Polaris Windows Complaints – What’s Wrong Here?

When you’re shopping for new windows you can find complaints about almost anyone. That’s certainly true with Polaris windows complaints too. It’s important to understand what is causing these complaints.

You’ll want to understand what causes these complaints so you can avoid finding yourself in the same situation. Maybe you can make better choices than the customer who finds themselves complaining or maybe you should avoid Polaris windows altogether. Let’s find out.

What causes Polaris windows complaints?

The most common cause of Polaris windows complaints is the sales process. This is really something caused by their old fashioned dealers rather than by Polaris themselves, but it’s something customers need to deal with.

In my experience many Polaris window dealers will still use commission based in-home salesmen who use some of the most old school window sales tactics out there.

Window salesmen scams and tactics
Most window salespeople are great folks, but if you’ve been in this business long enough you’ve surely met some characters like this fella!

Dealing with a salesman who is paid 100% commission can be a real hassle. They can be pushy, they can full of misinformation, etc. You see, these guys and gals typically don’t make any money if they don’t sell you windows right now.

Worse than that, they even have to pay for gas and tires and depreciation on their cars to get to your house. So, if they don’t get the order right away they’ve lost money. It’s not always a great deal for them and it’s often not a great deal for you either.

Other causes of Polaris windows complaints can be the limited features available or the limited Polaris warranty which we’ve also written about.

Are these complaints serious?

They can be. If you get a pushy salesman who isn’t 100% accurate with the truth you could easily find yourself in a pickle. These sales meetings can last 2 hours or more so a lot gets said but nothing gets recorded.

The risk there is that if the salesman tells you something that is inaccurate you don’t have any recourse down the road. He’ll say he never told you that and you swear that he did. It can turn into a sticky situation very quickly.

How can you tell if the company selling you Polaris windows is doing this?

It’s easy to see what is going on when it’s time for them to finally show you how much the new Polaris windows will cost. If they show you one price that is very high and then another price that is lower if you buy today, you can be sure you’re not getting a very good deal at all.

I know they can seem like very genuine, nice, helpful people. That’s their job. Just remember, if there’s a problem down the road nothing will matter if it’s not in writing. When you ask about efficiency ratings, air infiltration ratings, labor warranties, etc be sure to write all of that in the actual contract. If they won’t let you do that you should not buy their windows.

The pricing gimmicks can also be tricky. For example, if the regular price was $30,000, why is he offering to sell you the windows for $12,000. Does anyone ever actually pay the $30,000 or is that just a trick to make the $12,000 seem low?

The world of commission based in-home sales can be like the wild west. Be careful out there.

What’s the bottom line?

The Polaris windows complaints I’ve heard over the years tend to be more about the sales process than about the windows themselves. Overall the windows are decent and you can find more info in our reviews of the UltraWeld, ThermalWeld and DynaWeld windows. The options can be limited since they’re a smaller manufacturer but I’d say the products are fine.

The complaints tend to stem from the in-home sales process. Everyone says they would never fall for the old school sales gimmicks, but these window dealers sell a lot of windows so someone is buying them.

If the prices go down every time you say “no” and the salesman won’t leave your living room you should probably kick him out. Almost nothing is still sold this way, like it’s 1970, but windows are an exception to that. Buyer beware.

Other posts about Polaris windows that you might find helpful:

How can you find a great window company?

That part is easy.  Check this section for recommendations of window companies all over the country. There’s no better way to get new windows.

Other posts you might find interesting:

Polaris Window Warranty Review

Find our Polaris window warranty review here to see if these are the best replacement windows for your home. The warranty is an important aspect of a replacement window purchase. The windows will be in the house for decades. The warranty tells you how long they’re actually expected to last and what you can do if there’s a problem.

We know that the commission based in-home salesmen will sometimes make a lot of claims about their windows and warranties. That’s not unique to folks selling Polaris windows. It happens with just about every manufacturer.

That’s why it’s important for you to understand what the warranty actually covers and does not cover. Otherwise you may be in for some serious disappointment (and big bills) down the road.

What is covered by the Polaris window warranty?

It’s critical to understand what is covered and what is not covered by your window warranty. The Polaris window warranty will cover the window frames and sashes (the vinyl parts) for as long as you own the house.

The Polaris window warranty is more limited than you might expect.  There is lifetime coverage for the vinyl parts but not much else.
Here you can see the extent of the lifetime warranty coverage. There is no mention of coverage for other components of the windows like locks, latches, balances, etc.

They also cover the insulated glass units for 30 years from the date of installation. That’s pretty good coverage, but other manufacturers will offer lifetime coverage on the glass as well.

That’s about the extent of the coverage. Note, there doesn’t appear to be any coverage of the locks, balances or other moving parts.

What is not covered by this warranty?

