Precision Millworks Windows

Durability and Strength

Vinyl replacement windows are very common and are built using components made of polyvinyl chloride (also known as PVC).  Polyvinyl chloride is a combination of different chemicals, plasticizers and pigments and is commonly used to make plumbing pipes, electrical pipes, and many other plastic items.  Window components for vinyl replacement windows are extruded and contain hollow chambers.  Extruded hollow vinyl features a foam or cell-structure inside.  The hollow chambers make for a lighter product and easier production because the components are easier to weld together.  However, these thinner extruded vinyl windows are more apt to warp.  The also have a thinner profile and operationally can feel stiff.

Cellular PVC windows are also made from polyvinyl chloride, but through a different type of manufacturing process the components are made with a solid core.   This adds strength and rigidity to the product that improves operation and also gives the windows a better appearance.   The window components (brickmould, sill, jamb, and sash rails) used to manufacture these windows have the same profile as wood and look exactly like wood but without the downfalls of wood rot and warp.  Cellular PVC can be nailed, sawn, and fabricated just like wood too because of its solid core make it a flexible building product.

One major factor to consider when using vinyl replacement window is loss of glass space and therefore loss of light coming in.

When you are replacing windows and you first remove the old window, you are left with the original framed opening.  Vinyl replacement windows only come as a complete framed window, which means there’s an outer frame along with the sill and the brickmold, as well as the components like the track and the sashes that make the window operational. You insert the new window directly into the opening, but it’s like putting a box into a box.  Therefore you have less glass space.  It can be significant, sometime removing an inch or more  on all four sides.

When you install a Precision Millworks ENVIROGUARD™ PVC replacement window, the replacement kit consists of the track, the sashes, and some trim and finishing pieces.  The track is installed onto the original framed opening and then the sashes are put in.  Because you’re not added an additional frame, you maintain, if not improve the glass space you had over the original window.

Vinyl replacement windows come in two interior colors, white and almond/tan. They are not manufactured to be painted. Cellular PVC windows can be painted to match your interior trim. Vinyl windows will never have to be painted. However, your color choices are limited and the color you choose will be your only future option. Once painted, cellular PVC windows require minimal maintenance and can be re-painted if you change your color scheme.

Vinyl replacement windows do not look like wood where Cellular PVC windows have the same architectural moldings as traditional wood windows and the same heft.

Our ENVIROGUARD product lines have all the natural characteristics of wood, including great appearance–without wood’s shortcomings. They won’t peel, splinter, decay, absorb moisture–and have enhanced screw-holding power.

Choosing the Glass Matters for Energy Efficient Windows

Our partnership with Cardinal Glass Industries’ has created advanced glass technologies that go beyond ordinary low-e glass to make our windows able to handle the weather — any weather. Our ENVIROGUARD™ windows are made with a patented coated glass that delivers year-round comfort in all types of weather. Hot or cold outside, ENVIROGUARD windows keep the climate perfect inside.  When the temperature is heading to the top of the thermometer, ordinary window glass simply welcomes in the heat. ENVIROGUARD windows, however, have been specially formulated to reject the sun’s heat and damaging rays and keep homes cool and comfortable.  In the winter, ENVIROGUARD windows help homes stay warm and cozy by blocking heat loss to the cold weather outside.

Choose between ENVIROGUARD LoE²-270 for most climates or LoE³-366 for all climates including zone 8 (cold) and zone 1 (hot).  LoE³-366 is also a great choice for greater fade resistance by blocking 95% of the sun’s damaging ultravioletrays. Both the LoE²-270 and LoE³-366 windows are available with either air or argon fill.

LoĒ²-270 Glass

Go beyond ordinary low-e glass. Let LoĒ²-270 help you handle the weather – any weather. Solar control for just about the coolest windows under the sun.

The patented LoĒ²-270 coating provides high performance solar control and visual clarity.  The sun doesn’t stand a chance against LoĒ²-270. It’s the perfect glass for fighting the heat. It reduces solar heat gain by 50% or more when compared to ordinary glass. In fact, its solar heat gain coefficient is better than code requirements. And because of its clarity, LoĒ²-270 outperforms tinted glass typically used in sunny climates.

The superior insulating capability of LoĒ²-270 is a key factor in the construction of comfortable windows for cold climates. The dramatic comfort improvement from windows with warm glass surfaces also means the relative humidity of the indoor air can be controlled and maintained properly. Proper humidity levels (not too much, not too little) will improve comfort and promote a healthier living environment.

