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Thanks Vicki, good to know when it comes time to getting down to business. We really like this house and want to move forward with it. I called Hillsborough Glass and the man said that by replacing just the panes you will not get the proper insulation that you would by replacing the window. I guess they fill the inside with some gas, argon?, and that's what keeps your windows well insulated. I just worry about cooling the place in summer if just the panes were replaced. I hate to waste energy and I hate to pay huge electric bills.
Glass Doctors (I think), among others, will remove the insulated glass package and install a new insulated glass package.
$200 and up, but avoids the mess and expense of removing the entire window/jambs/trim/etc.
Thanks, Mike. Thats good to know. Thats what I thought had to happen to keep the window insulated but I wanted to make sure. I would think that a new window might be about $200, right?
I had a buyer/client that had a similar situation but we had the seller replace the windows. The problem was that my client was an older woman and wanted WOOD windows instead of the VINYL. The wood was more expensive but we got the seller to give us the $$$ value of the vinyl and then she added her own $$$ to get the wood. I'd have preferred vinyl, as did her daughter, but she got what she wanted!
sandycat...if you don't have the seller fix the problem, when it comes time to sell, another buyer will ask YOU to do it. I know, I know. You aren't thinking that you'll be selling any time soon but you never know.
Yeah, Vicki, I know. My husband said the same thing.... And you know, we know how unpredictable life can be. We have decided to put ourselves on a 5 year plan. This house is not our dream house, but it's a great place for us for now. We just don't think we'll be there forever, so YES, let's get the windows fixed. The house is priced way under comps, it's empty ready to go, I just feel we are already getting a good deal and don't want to be too greedy. But you are right, and so is the boss (ahem, I mean hubby).
Whoa...hold on. You don't need to replace the entire window to keep the R-value. You can usually contact the window manufacturer and either replace the sash (half the window), or just the glazing (the glass + the grills + the gas). I replaced the glazing. It wasn't very difficult. On my windows, the glazing is simply held in place by pieces of plastic that snap into the frame. You simply need a flathead screwdriver to pop out the plastic strips. My windows were still under a 10 year warranty, so I didn't need to pay anything for them (but they would have cost $40 each otherwise).
Yeah, Vicki, I know. My husband said the same thing.... And you know, we know how unpredictable life can be. We have decided to put ourselves on a 5 year plan. This house is not our dream house, but it's a great place for us for now. We just don't think we'll be there forever, so YES, let's get the windows fixed. The house is priced way under comps, it's empty ready to go, I just feel we are already getting a good deal and don't want to be too greedy. But you are right, and so is the boss (ahem, I mean hubby).
So hubby is reading this now, huh?!! You married a smart man, sandycat! "The Boss"? Ha ha ha. Oh sorry. Didn't mean to laugh out loud!!!
Jbognar, thanks for the info. How can you find out the maker of the windows? Maybe this is a stupid question, I don't know. But our agent said that builders in this range (not high end), just go with whoever is on sale that week. true? not true? Maybe there is a warranty, how do we know?
Jbognar, thanks for the info. How can you find out the maker of the windows? Maybe this is a stupid question, I don't know. But our agent said that builders in this range (not high end), just go with whoever is on sale that week. true? not true? Maybe there is a warranty, how do we know?
You may try contacting the HOA for the neighborhood - they may have more information on the windows and warranty (if there is one). My neighborhood was built by Pulte (cheap, cheap) and there is a 10-year warranty on the windows. As someone else said, you just replace the sash (part that moves up/down). I don't have any windows with a broken seal, but I do have a broken pane. I keep meaning to contact the company handling the warranty, because it's my understanding I can just buy a new sash for something like $40 (since it's not a seal failure).
edit: And for people who have replacement windows - it is possible to replace the glass and maintain the energy efficiency. I had new windows put in back in Virginia, and when a seal failed the company I bought them from just ordered a new pane from the manufacturer. The salesman just came out and took off a few pieces of trim, popped out the defective glass and installed the replacement. Took all of 5 minutes.
You may try contacting the HOA for the neighborhood - they may have more information on the windows and warranty (if there is one). My neighborhood was built by Pulte (cheap, cheap) and there is a 10-year warranty on the windows. As someone else said, you just replace the sash (part that moves up/down). I don't have any windows with a broken seal, but I do have a broken pane. I keep meaning to contact the company handling the warranty, because it's my understanding I can just buy a new sash for something like $40 (since it's not a seal failure).
edit: And for people who have replacement windows - it is possible to replace the glass and maintain the energy efficiency. I had new windows put in back in Virginia, and when a seal failed the company I bought them from just ordered a new pane from the manufacturer. The salesman just came out and took off a few pieces of trim, popped out the defective glass and installed the replacement. Took all of 5 minutes.
Lets just say that home repair is NOT my "thing" but I'm still in doubt that you can just replace the glass after the seal is broken. What about the stuff that is between the two window panes that makes them insulated???
Lets just say that home repair is NOT my "thing" but I'm still in doubt that you can just replace the glass after the seal is broken. What about the stuff that is between the two window panes that makes them insulated???
Vicki
I think the confusion here is the terminology being used.
A window consists of two sashes, upper and lower. A sash consists of a vinyl frame and glazing. The glazing consists of two panes of glass, argon gas, and grills. The glazing itself is self-contained....it's two pieces of glass 'glued' together with the gas inside already. You either replace the glazing or the sash, but not a single pane of glass.
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You married a smart man, sandycat! "The Boss"? Ha ha ha. Oh sorry. Didn't mean to laugh out loud!!! 