There are a few things that are not covered by the Polaris window warranty and the most important is labor. There’s no labor coverage at all here so if you have a problem they will provide the parts but not the service.

This isn’t totally unique as most replacement window manufacturers will limit labor coverage. You will sometimes get labor coverage from the dealer who is selling you the windows. Just be sure you get any claims about labor coverage in writing as it will not be covered by Polaris.

If the dealer is offering a labor warranty that’s great, but it’s important to remember it’s only good as long as that dealer is around. Those window sales companies can easily come and go. They are also heavily incentivized to make all sorts of promises as they want to get the sale. That’s why it’s important to have labor coverage promises in writing.

There is no glass breakage or labor coverage in the Polaris window warranty.

It’s also important to note that glass breakage and screen damage are not covered by this warranty. Those can be issues that come up more frequently than other problems.

As I mentioned earlier there also appears to be no coverage for locks, balances, latches or other moving parts. They only list the vinyl and the insulated glass as items that are covered.

Condensation is also not covered by the Polaris warranty.

Condensation on the inside of the house is also not covered by this warranty. That’s something that is not covered by any window warranty and it can be a common customer complaint.

How long is the warranty?

Polaris windows and patio doors come with a lifetime transferable warranty. That means it’s good for as long as you own the house and you can transfer it to the next owner when you sell the house.

This type of warranty is pretty common in the window business and you’ll see it offered from many manufacturers.

Once the warranty is transferred it gets shorter which may or may not be of concern to you. More on that below.

Is the Polaris window warranty transferable?

Yes. The you can transfer this warranty when you sell the house. It’s important to note that you (or the new owner) will need to mail a form to Polaris along with $100 in order to transfer the warranty.

In my opinion, companies will add these steps to the warranty transfer process in the hopes that some people won’t do it. If the warranty is not properly transferred and then the new owner has a problem with the windows they’ll likely be out of luck.

There are a few warranty limitations that will pop up when the warranty is transferred. For example, the insulated glass units will only be covered for 30 years from install or 10 years from transfer, whichever is shorter.

If you’re buying Polaris windows now and worrying about the transfer process later my advice would be to not worry about it. As the seller of the house you can advertise that the windows come with a warranty. You can leave the warranty form behind and it’ll be something for the buyer of your house to worry about. At that point it’s not really your problem.

What’s the bottom line?

Overall I’d say this warranty is not the greatest. With no coverage for glass breakage, labor or hardware and locks it’s much more limited than warranties you’ll see from other companies.

Usually you see smaller manufacturers making more generous warranty claims than larger companies, but that is not the case here.

Overall I’d say this warranty does not compare very well with other options out there. It’s better coverage than you’ll get from many new construction windows, but not on the same level as the coverage you see from most higher end replacement window manufacturers. You can find the complete warranty on the Polaris website here.

Other posts about Polaris windows that you might find helpful:

How can you find a great window company?

That part is easy.  Check this section for recommendations of window companies all over the country. There’s no better way to get new windows.

Other posts you might find interesting:

Polaris DynaWeld Windows Reviews

Here we look at Polaris DynaWeld Windows Reviews to see if these windows make sense for your project.

These are currently the lowest end windows available from Polaris. They means they make them to be cheap and they want to separate them from their nicer window lines. The nicer options are the UltraWeld and ThermalWeld Plus which we’ve already reviewed.

When companies design low end windows they need to cut corners. They do this to save costs and to avoid competing with their own nicer windows. Does that mean the DynaWeld windows are a good value or are they something to be avoided. Let’s find out.

Here is the Polaris DynaWeld windows frame.  This is a double hung window model.

What are the advantages of the Polaris DynaWeld windows?

Since this was designed to be a low end option there aren’t a whole lot of advantages. When companies design lower end options they need to take out enough features to make their higher end, and higher margin, options look like a good value.

For example, if they only took out one or two features and reduced the prices by $100 per window everyone would probably buy this window. That’s bad for them. They want everyone to pay for the more expensive models so they need to make the low end windows a bad deal.

Companies will generally take out many features and they’ll keep the prices relatively similar so the low end windows look like a bad deal. This is intentional, every manufacturer does it and it’s why low end windows are usually a bad choice for the customer.

That’s not 100% true in the case of the Polaris DynaWeld windows. They have basically all of the same features that you see in the more expensive ThermalWeld Plus line with fewer available options.

See the next section about disadvantages for more info on limited options.

What are the disadvantages?

The disadvantages of this window model have more to do with the available options than anything else. For example, there are only two color options for these windows and you can see them below.

These are the only frame colors available for these windows.
Here are the two colors for the Polaris ThermalWeld windows. They’re listed as paint colors on the Polaris website, but we think that’s a mistake on the website. I would guess they’re extruded vinyl colors instead of paint.

