Update: While this Revere Amherst Plus review was originally written several years ago it’s been updated in 2021 as we continue to work to provide the best replacement window information on the entire internet in 2021 and beyond. See info towards the bottom of this post for the most recommended window companies in 2021. Be sure to post a comment or send us a message with any questions!
The Revere Amherst Plus windows are one of the newer replacement window options from Revere Building Products. The Amherst Plus windows occupy the lower end of the replacement window offering and they use a slightly old fashioned design.
First off, it’s completely ok to consider a lower end window option. Maybe you’re moving soon, or renting the house, or you’re just a little on the cheap side. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that and I can tell you I’ve been accused of being a little cheap myself. As I’m sure you already know, when you’re going for a lower priced option you’re going to be making sacrifices. It’s important to be clear on what those sacrifices are and how much you’re saving in return. That’s the only way to know if you’re making the best move.
As you’ll see the actual wholesale cost difference between the Amherst Plus and the much nicer Berkshire Elite offering is pretty small. If you’re thinking about Revere replacement windows you may get the best bang for your buck with the Berkshire Elite.
Basically the Revere Amherst Plus is a striped down version of the older Revere Berkshire window. This window was the workhorse of the Revere window line for many years. As the industry progressed it started to look a little dated. Revere needed to upgrade that model in order to stay competitive. To create the new Amherst Plus model they stripped out several features of the older Berkshire window and gave this new offering a fancy new name.
What are the differences?
Basically if you took the old Revere Berkshire window and removed the balance covers, installed a flimsier screen and switched to the cheaper constant force or coil balances and installed single strength glass you’d have an a “new” Amherst Plus window.
Does this mean it’s a bad product?
Nope, but it does mean you don’t get a lot of bang for your buck.
What does the Revere Amherst Plus window cost?
Now for the important part. The actual wholesale cost difference between the Revere Amherst Plus windows and the nicer Revere Berkshire Elite windows is only around $10 per window. That means for just a couple bucks more you can get upgraded balances, double strength glass, better air infiltration ratings, heavier screen frames, etc.
Of course this doesn’t mean that your local contractor will be charging only $10 more for the nicer window. They might be padding their profits a little and showing you a $50 difference in price. Just offer them less and you’ll probably get it.
Only you can decide how cheap you want to be with your new windows. If you’re selling the home or renting it out and you really don’t care about the windows then maybe these are the right products for you. If you’re going to be living in the house for any length of time I would really suggest the nicer product as long as you can get it at a reasonable cost.
Note: If you’re really looking for Revere Amherst windows reviews in 2021 you’re getting bad window advice. The Revere Amherst windows have been discontinued for a number of reasons. One of which is that they weren’t very nice windows. If you’ve met a contractor that is suggesting them you should probably find another contractor who knows more about windows.
Revere Amherst windows are the bottom of the Revere window line. They were designed to be an inexpensive replacement window used for remodeling projects. While they succeeded in being inexpensive, they are not a very great option.
Here is a cutaway view of the Revere Amherst window.
The biggest drawback to the Revere Amherst windows is the method of construction. Instead of welded corners which are found on just about all windows these days the older Revere Amherst windows still use mechanically fastened or screwed together frames.
This means the frame is able to twist and flex more than a newer welded window. It also opens the door to leaks as the corners of the window are not necessarily weather tight.
What’s good about the Revere Amherst windows?
While I may be sounding a little negative there are a few highlights when looking at the Revere Amherst option. First, they use the upgraded block and tackle balance mechanism found in other Revere replacement windows. The balance mechanism is the part that allows the window to open and close and this type is better than the inexpensive “constant force” or coil balances used in many other windows.
They also feature standard metal reinforcement in the sashes which is something that competitors often charge extra for. This reinforcement is placed at the bottom of the top sash and the top of the bottom sash (at the middle of the window) which is the weakest point. They reinforce the structure to help these windows stand up to the wind and rain.
How about the Revere windows warranty?
Another good point is that the Amherst windows are covered by the same warranty as all Revere windows. This is a pretty strong warranty and it’s backed up by Revere’s parent company, Associated Materials, Inc. This means you not only get a good strong warranty, but you also get one that will likely stand the test of time.
How about the cost of the Amherst windows?
This is where they lose me. Based on the info I was given the wholesale cost difference between the Revere Amherst windows and the much nicer Revere Berkshire Elite windows is only about $15 per window. If you’re considering new windows for your home and you’re not willing to spring for an extra $15 to get the much nicer Berkshire Elite windows then you just might be beyond help.
