Refit or Retro-fit house windows?

[hypeMarked]

Hi all, I want to replace the windows for my house but the salesmen are confusing me.

One side say that removal of the aluminum frame is necessary because leaving it in there will cause the mold to grow and the frame size will be bigger which gives you less viewable area.

The other side say that, removal of the frame is a lot of work that requires cutting of the stucco and putting in new flash, blah blah blah and that if you don't do that it will damage your house. And that retrofit is just as good.

I did some google search but didn't see any source saying pulling the aluminum frame is bad. Only thing I found is that if it's a steel frame, then you need to do a lot of work. But that's it.

Anyone an expert in this area?

Thanks,

 

[SilentZero]

We had all the windows in our last home replaced with new energy efficient windows, and they replaced the framing as well.

 

[0roo0roo]

anlin windows are fine, aluminum frames kept. slightly smaller window yes, not all that noticable to be frank. double pane/low e coating does make a hell of a difference though when it comes to heat from sunlight. with keeping the frame installation is very fast.

 

[hypeMarked]

SilentZero, did they cut the stucco and replace the flashing to prevent leakage? That is what one of the saleman told me that "correct" way of doing it if you are going to replace the frame

OrooOroo, so they retrofitted your windows? Did they say anything about removing the frames?

 

[0roo0roo]

they don't remove the frames, they knock out the window and the new window slides into place, and a backing is attached to cover the aluminum rim.
removing the frame totally probably opens a whole new can of worms as u know

not sure about mold growth. decent install should prevent that, good windows have a lot of chambers in the plastic frame, the anlin ones have chambers even in the part that extends around the edge so it should be well insulated enough that condensation shouldn't be much of an issue, plus its sealed from the outside, and there are vents for water to drain if it gets in the window track area.

 

[zerocool84]

Retro-fit windows are easy to install. If you want to replace the whole frame it's a whole new ballgame and a lot of work. Obviously getting retrofit, the viewable area is smaller cus they are fitting into the existing area.

Mold growth/condensation should be a non-issue if installed correctly.

I used to do this stuff all the time.

 

[SilentZero]

Originally posted by: hypeMarked
SilentZero, did they cut the stucco and replace the flashing to prevent leakage? That is what one of the saleman told me that "correct" way of doing it if you are going to replace the frame

OrooOroo, so they retrofitted your windows? Did they say anything about removing the frames?

We didn't have flashing's

 

[DrPizza]

A lot of those companies have high pressure sales tactics & charge far more than the job is worth. Instead of contacting "salesmen", what you really need to do is contact local contractors. IMHO, at least for my area of the country, the two major companies that have salesmen who visit your home are major rip-offs. And, fwiw, just about anyone can replace the windows themselves. Look at videos on youtube; you're pretty likely to find how-to videos there.

 

[BoomerD]

We had Simonton retro-fit windows installed in November 2007. What a tremendous difference it made in the house. No more hot or cold spots where the cheap contractor quality windows had lost their air seal, they have a nice tint...almost like sunglasses, so the ambient light is reduced, great UV protection...

We had bids from several contractors selling a couple of different brands of windows, but two selling Simonton...and they had slightly different options available. One removed the frame, the other refused to remove the frame.

We went with the contractor who removed the frame. In part, because if they leave it in there, the new vinyl window frame sits directly on one tab of the old aluminum frame...but not on two. Uneven support in the center. Next is the possiblity of mold in the wall. Even if the frame is sealed under the new window, it can still draw moisture and create condensation. I wanted that out of my walls.
The contractor used a "frame jack" to pull the aluminum frame out without disturbing the stucco, then used a heavy caulk to fill in the gap where the frame was. In all, they caulked 3 or 4 separate times as they installed the new windows...and we couldn't be happier with the job.
Lifetime warranty on the windows...even against accidental breakage, break-ins, etc. (which is good...I broke the first one on installation day...before the crew even got back to their company yard.:roll: )

Unfortunately, I don't think this Stockton based company serves the San Diego area, otherwise I'd give them my highest recommendation.

 

[brtspears2]

Had my windows replaced in 2007. Had the aluminum frame pulled from the stucco. I still lost some window sill in the process. It looks like all they did was put in the window, then spray foam insulated around the gaps, and then chalk it to seal it. So far no air leaks or water leaks.

 

[hypeMarked]

Thanks all for the replies.

BoomerD - Are you talking about Simonton or the contractors? Also, did you went with removing the frames because retrofit didn't cover both tabs of the aluminum frame? So if it does covers both, you would do retrofit?

All in all, I wanted to know if retro-fit has any negatives besides having smaller viewable area.