If you want white or tan windows then these options will be just fine for your project. If you need a different color you’ll need to upgrade to the other Polaris window lines.

Another disadvantage to the DynaWeld window line is the efficiency and you can see more on that below.

How efficient are the Polaris DynaWeld windows?

These windows are less efficient than the other Polaris lines. They need to do this because they didn’t reduce too many of the window features. Since this window has lower prices there must be a drawback. Polaris has chosen to reduce the efficiency in order to justify the prices of the other lines.

Here are the common efficiency ratings for Polaris DynaWeld windows.
Here you can see the efficiency ratings for the DynaWeld windows. There are fewer options than you’ll see in the other product lines and the ratings are not as good.

As you can see in the chart above the efficiency ratings for these windows are not as good as the other Polaris window products. You’ll also have far fewer efficiency packages available and they’ve removed the options for different spacers.

Overall the difference in U-Factor from 0.30 to 0.27 is not gigantic. If you’re just looking for a decent option and not concerned about being Energy Star certified this might be a fine choice. It’s not what I would suggest for your personal home but it might work for a rental or flip house.

What about the Polaris windows prices?

The prices for all building products, including windows and doors, has been relatively volatile for the last few years now. It can be hard to keep up, but we know that hundreds of people across the country receive quotes for Polaris DynaWeld windows every day.

We need you to let us know if you've received a quote or prices for these Polaris windows.

If you’ve recently recieved a quote for these windows let us know by posting a comment below. I may follow up with you by sending an email. You can definitely help to make this industry easier to navigate. By adding a little transparency we can change this whole business. Please comment below to let us know you’ve received a quote.

What’s the bottom line?

Overall this is a low end window which typically isn’t a great value. It has nearly the same list of features as the more expensive Polaris windows which is nice.

Unfortunately, there are fewer options, fewer efficiency packages and worse efficiency ratings. Overall I’d say if you’re replacing windows in a low end rental or a flip house these may work great. If you’re going to be living in the house I’d look for a better option.

Other posts about Polaris windows that you might find helpful:

How can you find a great window company?

That part is easy.  Check this section for recommendations of window companies all over the country. There’s no better way to get new windows.

Other posts you might find interesting:

Polaris ThermalWeld Plus Windows Reviews

Here we have Polaris ThermalWeld Plus windows reviews to see if these are the best windows for your house. We’ll look at the advantages, disadvantages, warranty prices and more. Find the real info on replacement windows right here.

The ThermalWeld Plus is a middle of the line window from Polaris which is often a decent choice. In this case the ThermalWeld Plus is an upgrade over the older ThermalWeld model. Is that enough of an upgrade to make this window a decent choice in todays market? Let’s find out.

Here is the Polaris ThermalWeld Plus windows frame.  You can see it's pretty typical.
Here you can see the Polaris ThermalWeld Plus windows frame. These cool angled pictures give the brochure a very amateur look.

What are the advantages of the Polaris ThermalWeld Plus windows?

Overall, like most of the Polaris window line, this model looks to be pretty average. As an example, they advertise a very typical list of features for this model. Things like welded corners, intercept spacer, sloped sill, sash limit locks. These are things basically every window made in the last 10 years will offer.

One feature that they list that isn’t 100% typical is the continuous interlock across the entire sash. As they correctly point out, some window models will have an interlock at the sash but it won’t run continuously. Often they’ll have a break near the locks.

The pitch for this interlock would be that it improves air infiltration, but you don’t see anything about air infiltration included in their marketing. To me that would indicate that it doesn’t actually have much of an impact on the ratings, but that’s just my hunch. If anyone out there has more info on Polaris air infiltration ratings post a comment below.

Other than that interlock feature, there isn’t much that stands out.

So, to summarize the advantages of the Polaris ThermalWeld windows, I’d say they have about the same advantages as any other window.

What are the disadvantages?

One disadvantage to these windows is that they are produced by a smaller (riskier) manufacturer. That can present several problems for customers that are not always evident when the salesman is sitting in your living room.

One of these problems is that it’s very expensive for a small manufacturer to improve or update designs which means they don’t do it very often. That leads to older designs being on the market long past their sell-by date. More on this in the warranty section below.

Another disadvantage to this model is that it uses the older constant force or coil balances which aren’t as nice as the upgraded block and tackle type. That can make sense with this model as it’s not trying to be a top of the line product. it’s more of a middle of the road option so it gets middle of the road features.

Is the Polaris window warranty any good?

The warranty from Polaris is decent. We cover this in more detail in the Polaris UltraWeld review linked here.

Overall the lifetime warranty covers the windows for as long as you own the home. There are limitations, for example labor is not covered. A glass breakage warranty is available, but must be purchased separately.

In addition the warranty is much more limited when some options like internal blinds or tempered glass is included. This limits the warranty for all Polaris patio door as all patio doors have tempered glass.