EnviroGuard LoĒ²-270 windows are ideal for all weather conditions in most climates. In summer, its patented coating blocks 86% of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays and 63% of the sun’s heat. It even outperforms the tinted glass often used in warm climates. You can see out and the light shines in, with no heavy bronze or smoke colored tints to darken the personality of your home. In winter, it reflects heat back into rooms.

EnviroGuard LoĒ³-366 windows have the ultimate performance glass. It just might make all other low-e glass obsolete. LoĒ³-366 delivers the ideal balance of solar control and high visibility. And it provides the highest levels of year-round comfort and energy savings. It’s also the one glass you can use to be compliant in every ENERGY STAR zone – in a double-pane window. Its low SHGC makes it compliant throughout the rest of the country as well. It’s the perfect glass wherever you live.

Beats the heat. Keeps the view.

When the temperature soars, ordinary window glass just can’t handle the heat. And tinted glass spoils the view. EnviroGuard LoĒ³-366 windows, however, has been specially formulated to reject the sun’s heat without affecting the view. It lets more light in and keeps more heat out. So your home stays cool and comfortable. Our patented LoĒ³-366 coating provides the ultimate in performance of all our LoĒ products. What’s more, LoĒ³-366 provides exceptional fading protection as well. It blocks 95% of the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays (a leading cause of fading), so it will help your furniture, carpets, curtains and wall coverings stay beautiful for years to come.

The superior insulating capability of LoĒ³-366 is a key factor in the construction of comfortable windows for cold climates. The dramatic comfort improvement from windows with warm glass surfaces also means the relative humidity of the indoor air can be controlled and maintained properly. Proper humidity levels (not too much, not too little) will improve comfort and promote a healthier living environment.

The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) is the organization that tests and rates all windows in the US. The NFRC energy performance label can help you determine how well a product will perform the functions of helping to cool your home in the summer, warm your building in the winter, keep out wind, and resist condensation. By using the information contained on the label, consumers can reliably compare one product with another, and make informed decisions about the windows they buy.

NFRC logoNFRC performance labels list the manufacturer, describe the product, provide a source for additional information, and include ratings for one or more energy performance characteristics.

U-Factor

U-factor measures how well a product prevents heat from escaping. The rate of heat loss is indicated in terms of the U-factor (U-value) of a window assembly. U-Factor ratings generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20. The lower the U-value, the greater a window’s resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating value.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) measures how well a product blocks heat caused by sunlight. The SHGC is the fraction of incident solar radiation admitted through a window (both directly transmitted and absorbed) and subsequently released inward. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window’s solar heat gain coefficient, the less solar heat it transmits in the house.

Visible Transmittance

Visible Transmittance (VT) measures how much light comes through a product. The visible transmittance is an optical property that indicates the amount of visible light transmitted. VT is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The higher the VT, the more light is transmitted.

Air Leakage*

Air Leakage (AL) is indicated by an air leakage rating expressed as the equivalent cubic feet of air passing through a square foot of window area (cfm/sq ft). Heat loss and gain occur by infiltration through cracks in the window assembly. The lower the AL, the less air will pass through cracks in the window assembly.

Condensation Resistance*

Condensation Resistance (CR) measures the ability of a product to resist the formation of condensation on the interior surface of that product. The higher the CR rating, the better that product is at resisting condensation formation. While this rating cannot predict condensation, it can provide a credible method of comparing the potential of various products for condensation formation. CR is expressed as a number between 0 and 100.

* This rating is optional and manufacturers can choose not to include it.

R-Factor

R-Factor is a measure of the resistnace of the insulated glass unit to heat flow. A high R-factor window has a greater resistance to heat flow and thus, a higher insulating value than a window with a low R-Factor.

Ultra Violet Light

The invisible rays of the light spectrum at its short-wavelength violet end. U.V. Ras are found in everyday sunlight and can cause fading and damage to paint, carpet, furniture and fabrics.

Visible Light

This is the fraction of the visible specturm of light weighted by the sinsitivity of your eyes that is transmitted through the window. Simply put, it represents the amount of daylight that the window lets in.

Low-E Stacked

Low-E Stacked Glass keeps you warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. The overall U-Factor (insulating value) and R-Factor (resistance to heat and cold transfer) of windows with Low-E stacked glass is considerably better than stand clear insulating glass and also better than standard Low-E products.

Argon Gas Filled

Argon is a colorless oderless gas that is 6 times heavier than air. Argon insulates better than just air and also reduces the amount of convection that goes on between the panes of glass.