1. Don't just choose a window by looking at manufacturers' literature or visiting a company's Web site. Look at a working model of the window you are interested in. If no working model is available, then either go to a window and door showroom and "test drive" the product, or visit a show home that has the windows you're interested in.
2. If you are not a maintenance-oriented homeowner (and most aren't), then don't buy windows that need to be painted. Choose a vinyl-clad type, the company says. Of course, window manufacturers with aluminum-exterior products would say the same for their product. Also, in the double-hung variety, consider buying tilt-wash windows because they are easier to clean.
3. If you are living in a noisy area or will be buying a condominium in a golf community, consider impact-resistant glass in your windows. Not only are these types of panes more likely to resist a flying golf ball, they reduce noise infiltration by approximately 40 percent, the company says.
4. Also, select a window that has been certified for meeting the government's Energy Star rating. These energy-conserving windows have gas-filled cavities between the inner and outer glass. The lite may be clear or tinted. (The assembly of the two panes, the gas-filled cavity, the spacers and related materials is called, collectively, a lite.)
5. Finally, select a window with a comprehensive warranty that covers the frame, sash and insulated-glass lites. All of this strikes us as good, basic advice. And after all the effort, just remember not to let your kids play baseball in the backyard. Send them over to the neighbors--the ones who have windows coming up on that 20-year deadline.
Window Selection Guide Features
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