Also, the warranty gets more limited when it is transferred. Overall it’s a decent warranty but more limited than some others. And, since it’s offered by a relatively small manufacturer it’s riskier than the warranty you’d get from larger companies. If Polaris were to vanish tomorrow you’d have no coverage at all. Unfortunately we’ve seen that scenario play out may times over the years.

What are prices for Polaris ThermalWeld Plus windows?

This is where we need your help. Pricing for all replacement windows has been pretty volatile over the last few years. If you’ve recently received a quote for Polaris ThermalWeld Plus windows please post a comment to let us know.

We need your help gather prices for Polaris ThermalWeld Plus windows.  If you've received a quote for them recently let us know!

I may send you an email for more info too. The more transparency in this industry the better it will be for everyone.

How efficient are the Polaris ThermalWeld Plus windows?

To their credit the ThermalWeld windows do have pretty decent efficiency ratings. Polaris publishes charts like that showing ratings that are very solid.

Here are the efficiency ratings for Polaris ThermalWeld Plus windows.
Here you can see common efficiency ratings for Polaris ThermalWeld Plus windows.

This is just one set of info, but it shows U-Factors as low as 0.16 with the EnergySmart Ultimate Plus package and 0.27 with the Energy Smart Supreme package. These are decent ratings so I’d say the efficiency is pretty good with this window model.

One thing you don’t see in all of this data is the air infiltration rate. That rating has been a big deal to customers for several years now and I’m sure Polaris knows that. I would think if their ratings were great they’d publish that info. Why keep good ratings secret? The fact that you don’t see air infiltration ratings advertised is a sign that they might not be too good.

This picture shows the foam filled frames of Polaris ThermalWeld Plus windows.
Here you can see the foam fill in the frames. Does foam make a difference in efficiency? In this case it makes about a 0.01 difference in the U-Factor. That means it’s mostly a sales pitch with little actual benefit.

If a salesman selling these windows makes claims about Polaris air infiltration ratings ask to get that in writing and let us know. They can make claims about anything. In-home salesman are often paid 100% commission so they want to get the sale very badly. I would not trust verbal claims about something like air infiltration because there’s no way for you to verify it. Get it in writing and let us know what they say.

What’s the bottom line?

Overall, this looks like a decent but unremarkable window. The efficiency ratings are solid, but the air infiltration is suspect. The features are relatively plain which can be perfectly fine.

If you’re looking for a middle of the road option and you get a great price on these windows they may offer a fine solution. If you’re buying them you will want to be comfortable with the risks associated with a small manufacturer.

There are plenty of middle of the road windows with similar features available from larger manufacturers so you may want to consider those options as well.

Other posts about Polaris windows that you might find helpful:

How can you find a great window company?

That part is easy.  Check this section for recommendations of window companies all over the country. There’s no better way to get new windows.

Other posts you might find interesting:

Polaris Ultraweld Windows Reviews

Here we have Polaris Ultraweld Windows Reviews to help you decide if these are windows to avoid or to buy for your home. We’ll look at the advantages, disadvantages, warranty and prices.

The Ultraweld is the top of the line window option from Polaris so you’d expect it to have all of the fancy features that you see on fancy windows.

To me, the brochure for this model reads like it’s competing with windows designed 20 years ago rather than more modern competitors.

That can be a common situation for these smaller window manufacturers. They don’t necessarily have the resources to redesign windows to keep up with the competition. They can make a fine product but it can get outdated and it seems that’s what has happened here.

Polaris Ultraweld double hung windows.  Not exactly the most modern choice.
Check out this retro picture from the Ultraweld brochure. This model just feels old.

What are the advantages of Polaris Ultraweld windows?

These windows will have many nice features. For example, they have limited space in the brochure so that’s where they need to really hit the highlihgts.

The features they mention that they use intercept spacers in the glass, sash limit locks, heavy duty locks, recessed tilt latches, extruded lift rails, etc.

To save pixels I won’t explain each of these features in detail. The thing to know is that these are really ordinary features. There is nothing interesting here and basically every window will have the same features.

Here are three features listed in the Polaris Ultraweld brochure.  These are pretty common features, not too exciting.
Not exactly the most exciting features. I feel like I’m in 2002.

They do also talk about using Innergy fiberglass reinforcement instead of metal. This is also something you see in most every modern window design.

Finally, there is talk about the Flex screen and internal blinds. These are two features that are a little more unique.

Overall, I’d say it’s a struggle to find too many advantages to this product line over any other modern window model.

What are the disadvantages?

I’d say one of the main downsides to this window model is the older design from a smaller manufacturer. Those can both have consequences.

There are many older window designs that are still available today. For example, the Alside Ultramaxx and Sheffield windows were not new back in 2004. That’s when I worked for the parent company of Alside. That means those models are 20+ years old at this point and still available for sale today.