At the end of the day the Revere Amherst window was designed to be a cheap option. It’s cheap alright, but not cheap enough to justify all of the sacrifices.
Update: While this Revere Berkshire Elite window review was originally written several years ago it’s been updated in 2021 as we continue to work to provide the best replacement window information on the entire internet in 2021 and beyond. See info towards the bottom of this post for the most recommended window companies in 2021. Be sure to post a comment or send us a message with any questions!
If you’re considering Revere Berkshire Elite windows we sure hope you’ll appreciate this review. The Revere window line is distributed through a network of professional installers across the country. They are available on the east and west coast with specific products for each market. Our Revere Berkshire Elite windows reviews will go through the features, warranty, cost, and drawbacks of this popular new model.
The Revere Berkshire Elite windows are a new model that replaced the older Revere Berkshire window. While this new model shares a similar name it is an entirely new window. This new model addresses many of the shortcomings that were present in the older Revere Berkshire windows.
A common misconception in the window business has to do with the parent company of Revere Building Products. Several years ago Revere was bought by Associated Materials Inc. They’re a holding company that owns several large building products manufacturers. They own Alpine windows on the west coast, Gentek windows in Canada, Alside windows in the US and Preservation windows also available across the US.
Revere windows fill a unique spot in the stable of products produced by AMI. They’re available all across the US, but mostly through large window installation companies rather than distribution centers that sell windows to any contractor with a pickup truck. Revere does this to ensure that only established companies offer their products. This helps them keep their warranty costs down as the windows are typically installed well.
Our favorite feature when it comes to the new Revere Berkshire Elite windows is the large glass area. This is a common theme in our reviews because it directly relates to how you’re going to enjoy the new windows. Revere Berkshire Elite windows allow for a very large glass area while still maintaining great efficiency ratings. This is a combination that many other manufactures have not been able to accomplish.
Notice the large glass area of the Revere Berkshire Elite window
Notice the dramatic effect of the larger glass area. Many replacement windows use these thick frames that dramatically reduce the amount of light (not heat) that enters the home.
The Berkshire Elite window is designed to be a high end window. It’s available in 9 exterior colors and 9 interior finishes. This is a pretty extensive selection for a replacement window. While most folks pick white or beige windows the finish options for nice vinyl windows are much more beautiful than they used to be.
A major advantage to the Revere Berkshire Elite windows is the upgraded balance mechanism that they use. The block and tackle balance system in these windows is tested to last 2.5 times longer than the less expensive constant force or coil balances that are used in many replacement windows. Revere is certainly not the only company to use these nicer balances, Okna, Sunrise, Thompson Creek and Stanek windows also use these high end balances. Many other manufactures such as Alside, Soft Lite and Simonton still use the older and less expensive coil option.
Here are the drawbacks of the coil or constant force balances as listed in a promotional piece produced by Associated Materials. Remember this is a parent company of Alside, of of the largest companies offering the less expensive coil option:
It’s pretty clear which type the nicer windows out there use. The Revere Berkshire Elite only use the block and tackle balance system.
There are two more great new features relating to the sill at the bottom. The sill is a true sloped sill which means it does not use weep holes to drain water. This is the way most new windows are designed, but many older design still drain water through the frames.
The welded sloped sill drains water to the exterior.
What about the screens?
One similarity the Revere Berkshire Elite windows share with the Alside Mezzo windows is the high quality screen. They both share a heavy duty extruded screen frame that resists bending and twisting. It’s a heavy duty product that is warrantied for as long as you own your home.
Most other companies offer a flimsy roll formed screen as their standard product with a heavy duty screen as an option. With Revere you get the nice screen every time. It may sound like a small feature, but it goes to show you how seriously they take the quality of their products.
What about the efficiency?
The Revere Berkshire Elite windows can have great efficiency ratings depending on how they are ordered. They are available with many types of glass coatings, spacer systems and gas fills that all affect the ratings. For example the Revere Berkshire Elite window can easily meet or exceed the 2015 Energy Star guidelines for all regions of the country with double pane glass. Most of the other window designs require triple pane glass options to hit these levels.
UPDATE: Triple pane glass is now available in the Revere Berkshire Elite window and it’s become a very popular option. They offer several triple pane glass packages in this model with SHGC ratings as low as 0.17 and U-Factors as low as 0.21. If you’re considering this window model, triple pane glass is an option you may want to consider.
