Every time.
Steve the Window Guy for Universal Windows Direct is a full exterior remodeling company focusing on replacing windows, siding and roofing. Steve and his team of are experts in working with people just like you to create a plan for the most cost efficient way to complete your exterior remodeling project. We are part of a national dealer network that has catupulted to the 10th largest* remodeling company in the nation. Locally we have an A+ rating with the BBB with zero complaints. Steve has been recognized by Universal Windows Direct as National Dealer of the Year three times for his hard work and dedication to getting things right. We are locally owned and operated in Bloomington, MN and work throughtout the Twin Cities Metro. Updating your home can be easy.
We believe Steve the Window, Siding and Roofing Guy was just too long of a name.
*Source: Qualified Remodelers Top 500 List, Published September 2019.