Older window designs tend to have bulkier frames, use older hardware, and the typically have higher air infiltration rates. See more on air infiltration below.

The small size of the manufacturer is also something to be concerned about. In my nearly 20 years of experience in this business I’ve seen many small manufacturers vanish. It happens. It also leaves all of their customers with no warranty and no access to spare parts.

If there’s a compelling reason to take that gamble then maybe you should, but is there? Why take the chance when you don’t need to?

What is the air infiltration rate of the Polaris Ultraweld windows?

This is info I haven’t been able to find so I’m hoping someone chimes in with more info. I saw someone say that the air infiltration rate for this model was 0.01 but that doesn’t seem right to me, at least not for a double hung window.

If the air infiltration rate was that low you’d think they’d be telling everyone who will listen but you don’t see it advertised anywhere. It’s not in the brochure or on their website. It’s not even on the page on their site that is dedicated to efficiency ratings. Strange.

That would be a huge selling point, so I’m thinking the fact that it isn’t written anywhere means the actual rating might be worse.

Do you have info on the air infiltration rate for a Polaris Ultraweld double hung window? Post a comment below, bonus points if you have anything official to back up your info.

Is the warranty for Polaris windows any good?

The warranty for these windows is perfectly decent. It’s a lifetime warranty on the window frames. You get 30 years of coverage on insulated glass units, but only 10 years if they have blinds.

There is no coverage at all for glass breakage or labor which are things that some other manufacturers do cover.

Also, if the warranty is transferred the coverage of the insulated glass unit is reduced to 10 years.

So, there the warranty is ok, but there are defininltey better options out there.

What is the price of Polaris Ultraweld windows?

Here’s a section where we need your help. Prices have been all over the place since Covid and it’s a challenge to keep up. If you’ve recently recieved a quote for Polaris Ultraweld windows let us know by posting a comment below. We’ll send you and email and your info will help everyone who is shopping for new windows.

We need your help.  If you've recently recieved a quote for Polaris windows please post a comment to let us know.
Have you recently received a quote for Polaris windows? We need your help!

Transparency makes this whole business easier for folks to navigate and your help is needed today.

What’s the bottom line?

Overall this isn’t a window I would tend to recommend. We’ll probably get comments on this post from folks who sell Polaris windows telling me all about why I’m wrong. That’s ok. I understand the salespeople love it.

When you look at all of the options in the market I just don’t think this model makes much sense anymore. If you think I’m wrong post a comment below and let me know why.

Other posts about Polaris windows that you might find helpful:

How can you find a great window company?

That part is easy.  Check this section for recommendations of window companies all over the country. There’s no better way to get new windows.

Other posts you might find interesting:

You Should Never Buy Vytex Windows – Here’s Why

If you’re considering buying Vytex windows you’ll want to read this post. Here we’re outlining the reasons that anyone should avoid Vytex windows.

To be fair you’ll find that a window salesman will always tell you why you shouldn’t buy this brand or that brand so you’ll want to take this with a bit of a grain of salt. We’re playing devil’s advocate here a little bit, but these are the reasons a competing salesman will tell you to avoid Vytex windows.

Remember, if you think I’m wrong about something post a comment below.

First, they’re a small regional manufacturer

Buying windows with a lifetime warranty from a small local company is risky. That’s just a fact. I’ve been in this business for nearly 20 years now and I’ve seen many well respected window manufacturers close up shop with little to no notice.

It happens. When it does it leaves all of their customers out of luck. When a company vanishes there is no access to replacement parts. There is also no warranty at all at that point.

Will Vytex vanish like so many others? I have no idea, and neither do you and neither does the salesman trying to convince you to buy these windows. That’s the risk you run buying from a small manufacturer. It’s real and it shouldn’t be undervalued.

They use cheaper hardware than other higher-end brands

As an example of this, you will see most nicer window manufacturers using upgraded block and tackle balances in their windows. Vytex uses the constant force or coil balances that you commonly see in lower priced options.

That fact by itself may not be a huge deal, but it signals to me that they weren’t trying to compete with the nicest replacement windows. Even their top of the line Potomac HP windows use the constant force balances.

You will find the higher end hardware in premium brands like Sunrise, Okna, Gentek, Preservation and more.

The air infiltration rates are higher than the competition

When I started in this business nobody ever talked about air infiltration rates, but today it’s a big deal. Even their top of the line Potomac HP model doesn’t have ratings as good as the competition. Even lower cost brands will often be slightly better.

For all the talk about magnetic weather-stripping the air infiltration rate of these windows is higher than I’d like to see.

The glass area is smaller than other models

Based on the published VT ratings it appears the Vytex models will use darker glass and/or thicker frames than other window models. That means you’ll get less visible light in the same size window than you would with other options.