How much do Berkshire Elite windows cost?
The cost of these windows can vary widely based on the options you select, the complexity of the installation and the company offering them. Basic white double hung windows typically run in the $500-$700 per window range including installation. Some companies will charge more and some less so make sure you’re comfortable that you’re getting a fair price before moving forward with your replacement window project.
You will find that Revere windows will likely be available from a small number of companies in your area. This is the case with many nicer windows. If you don’t like the company offer them or if you’re not comfortable for any reason just move on. There are plenty of great windows out there so if you can’t find something you like when it comes to these just pick another brand.
How about the Revere Berkshire Elite window warranty?
The warranty on these windows is pretty strong, but generally similar to warranties offered by many high end window manufactures. For example the window frames and hardware are covered for as long as you own your home. They cover the seal in the insulated glass and even the screens as well. Be aware that a glass breakage warranty is available, but it is not standard so the company doing the installation will need to include it. If you don’t have that in writing you probably don’t have it so it’s worth double checking.
What are the drawbacks of the Berkshire Elite windows?
The limited distribution can be a drawback of the Revere windows. If the company that offers them in your area is great then you’re in great shape, if not you’re out of luck. Don’t sweat that too much. If you don’t like the local company for any reason just find another product. There are plenty of great windows out there.
So you’ve picked out the best replacement windows for you, but how do you evaluate the installation company? This half the battle as having great replacement windows installed by a less than great installer will ruin your day.
The first step is the easiest: read our page on common replacement window sales tricks. These will not only help you avoid getting hoodwinked, but they will help to identify which companies are planning on treating you well BEFORE you bother meeting with them.
For instance, if a company requires both homeowners to be present you know you’re in for a sales pitch. This isn’t something you should plan on enduring. It should be used as a sign to avoid that company all together. Just cross them off the list and move on. There are plenty of great companies in your area and you absolutely do not need to deal with that kind of junk.
Once you have these companies crossed of your list it’s time to do a little research. We’re not talking about spending every waking minute worrying about windows, but an ounce of prevention goes a long way…
If you’re looking for a window company right now, the best advice we have is to check out our list of the best window companies all over the country. You can find it right here.
Once you have narrowed things down to 3-5 companies have them come out to take a look through the project and give you an exact quote. If anybody gives you the runaround just send them on their way and move on to the next company.
We know this sounds like basic advice, but people get pressured into on gimmick or another every day.
Once you find a great company to install your great windows you’ll be sure you have the best replacement windows in your neighborhood.
If you’re looking for a window company right now, the best advice we have is to check out our list of the best window companies all over the country. You can find it right here.
The model home windows program is one of our favorite window sales scams. If you’ve ever seen the movie Tin Men with Danny DeVito and Richard Dryfus you know this one. The fact that this trick is still frequently used has always surprised me. As is the case with all of these window maneuvers they wouldn’t still exist if people didn’t buy them so watch out!
The basics of this maneuver come back to the idea that if a company wants to sell you something at a price above the market price they need a way to entice you to make an irrational decision. The irrational decision in this case is to pay more for something than you need to.
Now remember, paying more than you need to doesn’t refer to a comparison with the absolute cheapest company in town. When you buy a remodeling project you’re buying the quality of the products, the quality of the service the strength of the warranty, etc. All of these things have value and they’re all worth something. When we say these companies are trying to entice you to pay more than you need to we mean after factoring all of these components into it, they’re still charging more than their competitors.
How can I be sure these companies are trying to charge you more than their competitors would?
Because it’s not my first day in this business…and also because they’re lying to you.
Remember we started this post talking about the model home discount. This is when a company offers to sell you their products and services for an incredibly low price so they can use your house as an example of the great work they do. They’re expecting all of your neighbors to see how great your house looks and they’re expecting to sell your neighbors windows too.
This sounds like a real win-win situation. You get great new windows. You know they’re going to do a great job because they want to show off their work at your home. They’re only offering this deal to one house in the neighborhood so you’d better sign up now to take advantage right? NO. This is never a good deal.
In reality they’re telling you this because it’s a good story. They need to get past the universal human tendency to be cautious. You see we evolved over millions of years to be leery of risky situations. This is how we as humans survived all these years. Now they want you to sign a contract and fork over thousands of your hard earned dollars without so much as a google search? Forget about it. You’ll never do it….unless it’s a really fantastic deal.