That might not matter a whole lot if you have large windows. If you have an older house or smaller windows this can be a big deal.

What’s the bottom line?

Considering the price that dealers usually charge for Vytex windows there may be better options out there. You can check this section to find recommended companies all over the country. It might be worthwhile to consider an option or two before you commit to Vytex windows.

If you’ve already committed you do have three business days to cancel an order in most states. With that in mind it might be worthwhile to get a second opinion quote so you understand the options.

Remember, we are playing devil’s advocate with a post like this. Vytex windows are fine and if you’ve bought them already I wouldn’t loose any sleep thinking about it. If you’re still shopping it might be worthwhile to consider your options.

How can you find a great window company?

That part is easy.  Check this section for recommendations of window companies all over the country. There’s no better way to get new windows. You can find my company here and you can find recommendations of other companies in other parts of the country here.

Other posts you might find interesting:

Vytex Windows Complaints – What’s Wrong?

When you’re shopping for new windows you’ll find complaints out there about almost everyone. It’s certainly possible to find Vytex windows complaints and it’s important to understand what is often causing these customers to be so unhappy.

What causes Vytex windows complaints?

There could be a few causes, but one is probably the fact that Vytex installs windows for many of their dealers without the customers knowing about it. The fact that Vytex does the installations ins’t bad, but the fact that many of their dealers will lie about this fact is cause for concern.

For example, years ago I was in the Vytex manufacturing plant picking up a sample and I overheard one of their customer service reps calling a customer. She said she was calling from one of their dealers to schedule a measurement appointment.

Obviously she was working for Vytex, not for the dealer, but the customer couldn’t have known that.

It’s strange to me that some window salespeople will lie to their customers about something so simple, but it happens all the time. The salesman says his company has the absolute best window installers when they actually don’t employ any installers at all. The salesman might also say that they never use sub-contractors when the manufacturer is hiring subs to install the windows.

In my experience this happens all the time.

Why does this cause Vytex windows complaints?

Usually the issue is communication. Since the salesperson only works for the sales company he probably doesn’t know anything about installation. The installers are usually subcontractors working for the manufacturer so they’re a few steps removed from the commission based salespeople.

These salespeople are often only focused on getting the order so they make their commission. Then the order gets turned over to the installers and the salesman goes on to the next sales lead.

How can you tell if a company is doing this?

It’s basically impossible to find out if this is happening. Everyone involved knows that they need to fib about this. The installers know that if you ask who they work for they need to say the dealer. The reps on the phone know that they need to say they’re calling from “Window Company X” when they call to make an appointment. It’ just the way the system works.

What’s the bottom line?

Overall I’d say this isn’t a huge issue. I do always suggest avoiding the high pressure commission based in-home salespeople. That’s true if you’re buying Vytex windows or any other brand.

If you get a good quality product from a company that will be honest with you from the start it’s likely you’ll get a good result at the end.

How can you find a great window company?

That part is easy.  Check this section for recommendations of window companies all over the country. There’s no better way to get new windows. You can find my company here and you can find recommendations of other companies in other parts of the country here.

Other posts you might find interesting:

Vytex Window Warranty Review

Is the Vytex window warranty any good? We’ll find out here. It’s always important to consider the warranty when looking for new windows. Everyone hopes to never have a problem but issues can come up and a good warranty can make all the difference.

In my opinion, the Vytex window warranty will be a little weaker than some others because they’re a relatively small window manufacturer. Over the nearly 20 years I’ve been in this business I’ve seen many smaller window manufacturers vanish leaving all of their customers with no warranty at all and no access to replacement parts. That’s not ideal.

I don’t have any inside info into the finances at Vytex and I hope they’re doing great, but there is a risk there that shouldn’t be ignored.

What does the Vytex window warranty cover?

The Vytex warranty looks pretty good. It’s a lifetime warranty that is transferable when you sell the house. That’s relatively common in the replacement window business so this is good, but not really remarkable.

They do cover glass breakage and the glass breakage portion of the warranty is also transferable. That’s a nice feature, many manufacturers don’t do that.

Hardware and moving parts are also covered for as long as you own the house.

What doesn’t the Vytex window warranty cover?

There are some important limitations to the warranty that are important to understand. You can tell by reading them that they’ve dealt with the same type of warranty claims that everyone else also gets.

For example, they make clear that condensation and/or frost build up on the interior of the glass is not a warranty issue. It’s true that this is generally an HVAC issue, but I would say that’s not the case 100% of the time. Here’s the section.

Vytex window warranty limitations and exclusions.

They also do not cover caulking which is very standard. Caulking is usually part of a window installation, but it’s not part of the window so it would not be covered by the window manufacturer.

You’ll also see laminated and tempered glass are only covered for 10 years. It’s important to note that all patio doors have tempered glass. That means all of their patio doors only have a 10 year warranty on the glass.

You’ll also see the labor coverage is limited. If they installed the windows then they cover labor for 1 year. If another contractor installed the windows then there’s no labor coverage at all. You may not even know if they actually installed your windows as many of their customers will use their measure and install service and the installers will act like they work for the dealer rather than for Vytex. That part can get a little tricky.

What else isn’t covered?

Another notable exclusion is that crooked grids are only covered if they’re more than 1/8″ out of square. If the grids rattle inside the glass that’s not covered at all. I would say that’s not a big deal for 99% of customers, but occasionally there’s a customer who gets very concerned about both of those issues.

I would guess Vytex has dealt with enough of those folks over the years that they wanted to spell this out in the warranty. If you think you’d be concerned about grids that were 1/8″ out of square you might want to take note of that. See the exact wording below:

Vytex window warranty limitations regarding grids.

How do you transfer the Vytex window warranty?

When you do sell your house it’ll be a good idea to leave a copy of the warranty for the buyers so they can transfer the warranty. You can find the warranty on their website.

The warranty needs to be transferred within 60 days of the sale of the property. It’s also worth noting that the warranty on the insulated glass gets worse when transferred. After 10 years from install the coverage is only 50% of the cost and there’s no labor coverage .

You probably won’t care about that since you’ve sold the house. The buyers of your house probably won’t even know about it until they make a claim. I’d say that’s not a huge deal.

What’s the bottom line?

Overall I’d say the warranty from Vytex is pretty decent. It has some important limitations, but you’ll see that from every company. The insulted glass coverage is good. The glass breakage coverage is also good.

If you decide to buy from them you are taking the gamble that they’ll be around for the long haul. If they’re not you might find yourself out of luck.

How can you find a great window company?

That part is easy.  Check this section for recommendations of window companies all over the country. There’s no better way to get new windows. You can find my company here and you can find recommendations of other companies in other parts of the country here.

Other posts you might find interesting:

Vytex Georgetown Windows Reviews

Find Vytex Georgetown windows reviews here. If you’re considering these windows for your home you’ll want to read this info. We look at the advantages and disadvantages along with the warranty, prices and more to see if these windows make sense.

It’s important to note that the Vytex Georgetown window is the lower end window. Usually it’s not a great idea to buy the bottom of the line windows and that holds true in this case.

If you’re looking for a cheap window for a rental or something there are other cheap choices to consider instead of this one.

Here is the frame of the Vytex Georgetown window.

What are the advantages of the Vytex Georgetown windows?

There aren’t a whole lot of advantages to a window model like this. You could say the warranty is decent, and we’ll cover that later. Other than that the hardware is average, the efficiency is pretty typical, there just isn’t a whole lot to talk about.

Manufacturers will make windows like this so that their nicer windows look nicer. Offering a cheaper option lets their retailers offer you a lower price. The trick is that the lower price comes with sacrifices which helps them justify the cost of the nicer models.

Ultimately, windows are going to be in your house for decades so it’s typically not a great idea get the cheapest option. You’ll be dealing with the windows long after you’ve forgotten the cost.

What are the disadvantages of this window?

There are a few downsides to this window model. It’s designed to be a cheaper option so it’ll definitely have downsides.

One is that the frame is bulkier than you’ll see on other models. You can see this in the picture above vs the similar pictures on our Potomac HP and Fortis reviews. This isn’t a look most people love.

Other factor to consider is that these windows are a little less energy efficient than the other Vytex models.

They’ll also use cheaper constant force balances that you can see below. These balances are cheaper than the upgraded block and tackle balances that you see in nicer windows.

These are the lower end constant force balances that are found in the Vytex Georgetown windows.
Here are the constant force balances that you’ll find in the Vytex Georgetown windows.

What is the warranty on Vytex Georgetown windows?

The warranty on these windows is pretty solid. They come with a lifetime warranty that incudes glass breakage and it’s transferable when you sell the house.

The risk to consider is that Vytex is a smaller manufacturer which is a little riskier than a larger manufacturing company. Of course anything could happen to any company. It is important to note that we’ve seen many smaller window manufacturers vanish over the years leaving all of their customers with no warranty or access to replacement parts. That can be a situation that you don’t want to find yourself in.

Here are the efficiency ratings for common packages in the Vytex Georgetown windows.
Here you can see the efficiency ratings for the Vytex Georgetown windows.

What’s the bottom line?

Overall I would not suggest this window. Vytex intended to make a cheaper product and they succeeded. They talk about “value” in their brochures which is window code for cheap.

Ultimately if you have a rental house or a flip project where you need cheap windows there are better low end options out there. I’d avoid this model.

What should you do if you think I’m wrong about something?