You see these companies know that another universal human tendency is to LOVE a great deal and to HATE missing a great deal. You love telling your friends about that great shirt you found at TJ Maxx or the steal of a deal you found on the clearance rack, right? How did I know that? Because everyone loves that. It’s human nature. In this case the remodeling company is attempting to use one tendency to overcome the other.
“I wouldn’t fall for that” you’re probably saying. I know, of course you wouldn’t. Nobody in their right mind would over pay for some sales scam. Surprisingly these companies do millions of dollars in business each and every year. People are going for it every day. Nobody every buys something because they think it’s a bad deal. These companies do a great job explaining it and you ‘re left thinking you got the deal of the century. My what a great consumer you are!
Just remember, a model home discount is NEVER a good deal. The price offered today will still be good tomorrow or the next day or the week after that. If you compare your options and decide that you liked that first company then go for it, but don’t let them talk you into signing up on the spot. You should also remember that if they take the deal next week (as I guarantee they will) then they’re telling you that all that talk about model homes was a lie. Do you really want to work with a company that started out by lying to you?
I wouldn’t recommend it.
In extreme cases we’ve even heard these companies telling you to keep the prices secret so your neighbors don’t know what a great deal you got. You know the real reason they want you to keep the price a secret? Because your neighbor got the same price as you or maybe even better.
The big takeaway? As soon as you hear a company tell you that you’re getting a great price because they want to use your home as a model for the neighborhood just picture Danny Vevito and Richard Dryfus in your front yard yelling about putting your home in Better Homes and Gardens as the “before” house. Don’t be that sucker.
If you’ve received a free quote from some of the larger window companies around you may have seen today only window prices like this. They probably had some very high price say $13,000 that was good for a year. This might be called the retail price or the MSRP. It was probably also offered at the end of a pretty long sales pitch.
You probably didn’t expect to spend anywhere near that much so you told the salesperson that you were going to think it over and he let you know about a rebate or special promotion that was ending soon. It was good for 30 more days and it would lower the price to $8,000.
That sounded better, but he wasn’t done yet. After you told him you were going to think it over he called the manager. The manager gave him a special price because he really wanted to earn your business tonight. Maybe he needed one more sale to reach his goal. He certainly had a decent way to explain it. That special TODAY only price could easily have been as low as $3,000.
Remember, we started at $13,000 which was the 1-year price. Then we were at $8,000 for the 30-day price. That’s a pretty big discount already. Then out of nowhere we’re at $3,000 if you buy TODAY. This sounds too good to be true, I mean you’re getting $13,000 worth of windows for the incredible price of $3,000 right?!?
NO, these today only window prices are never a good deal.
Ask yourself one simple question and you’ll start to see through all of this. If the company can sell these windows for $3,000 why would they have tried to charge you or anyone else $13,000. We know a company needs to make a profit and we’re proud that our company makes a healthy profit each year, but selling a $3,000 project for $13,000 seems a little cold hearted to me.
What if this is really a once in a lifetime type deal?
If you really believe that I’ve got a bridge to sell you. There is nothing that changes in the window business on a daily or weekly basis. Prices do change over time just like they do in any business. For example in the last 2 years our wholesale cost of goods has gone up 4-6%. That’s about an $8-10 dollar per window increase…in 2 years.
If you were getting a quote for 10 windows and they said the TODAY only price was $3,000 and the 1-year price was $3,100 that would be reasonable. $13,000 is just lying.
At the end of the day every remodeling company wants to have more customers. Every remodeling company also only undertakes projects that they make money on. If they’re making money on your order at $3,000 today then they’ll still take that deal tomorrow or next week. Anytime you hear about today only window prices you can be 100% sure it’s a bad deal.
Why do they push so hard to get you to sign up NOW?
Because they know more about this business than you do. They know how their offer compares to their competitors. They know full well that there are other companies in town who would be glad to complete your project for $2500 with no runaround. They know that if they give you time to think it over you’ll probably find one of these companies and they’ll lose your business.
That’s why they push so hard. It’s the only way they can make that extra profit.
If you get that type of hard sell as you’re looking for the best replacement windows for your home just remember that there is no need to rush. No matter what they say, if you think it over and decide that you do want to work with them they will gladly take your business.
I’ll bet you lunch that you’ll never call the hard sell type company back. Nobody ever does.
Remember, for more great window company info you can find our suggestions for the best local companies in your area right here.
So perhaps you recently had a knock on the door from a friendly local kid. He was all excited to tell you about a neighborhood discount that a local remodeling company was offering. They were working nearby and they were offering a discount to any of the neighbors who wanted to have a similar project completed while they were here. They could see you had older windows so they wanted to offer their services. Once they finish that project and leave the area the great pricing will be gone.
BEWARE: This is NEVER a good deal.
Remember the first rule of avoiding a contractor’s tricks: you NEVER need to sign up immediately. Of course they’re trying to use your fear of missing a “great deal” to entice you to sign up without giving the project the proper consideration.
Think about it this way. The workers need to get up every day and leave their houses to come to work. They’ll drive to your house or your neighbors house or a house across town. It doesn’t make any difference to them. Work is work and windows are windows. If they work in the same neighborhood every day they still need to drive there each day (unless you’re letting them sleep over).
When you get that knock on the door you should thank that kid for letting you know. What he’s effectively told you is that this company is the type to pull marketing tricks and you’ve now learned that you should avoid them.
If you’re the type who likes to have a little fun, ask him where they’re working in the neighborhood and tell him you’re going to go by tomorrow to see the workers. They’re probably not working nearby at all. This is just something they tell folks to make you feel like this is a great deal.
Take a look through some of our other posts on common replacement window sales tricks and keep an eye out for an upcoming post on the most effective ways to get a great deal!
If you’re looking for a window company right now, the best advice we have is to check out our list of the best window companies all over the country. You can find it right here.
Here we’ve compiled our old reviews for discontinued Alside window models including:
Alside Excalibur
Sheffield
Ultramaxx
Centurion
Geneva
These models are gone but not forgotten. If you have any of these windows in your house you may be interested in the Alside window warranty and you can find info on that on our Alside windows page along with reviews of models that are still available.
If you’re looking for an Alside window that you can’t find listed anywhere it may be a private label window created for a specific contractor. Post a comment about it and we’ll be happy to help you make sense of it.
Now on to the old reviews.
Alside Excalibur window review
The Alside Excalibur window was the most popular window produced by Alside for many years. Millions of these windows have been installed all across the country. The Alside Excalibur window is slated to be discontinued in 2014 and replaced by the newer Alside Mezzo window.
The Alside Excalibur window has been a popular option because it meets the needs of most homeowners at an affordable price. This window came with standard features that we’re available options on competing models.
Standard features on Alside Excalibur windows:
Double strength glass
Heavy duty screen frame
Steel reinforced sashes
DP50 rated for strength
Sloped sill
Despite the list of standard features, the Excalibur window was often criticized online. This had a lot to do with the fact that it was sold by Window World under the Comfort Word 4000 brand at very low prices. This made the competition offering similar products at higher prices uncomfortable.
Not all criticism of the Alside Excalibur was unfounded. The design was a little past its prime and several elements were due for an upgrade. In addition the manufacturing tolerances weren’t as tight as they could have been which led to inconsistent quality.
What about the Alside warranty?
The warranty from Alside was always pretty solid and that was certainly the case with the Excalibur windows. The warranty covers the glass seal, the windows and the hardware for as long as the original purchaser lives in the home and it is transferable when the house is sold.
Alside Sheffield Reviews
Here we’ll be taking a look at the Alside Sheffield windows. The Sheffield windows used to sit near the top of the Alside window line. Very similar products are sold under various brand names including Alside Ultramaxx and Comfort World 6000 series. This doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a better window than the Alside Excalibur or the Alside Mezzo (their other common offerings), but it does mean it will likely cost more.
In comparison to the newest window in the Alside line, the Alside Mezzo window (which we reviewed recently), the Sheffield doesn’t compare very well except in a few specific situations. For example, the Alside Sheffield window is available with triple pane glass while the Mezzo window was not when initially launched. The Mezzo window now has this feature available so that leaves one less reason to buy the Sheffield model. Obviously this only matter to you if you’re a triple pane kind of person.
Another point of differentiation is the fact that the Sheffield window has a few extra pieces of weather stripping. This sounds good and the salesperson might tell a great story, but if you compare the air infiltration ratings you’ll see the Mezzo is typically better. This tells you the extra weather stripping on the Alside Sheffield isn’t doing you much good. It provides the salesperson a nice story to tell, but it doesn’t do much else.
The biggest drawback in my mind is that the Alside Sheffield window uses a much thicker frame which reduces the glass area considerably. If you’re looking at samples in person take a look at the thick frame, especially the sill, and decide if that’s what you want in your home.
Alside Sheffield vs Ultramaxx
The Alside Sheffield and the Alside Ultramaxx share the same frame and ALMOST all of the same parts. There are only 2 two differences between these 2 products. One is the type of sill. The Sheffield uses a sloped sill that allows water to run off and the Ultramaxx uses a pocket sill that drains water out through weep holes in the frame. There are advantages and disadvantages to both systems.
The Alside Sheffield and Ultramaxx models are almost exactly the same product.
The second difference between the Sheffield vs the Ultramaxx is the lift rail on the sash. The Sheffield has a lift rail at the very top and at the very bottom. The Ultramaxx adds another in the middle of the window. Having trouble visualizing what I’m saying in this section? Don’t sweat it, these two windows are essentially the exact same product with different names.
To sum up the Alside Sheffield review I’ll say if you’re getting triple pane glass it’s a fine option. If you’re not this window does’t really make sense and you’ll be better off saving a few bucks with the Alside Mezzo.
Alside Ultramaxx Reviews
For our Alside Ultramaxx window review we’ll compare the Ultramaxx to the other Alside window products. The Ultramaxx windows sit near the top of the Alside window line. Very similar products are sold under various brand names including Alside Sheffield and Comfort World 6000 series. When we say they sit near the top of the line that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a better product than anything else, but it does tend to cost more than some other products out there.
When comparing and reviewing Alside windows, the Alside Mezzo window (which we reviewed recently) stacks up pretty well. The Ultramaxx doesn’t compare very well except in a few specific situations. For example, the Alside Ultramaxx window is available with triple pane glass while the Mezzo window was not available with this option when initially launched. The Mezzo model does now offer this option so there’s one less reason to pick the Alside Ultramaxx window.. Obviously this only matter to you if you’re interested in triple pane glass.
Another difference is in the weatherstripping that the Ultramaxx window comes with. This sounds good and the salesperson might tell a great story to go with it, but if you compare the air infiltration ratings you’ll see the Mezzo is typically better. This tells you the extra weather stripping on the Alside Ultramaxx isn’t doing you much good.
One important factor to consider is that the Alside Ultramaxx window uses a substantially thicker frame which reduces the glass area considerably. If you’re looking at samples in person take a look at the thickness of the frame, especially the sill at the bottom. Only you can decide if that’s what you want in your home, but it will reduce the visible glass area and reduce the visible transmittance rating.
Alside Ultramaxx vs Alside Sheffield
The Alside Ultramaxx and the Alside Sheffield share the same frame and ALMOST all of the same parts. There are only 2 two differences between these 2 products. One is the type of sill. The Ultramaxx uses a Pocket sill that allows water to run down through the frame and the Sheffield uses a sloped sill that lets water run down and out. There are advocates for both designs, but at the end of the day they’re pretty similar. Even the Sheffield here doesn’t use a true sloped sill, but perhaps that’s a discussion for another day.
Alside Geneva Windows Reviews
The Alside Geneva window is a bit of a strange bird. It’s a hybrid unit that has welded sashes and a mechanically fastened frame. This is a bit of an unusual design. In fact, we’re not aware of another window still on the market that is built like this.
The pitch for the Alside Geneva window was that the mechanically fastened frame allows it to be more easily installed in old out of square openings while the welded sashes provided the strength needed.
Here’s a glamor shot of the Alside Geneva windows.
In reality it’s just an old design that is on it’s way to the glue factory. The Geneva window, along with the Alside Centurion window are being discontinued and replaced with the Alside Fusion window.
This is a worthwhile change as the Geneva window was long past its prime. These older windows have still been sold recently with a rather large following in Boston for reasons that can’t really be explained. Regardless, the end of the Geneva window won’t disappoint too many people.
Like most things in the window business stc rated windows or sound transmission class windows are often misunderstood or misrepresented by salespeople. We’ve heard all sorts of stories and explanations regarding sound control windows. The truth rarely gets out there, but here we will cut through the fluff to explain how the various options will work for you. We’ll look at what these ratings mean, where you will get the best bang for your buck and common mistakes people make when trying to keep their home quiet.
There are standard stc rated windows that can increase the efficiency of your home with specific options and then there are specially designed stc rated windows that are designed for very high noise applications around airports, railroad tracks, or busy city centers.
We’ll start with typical replacement windows.
It is very common to hear a salesperson tell a customer that triple pane windows are a great way to reduce sound transmission. That seems plausible as 3 panes of glass would likely be better than 2, but in fact it is not the case. Triple pane windows have smaller air chambers than double pane windows and they sometimes use thinner glass as well to reduce the weight. As a result, triple pane windows will sometimes be worse than a typical double pane unit and will almost never be better.
An easy way to get a better stc rated window is to add dissimilar glass. This means one pane of glass is thicker than the other. A common way to accomplish this is to use laminated glass. Laminated glass is like the windshield of your car. It’s actually 2 pieces of glass with a piece of plastic in the middle. In a double pane window like this, one of the panes will be thick because it’s laminated and the other pane will be thinner because it’s not.
This is typically the best way to take a regular residential replacement window and make it a better stc rated window. The rating will increase by up to 20% using this method.
So what do these ratings mean?
It’s always hard for folks to get their head around what does a rating of 27 mean or if another product has a rating of 33 how much better is that? One way to visualize this is to consider that a typical exterior wall with siding on the outside drywall on the inside will have a rating around 34. A wall with brick instead of siding will be a bit better.
Imagine being in a room with no windows, say a closet in your bedroom. If a firetruck pulled up outside with it’s sirens blaring you’d still hear it. Double pane windows are better than single pane windows, and double pane windows with laminated glass will be better than that, but none of these options are sound proof.
Are there better options?
Yes, there are better stc rated windows, but when you go too extreme the windows start to look a little unusual. This isn’t really an issue if you like on the side of the highway or the approach path to O’Hare, but if you’re just trying to block out the noise of those pesky kids next door you might want to weigh your options. The Quiet Line from Milgard. It uses 2 sashes to provide an extra layer of sound insulation.
Notice how this window has 2 bottom sashes. It achieves excellent stc ratings, but the sacrifice is that it is a relatively unusual configuration.
What are the common mistakes people make when trying to keep their home quiet?
The number one mistake we see folks make is to install fancy new triple pane windows in an effort to reduce the sound transmission. As discussed above that is typically a waste of money.
The other common mistake is to think that after installing new windows their home will be completely silent. The fact is that’s just not the case. New stc rated windows can make a substantial improvement in the efficiency of the home, but sound is getting in through your walls, your ceiling and your floor. Depending on how your home is built, there may not be an easy way to completely block out those pesky kids next door after all.
If you’re looking for a window company right now, the best advice we have is to check out our list of the best window companies all over the country. You can find it right here.
Design pressure or dp rating is a measure of the strength of a window. It will tell you how well a product will stand up to high winds. The higher the dp rating the stronger the window. It does not relate to energy efficiency, but dp rating is still an important factor to consider.
What’s a good dp rating?
Typically you’ll see residential replacement windows with ratings from 15 to 50. Higher is better. It makes more sense to focus on dp rating when you’re in a situation where wind is of particular concern. For example we if you live on the water or up high on a hill where you’re exposed to the elements this can be important. In those situations I’d suggest going with at least a dp 30 and a dp 50 might be an even better choice. There’s really no need to go any stronger than that unless you’re in a high rise or a hurricane zone.
How can understanding dp ratings help me?
A common sales ploy is to show folks a cutaway view of a thick window next to a thin window and tell them that the thick windows is “strong” and the thin window is “weak”. This is intuitive which makes it an effective way to sell the thicker windows.
We can tell if a potential customer has seen this maneuver when they ask how many chambers are in a specific window or when they ask to see a cutaway.
As you’re considering these options keep in mind that everything in life has tradeoffs and everything in the window business can be measured so you don’t need to use a gut feeling. The thicker window will have a lower vt rating because that thick frame blocks a substantial amount of light, and the thinner window, if well built, could easily have a higher dp rating meaning it’s actually stronger.
So how do you avoid getting sold on something that you don’t necessarily need?
Just like always, avoid taking someone’s word for it and ask about the dp rating. If it’s higher it’s better. The window doesn’t need to be thick to have a higher rating and a thick window without a higher rating is blocking light for no purpose other than to say it’s “better”.
Remember that the cutaway sample really doesn’t show you anything. It gives you an idea, but the rating tells you for sure. There’s no need to guess when it’s so easy to be sure.
If you’re looking for a window company right now, the best advice we have is to check out our list of the best window companies all over the country. You can find it right here.