That’s easy, just post a comment below and let us know. It’s always my objective to share facts as I know them to be true and my opinions. If you think I’ve missed the mark on anything I would LOVE to hear from you. Please post a comment and I may follow up by email too. Thanks for taking the time to contribute to the site!

How can you find a great window company?

That part is easy.  Check this section for recommendations of window companies all over the country. There’s no better way to get new windows. You can find my company here and you can find recommendations of other companies in other parts of the country here.

More posts about Vytex windows

Other posts you might find interesting:

Vytex Fortis Windows Reviews

Here you can find Vytex Fortis windows reviews to see if these are the best windows for your home. We’ll look at the advantages and disadvantages of these windows along with the warranty, prices and more. Let’s get going.

This is the basic look of the Vytex Fortis double hung windows.

What are the advantages of Vytex Fortis windows?

Vytex is a smaller manufacturer located in Maryland and they make three main window lines. The Fortis is a mid-range product. It falls between the lower end Georgetown and the higher end Potomac HP model in terms of quality and price.

This model has most of the same features and options that you’ll see on many windows models. For example, it has virgin vinyl and welded frames. It uses the constant force balances that you see on most mid-range windows and it has similar efficiency packages to what you see on many other models.

In terms of efficiency, Super Spacer is included in the glass packages and the overall efficiency ratings are perfectly normal.

What are the disadvantages?

Disadvantages to the Vytex Fortis windows aren’t a huge deal but there are a few.

For example, the air infiltration rate on the double hung is listed at 0.09 which is decent but higher (worse) than many competitors. We tend to suggest looking for a window with an air infiltration rate at or below 0.05 so this one is a little higher. That means it will let in more air when closed and locked.

Next, they show a lot of pictures of windows with foam in the frames in the brochures, but the efficiency ratings are pretty typical. Here are the ratings for a few common packages:

These are the efficiency ratings for common packages in the Vytex Fortis windows.

These ratings are perfectly fine but not really anything special.

One thing you can see in these ratings is the lower VT rating. That means this model will let in a little less light than other models with similar efficiency ratings.

Finally the constant force balances they use in these windows aren’t quite as nice as the upgraded block and tackle balances you’ll see in most higher end windows.

So, to summarize I’d say the downsides are the slightly higher air infiltration rate, the lower visible light transmittance and the lower end constant force balances.

This is the structure of the Vytex Fortis windows with the foam in the frames.
Here you can see the structure of the Vytex Fortis windows.

What is the warranty on these windows?

The Vytex Fortis windows come with a lifetime warranty is is pretty standard in the industry. The warranty is transferable and also covers glass breakage. Overall I’d say the warranty is perfectly good.

I would suggest weighing the fact that Vytex is a relatively small window manufacturer when you’re considering the warranty. Over the years we’ve seen many smaller manufacturers vanish leaving all of their customers with no warranty at all. That’s one reason I tend to suggest working with larger manufactures.

Vytex windows use lower end constant force balances vs the nice type used in most higher end windows.
Here is the constant force balances used in the Vytex Fortis windows. It’s not the type you tend to see on higher end windows.

What about Vytex Fortis windows prices?

The prices for a replacement window project can vary quite a lot depending on the scope of your project and the options you pick. For example, a window with triple pane glass will tend to cost more than a window with double pane glass.

If you’ve recently recieved a quote for Vytex windows I’d encourage you to share any info in the comments below. The more transparency we can provide the easier this business will be to navigate for everyone.

What’s the bottom line?

Overall I’d say this is a fine window. There are a few downsides so if it was sold you to as the greatest window ever I wouldn’t agree. There is risk in dealing with the small manufacturer so that’s something to consider when making your decision.

How can you get a second opinion quote?

If you recently signed a contract for Vytex windows and you’re not sure if it’s a great deal, we can help. In most states you have three business days to cancel an in-home purchase so you should act fast. You can get an online quote by email from my company here. It doesn’t hurt to see what the alternative would be.

One of our reps will send you an email with an itemized price list and additional product info. From there they can answer any questions and make unlimited revisions until you have the order just the way you want it.

It’s the easiest way to get new windows and the best way to make sure you’re paying a fair price for your project. If my company doesn’t offer windows in your area you can find other recommendations here.

What should you do if you think I’m wrong about something?

That’s easy, just post a comment below and let us know. It’s always my objective to share facts as I know them to be true and my opinions. If you think I’ve missed the mark on anything I would LOVE to hear from you. Please post a comment and I may follow up by email too. Thanks for taking the time to contribute to the site!

More posts about Vytex windows

How can you find a great window company?

That part is easy.  Check this section for recommendations of window companies all over the country. There’s no better way to get new windows. You can find my company here and you can find recommendations of other companies in other parts of the country here.

Other posts you might find interesting: