If you’re looking for the differences between the Simonton Impressions Inovo vs 5500 Inovo patio doors you may have some questions. Luckily we have answers.
First, these two Simonton patio doors are the same.
To find out if your Simonton salesman is being honest, ask them for a quote for the other door.
If he already quoted you the impressions door ask for a quote on the 5500 model. If he tells you the two doors are identical then he’s being honest with you and you can probably trust his other answers as well.
However, if the salesman raises or lowers the quote on the other Inovo patio door then you can be confident they’re trying to manipulate you and you can cross them off of your list.
Ultimately Simonton only makes one Inovo patio door and if the salesman tells you anything else he’s trying to trick you.
What should you do if you think I’m wrong about this?
Post a comment below and let me know. You’ll see many folks do that all over this site every day so feel free to join in. It’s always our goal to be accurate so if we’re actually wrong about anything we’ll update it and if you’re wrong we’ll let you know. It’s fun.
How can I find a great window company?
That part is easy. Check this section for recommendations of local window companies (including my company) all over the country. This will be the best place to get started.
If you’re looking for a new patio door you may have come across the 5500 Inovo patio door from Simonton. You’ll also likely find that the salesman will tell you it’s the greatest door since sliced bread. Is this really a door you should spend your hard earned money on? Let’s find out.
First, the door is made by Simonton which is generally a good sign. As one of the larger vinyl window and door manufacturers Simonton will typically be able to offer more stability and support than you’ll get from smaller manufacturers.
What about the features of the 5500 Inovo Patio Door?
These doors will come with several features that are pretty nice and many that are pretty typical.
For example, the screen on this door is “top hung” which means it slides on a track that is on the top of the door frame rather than on the bottom. The advantage there is that you can’t get rocks and dirt into the track which should mean that it opens smoothly and works well for a very long time.
Here you can see the top hung screen on the 5500 Inovo patio door.
You can see the top hung screen in the picture above and that is a nice feature.
Another great feature of this sliding patio door is the shootbolt at the top of the door that adds a little extra security. You can see this feature in the picture below. Many doors will be available with a foot lock at the base of the door, but this model is available with additional locks at both the top and the bottom of the door. I’d say this is a nice option.
Here you can see the additional lock that is available on this model.
In the picture above you can see the shootbolt and that’s about the end of the unique features on this door model.
What are the other features this door offers?
There are a range of other features touted in the brochure like the multi-point locking system, foot lock, elevated monorail track, etc. Those are all pretty standard among most newer doors so they’re not anything to get excited about.
Does Simonton offer blinds in the 5500 Inovo patio door?
Yes. Interior blinds are available as an option on this door. The same downsides exist with the blinds on this door as you’ll find on all other doors. If you’re considering this option be aware that the warranty on the blinds is more limited than you might expect and repairs can be EXPENSIVE.
Here you can see the blinds available in the Simonton patio doors.
In our company we find that many more people ask about blinds in a door than actually order them. This is a feature that can sound great, but doesn’t always work as well as you’d hope.
How energy efficient are the 5500 Inovo patio doors?
In terms of efficiency these doors will be about as good as anything else. They’re available with the popular ProSolar glass packages from Simonton. These packages are perfectly good, but not unique and not really any better than what you’d see from any other manufacturer.
They offer argon or krypton gas fills, different types of low-e coatings, super spacer or stainless intercept spacers, etc. These are perfectly great options, just be aware that you can get these features from just about any manufacturer so they’re not unique to Simonton.
What’s the bottom line?
The Simonton 5500 Inovo patio door is a perfectly nice option. It offers the backing of a larger manufacturer and some good quality features. As with any window or door project it’s important to find a good dealer or installation company before falling in love with a product.
If you do have a great installer lined up and this door is on your list I’d say it’s probably something that you’d be happy with.
If you’re still looking for a great installer or if you’d like recommendations for local window companies you can check this section to find the best options in any city.
Our Simonton Madeira windows reviews are here to help you determine if these are the best windows for your home. The short answer, maybe not.
The Madeira windows are decent enough. Sometimes people think I’m too harsh when talking about Simonton windows, but I continue to think they are at best solidly mid-range.
As we get started, I’ll point out something a little silly. The pictures in the brochures for the west coast Simonton window models like the Verona are just a little silly. If you had a very fancy marketing budget to pick pictures that will be used for a very long time is this the picture you’d pick?
Here you can see the strange pictures they use in the brochure.
I mean, that’s a fine looking house, but it can’t possibly be the best possible option.
What are the features of the Simonton Madeira windows reviews?
The features of this model are pretty basic which is a common thread among all of the Simonton windows. There’s nothing too fancy but the important things are there.
Here you can see the basic features of the Simonton Madeira windows.
The features listed above are pretty typical among all vinyl windows. The equal site lines are nice. I was just pointing out the uneven glass sizes in the Simonton Verona window and they’ve fixed that in the nicer Madeira windows.
The “Air Look” feature is a funny one to point out because almost every vinyl double hung window has the same night latches that allow the window to open a little bit while remaining locked.
Are Simonton Madeira windows energy efficient?
Sort of. They talk a lot about the efficiency but the actual efficiency ratings are rather unremarkable.
Here you can see a silly graphic from the Madeira brochure.
You can see they compare the 0.30 U-Factor to Brand “X” with a 0.35 U-Factor. Somehow they forgot to mention that basically every vinyl double hung window will have a U-Factor of 0.30 or lower. Lower is better when it comes to U-Factors so this graphic is basically saying that the efficiency here is very average.
To be fair, when you pick some of the ProSolar packages the efficiency ratings can get better. They have options as low as 0.23 which is actually pretty good. If they would have used 0.23 in the graphic above it would look a lot better. Another failure of the brochure design team if you ask me.
Simonton does offer an upgrade to Super Spacer which is a nice efficiency feature. The change in spacers doesn’t make a huge difference in overall efficiency but it does improve the condensation resistance rating and has some other advantages as well.
What about the Simonton Madeira window warranty?
The warranty is pretty decent on this window. Here’s a chart that illustrates the highlights.
Here you can see the basics of the west coast warranty from Simonton.
As you can see the Simonton DaylightMax and Madeira windows have the same warranty. The residential warranty, meaning it’s a house you’re living in, is good for as long as you own the house and it’s transferable when you sell the house.
You get glass breakage coverage standard and basically all components of the windows are covered. In addition the warranty is backed by one of the larger window manufacturers in the country. In my opinion the warranty is a great selling point for this window.
What’s the bottom line?
The Simonton Madeira window is pretty basic but overall a decent window option. There aren’t any particularly interesting features but the windows look nice and the warranty is pretty strong.
It’s certainly not a top of the line window, but it could be a perfectly good choice if you’re looking for basic options.
When shopping for windows I do always suggest finding a great installation company before you fall in love with any particular window model. There are plenty of great window options out there but not as many local companies that are great to work with.
To know which companies to avoid you can find common window sales tactics here. That’s become one of the most popular sections on the site.
In addition, for more great window company info you can find our suggestions for the best local companies right here.
There’s no need to work with a company that gives you the run-around or makes the process difficult. There are plenty of fish in the sea as they say. In conclusion, the best way to get started is to check out our list of great window companies here.
Here we have Simonton Verona windows reviews so you can see if these are the best windows for your home. First, the Verona is a west coast model so if you’re not in the west you’ll want to look at different Simonton window models.
Assuming you are in the west then the Verona is a model you may be considering. It’s typically not an option we’d recommend and below you’ll see why.
Here you can see the strange dimensions of the Simonton Verona window frame.
For starters, the Simonton Verona window frame is a weird shape. Look at how much narrower the glass is in the bottom sash than the top. It’s not completely unusual for a window manufacturer to use smaller glass in the bottom sash but the difference in sizes here is pretty extreme.
What are the features of the Simonton Verona windows reviews?
Well, there really isn’t much to talk about in terms of features. This is just a basic cheap vinyl window with basic cheap features.
Here you can see the very basic features included with this model.
It seems they can’t even find much to brag about in the brochure for these windows. If the marketing department can’t find anything great to talk about you know there’s really nothing special to see here. The features listed above are features you’ll find in just about every vinyl window in the world. There’s nothing interesting at all to talk about with this window.
When they talk about the great value in any window marketing info you can be sure you’re looking at a cheap product.
What is the warranty on the Simonton Verona windows?
The warranty for these windows is relatively decent considering their low end nature. You get a lifetime warranty that covers the frames, hardware and glass.
The warranty does not cover glass breakage and if you transfer the warranty it is only good within 10 years of the original installation. The screens also only come with a 1 year warranty so that’s a little short.
Considering Simonton is a large nationwide manufacturer the warranty should hold up for a very long time and I’d say that overall the warranty is decent.
What’s the bottom line?
If you were my buddy asking me if you should get these windows I’d say no. There are many other nicer options out there. This one is a pretty basic window that should also come with a pretty basic price.
If you’re looking for windows for a rental house this might be a decent choice, but I wouldn’t put these windows into a house where you’ll be living.
When shopping for windows I do always suggest finding a great installation company before you fall in love with any particular window model. There are plenty of great window options out there but not as many local companies that are great to work with.
To know which companies to avoid you can find common window sales tactics here. That’s become one of the most popular sections on the site.
In addition, for more great window company info you can find our suggestions for the best local companies right here.
There’s no need to work with a company that gives you the run-around or makes the process difficult. There are plenty of fish in the sea as they say. In conclusion, the best way to get started is to check out our list of great window companies here.
The Simonton DaylightMax windows reviews are here to help you decide if these are the best windows for your home. Most window salespeople can make the process of picking new windows very difficult. We’re here to make this process just as easy as we can.
What’s the most important aspect of the Simonton DaylightMax windows reviews?
They have slim frames to maximize glass area. They do this because this can be a big deal to some folks and this model is designed for those customers.
Here you can see the DaylightMax model compared to another vinyl window.
In the picture above you can see what we’re talking about. The two windows shown are the same size but the glass is much larger in the window on the right. That said, these comparisons are often a little deceptive as the companies will always use a very thick window to be the window on the left. It’s not necessarily a competing slim design window on the left side.
Notice how they don’t even tell you what window model that other one is. They could do that if they wanted, facts are facts, but they don’t and that makes comparing the options harder.
If you’re concerned about glass area you can ask any company for the glass dimensions so you have something to compare. Another quick trick is to ask them for the VT rating for the window model with clear glass. In my experience, that’ll be a fast way to determine how much light is blocked by the window frame. The higher the VT rating the better.
Are there other upsides to the Simonton DaylightMax windows reviews?
Not really. Other than the slim frame it’s a pretty basic window model. The big mistake that Simonton makes is only using slim frame designs in their cheaper windows.
Interestingly there are several strange mistakes in their brochure for this window model. For example, see the pictures below.
Here you can see the before picture that Simonton uses to show older aluminum windows.
Here’s the after picture with the DaylightMax windows installed.
The strategy here is pretty strange. They show the windows in the same house but the angle is different so it’s hard to compare. Interestingly, they also use a stucco flange which makes the frames of the DaylightMax windows look thick. If they had used a block frame window it would have looked much smaller. That’s the opposite of what they were trying to show. Why would they do that? Who knows.
Check out this fantastic caulk job. This is in the Simonton brochure?
Then they made another strange strategy decision by including windows with very sloppy caulking in the brochure. I can’t imagine they couldn’t get an installer who could do this better.
Moreover, even if they couldn’t get the caulking fixed they could have fixed it in Photoshop in about 30 seconds.
Of course the weird brochure pictures don’t really have anything to do with the quality of the products, but it’s strange to me that a big company with a decent marketing budget wouldn’t make the brochures a little nicer.
What’s the bottom line?
In my humble opinion Simonton has their product line all screwed up. They take a nice feature that customers want, like slim frames, and they put it in their cheaper windows.
That means in order to get the slim frames and maximum glass area a customer has to accept other compromises and that doesn’t seem like a great strategy.
In the old days companies would use the thicker framed windows as their “high end” windows and Simonton seems stuck in that mold. That said, I wouldn’t recommend this window model because I think there are other better options out there.
When shopping for windows I do always suggest finding a great installation company before you fall in love with any particular window model. There are plenty of great window options out there but not as many local companies that are great to work with.
To know which companies to avoid you can find common window sales tactics here. That’s become one of the most popular sections on the site.
In addition, for more great window company info you can find our suggestions for the best local companies right here.
There’s no need to work with a company that gives you the run-around or makes the process difficult. There are plenty of fish in the sea as they say. In conclusion, the best way to get started is to check out our list of great window companies here.
Here you’ll find Simonton StormBreaker Plus reviews and information. The StormBreaker Plus model is an impact window meaning it’s designed to protect your home during a hurricane.
Impact windows can get damaged or destroyed during a hurricane, but they’re designed to keep projectiles, like a flying palm tree, from entering your home.
Here you can see the basic frame of the Simonton StormBreaker Plus double hung window.
Like all impact windows this model will come with some downsides. For example, in the picture above you can see the big bulky tilt latches and the thicker frame.
These are design elements that will be common to basically all impact windows. They need to stand up to some strong forces so the windows need to be stronger than regular vinyl windows.
That means the thicker frames will block more light than a regular double hung window. In addition, the bulky tilt latches are a little ugly but not uncommon.
What are the advantages to the Simonton StormBreaker Plus reviews?
There are a few decent features that you’ll find in this model. First, the fact that these windows are made by a large national company is a great feature. Other impact windows, like PGT for example, are backed by much smaller companies and are therefore a risker bet.
Next, the StormBreaker model will offer a handful of efficiency packages which can include some nice options like Super Spacer in between the panes of glass.
Third, another benefit is that the laminated glass used in these windows will reduce sound transmission in addition to providing impact resistance. That means these windows will likely make your house quieter and that’s a nice feature.
Here you can see the frame and structure of the Simonton StormBreaker Plus windows.
In the graphic above you’ll see some common features that are included in this window. Things like a 1″ glass unit, laminated glass or reinforced sashes will be pretty common among most impact windows.
What are some downsides to the Simonton StormBreaker Plus windows?
The downsides to this window model will be similar to what you’ll see with most Simonton windows.
That means this model will use the cheaper constant force balances vs the nicer block and tackle balances that are used in higher end windows.
You’ll also see higher air infiltration rates with this model than other higher end vinyl windows.
In addition, the thicker frames I mentioned earlier will allow for less glass than you could get in a non-impact window from a different manufacturer.
What’s the bottom line?
While I’m not a huge Simonton windows fan in general I do think the StormBreaker Plus model can represent a decent value. That is because the options for vinyl impact rated windows is relatively limited and the option from Simonton can compare reasonably well.
If you need to have impact windows this one might be worth looking at.
What should you do if you think I’m wrong about something?
Post a comment below and let us know. It’s always our goal to post accurate info along with our opinions and I’m interested in your opinion as well.
Other posts about Simonton windows that you might find helpful:
When shopping for windows I do always suggest finding a great installation company before you fall in love with any particular window model. There are plenty of great window options out there but not as many local companies that are great to work with.
To know which companies to avoid you can find common window sales tactics here. That’s become one of the most popular sections on the site.
In addition, for more great window company info you can find our suggestions for the best local companies right here.
There’s no need to work with a company that gives you the run-around or makes the process difficult. There are plenty of fish in the sea as they say. The best way to get started is to check out our list of great window companies here.
Here you’ll find our Simonton Impressions 9800 windows reviews. If you’ve heard a sales pitch for this window model you have have some questions and we’re happy to help provide answers.
The salesman might have told you this is the best Simonton window and that’s sort of true. The trick is that Simonton is owned by Ply Gem and they also own several other brands including Great Lakes. Great Lakes tries to be the fancy brand so Ply Gem can’t make a Simonton window that is nicer than the Great Lakes models.
The result of this is that the nicer Simonton models, like the 9800 series, are ok, but not really as high end as the sales pitch may imply.
Here is the basic structure of the Simonton Impressions 9800 windows.
Let’s look at the main features of the Simonton Impressions 9800 windows:
First, they talk about making these windows look like wood windows. While there may be some value in this it’s generally not something I would put too much value in. The Simonton Impressions 9800 series windows are vinyl windows with some frilly details.
The downside to these details is that they make the frame thicker which means you get less light into the house. This is one aspect of replacement windows that people don’t often understand until it’s too late.
Next is the energy efficiency. Simonton will talk about the ProSolar glass packages and they’re perfectly decent. They offer argon or krypton gas, different types of low-e glass, even super spacer which can be a nice upgrade.
Here you can see some of the marketing around the ProSolar glass packages.
These are all options that are offered by basically every window manufacturer so they’re nice, but not at all unique.
What colors are available for the Simonton Impressions 9800 windows?
Beyond the usual white and beige colors that almost every company offers Simonton does offer a wider range of choices for the 9800 series windows.
Here you can see the three interior color options for Simonton 9800 Series windows.
The interior color options are pretty limited. White, beige and three woodgrain options are all you get.
Here are the exterior color options for the Simonton Impressions 9800 Windows.
The exterior color options are a little more interesting, but they still don’t offer a black exterior which is a very popular choice these days. The decision not to offer black seems a little strange to me.
What are the downsides to the Simonton Impressions 9800 windows?
The main drawbacks to this model are pretty simple. First, the frames are thicker which means they block more light.
Next, the air infiltration rates are higher than you’ll see on other models. That means the windows will let in more air when closed and locked. This is more and more important to customers and it’s strange to me that they haven’t fixed this issue.
Finally, they’ll use the cheaper constant force hardware vs the nicer block and tackle mechanisms that you’ll see on higher end windows.
What’s the bottom line?
At the end of the day this is an older model that is still trying to be fancy. It does have some decent features but I don’t think it represents a very good value. I think you can find a better bang for your buck with other replacement window options.
What should you do if you think I’m wrong about something?
Post a comment below and let us know. It’s always our goal to post accurate info along with our opinions and I’m interested in your opinion as well.
Other posts about Simonton windows that you might find helpful:
When shopping for windows I do always suggest finding a great installation company before you fall in love with any particular window model. There are plenty of great window options out there but not as many local companies that are great to work with.
To know which companies to avoid you can find common window sales tactics here. That’s become one of the most popular sections on the site.
Remember, for more great window company info you can find our suggestions for the best local companies right here.
There’s no need to work with a company that gives you the run-around or makes the process difficult. There are plenty of fish in the sea as they say. The best way to get started is to check out our list of great window companies here.
As we get started with the Simonton Asure windows reviews you’ll see that these replacement windows aren’t the best option for most people. The main reason is that they are cheap. In order to accomplish that they needed to cut corners and the result is a low end window.
The Simonton Asure model is the lower end replacement window model. It uses a range of cheaper parts to keep the prices down and you’ll commonly see it sold or promoted by small time contractors. This is because these windows are commonly sold through roofing suppliers. That means they’re easy for the small contractors to order.
These contractors don’t really care about your long term happiness. At the end of the day they want to sell the project and they think they can sell it by being cheaper than the other guy.
That doesn’t make the windows good and the wide distribution network doesn’t mean they’re the best replacement windows for your house.
Here you can see the extent of the color options available for the Asure windows.
What corners did they cut with Simonton Asure windows?
There are several ways that Simonton was able to lower the cost for these windows. For example, they’ll use thinner single strength glass vs the nicer double strength glass used in most nicer replacement windows. This means the glass is easier to break which can be a hassle down the road.
In addition, Simonton also uses cheaper roll formed screen frames vs the nicer extruded aluminum screen frames that are common in nicer windows. This means the screens are flimsier and much more likely to get damaged.
Finally, Simonton will use constant force balance mechanisms. These aren’t as durable as the nicer block and tackle balance mechanisms that are used in nicer windows. This means they’re not as durable and likely won’t last as long.
What are the selling points of the Simonton Asure windows reviews?
There are only a few. First, the salesman might tell you that the Simonton Asure windows will have slim frames to allow more light into the house. It is true that other Simonton models will use thicker frames. However, what they won’t tell you is that you can get similar slim frames from other manufacturers in much nicer windows.
Here you can see the slim frame and the dual locks on the Simonton Asure windows.
As you can see in the picture above, these windows will have dual locks but look at how far to the edge the locks are. To me it’s a strange configuration.
After that, the only other real sales pitch that I’m aware of is the price. That is because these windows are typically pretty cheap. This isn’t necessary a benefit in the long run. The windows will be in the house for decades.
If you get cheap windows now you may have problems for many years. The frustration from those problems might not be worth the cost savings.
What about the Simonton Asure window warranty?
It’s not the greatest either. There is no glass breakage coverage (likely due to the thin glass), there’s no labor coverage and the commercial warranty for a rental property is only 10 years.
Here you can see the basics of the Simonton Asure window warranty.
What’s the bottom line?
In conclusion, I would not suggest this window to anyone. It might work for a rental house or a flip house but this is not a window you should buy if you’re planning on living in the house. It’s just cheap and there are much nicer alternatives.
If there’s some reason that you’re set on Simonton you should defininltey look at another option like the Simonton Reflections series.
What should you do if you think I’m wrong about something?
Post a comment below and let us know. It’s always our goal to post accurate info along with our opinions and I’m interested in your opinion as well.
Other posts about Simonton windows that you might find interesting:
When shopping for windows I do always suggest finding a great installation company before you fall in love with any particular window model. There are plenty of great window options out there but not as many local companies that are great to work with.
To know which companies to avoid you can find common window sales tactics here. That’s become one of the most popular sections on the site.
Remember, for more great window company info you can find our suggestions for the best local companies right here.
There’s no need to work with a company that gives you the run-around or makes the process difficult. There are plenty of fish in the sea as they say. The best way to get started is to check out our list of great window companies here.
If you’ve recently heard a sales pitch for Alside windows you’ve probably heard all about ClimaTech glass. What is ClimaTech, is it good, are there different packages available?
it’s not the easiest topic, but I’ll try to break it down without getting too complicated.
What is Alside ClimaTech glass?
ClimaTech is the catchy name that Alside uses for their energy efficient glass packages. There are MANY available packages so don’t think that they’re all the same. There’s ClimaTech PriME, ThermD, Elite, TG2, SC, TK2 and many more.
The best way to understand the ClimaTech glass options
When trying to make sense of the efficiency options it’s helpful to remember that there are basically only 4 ingredients in an insulated glass package.
Here you can see the basic components of a glass package. The Low-e glass, the Spacer, and the Gas fill.
First, the type of coating on the glass
There are 3 types of low-e glass available. Low-e is a coating that is applied to the glass to block the sun. There’s SolarBan 60, SolarBan 70 and one they call S3 which stands for surface three. Now there’s another called S4 which is on the inside of the house. They can also combine the SolarBan 60 and 70 packages into one glass unit just to make it a little trickier.
The labeling looks like this:
SolarBan 60 = ClimaTech
SolarBan 70 = ClimaTech Elite
S3 = ClimaTech S3
S4 = ClimaTech S4
SolarBan 60 on 2 surfaces of glass = ClimaTech 2
Second, the spacer between the panes of glass
The spacer separates the two or three panes of glass. There are three spacer options, Intercept, Stainless Steel and a foam type called Super Spacer.
The labeling looks like this:
Intercept = ClimaTech
Stainless Steel = ClimaTech ThermD
Super Spacer = ClimaTech Plus
Next, the type of gas in-between the panes of glass
Gas in-between the panes of glass is heaver than air and increases efficiency. There are two types of gas available Argon and Krypton.
The labeling looks like this:
Argon = All packages unless otherwise noted
Krypton = K
The K stands for Krypton. Any package without a K is using argon gas.
Finally, the number of panes of glass
In most replacement windows you can order double pane or triple pane glass.
The labeling looks like this:
Double pane = all packages unless otherwise noted
Triple pane = TG2 or TK2
Any package with a T is triple pane. The T stands for triple.
That’s it. If you’re still with me you’re probably going to understand the options. Every available package will be a combination of the components listed above.
Here are a few examples of the combinations to help you prepare for the quiz:
Based on the info above you can identify any package.
ClimaTech ThermD TG2 = SolarBan 60 glass on two surfaces (2), stainless steel spacer (ThermD), argon gas, triple pane (T).
ClimaTech Plus = SolarBan 60 glass, super spacer (plus), argon gas, double pane
ClimaTech ThermD TK2 = SolarBan 60 glass on two surfaces (2), Stainless spacer (ThermD), Triple pane (T), krypton gas (K).
Are you seeing the pattern?
If you know the labels they use for the different ingredients then you can tell what is included in every package just by the name.
If you’ve heard about an Alside glass package that doesn’t make sense from you it’s aways possible the salesman was confused. Those guys sometimes seem to be doing their best to make the process harder. Feel free to post a question and we can help to make sense of anything.
You’ll probably also want to know what packages make sense for you. We’ll work on that content, for now just post a comment below with your situation and we’ll be happy to help out.
Other posts relating to Alside windows that you might find interesting:
If you’re looking for Alside 5100 sliding door reviews you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to look at this door to see if it’s worth the cost. This is one of the cheapest doors that Alside makes so it might not be the best value around. Let’s find out.
For starters we should make clear that the 5100 door is not the best option. If you’re looking for a nicer Alside sliding door you’ll want to look at the Promenade model or the 6100 model. Those will both be better choices.
What makes the Alside 5100 sliding door cheaper?
There are a few factors that contribute to the low price. First the frame on the 5100 model door is pretty flimsy. It’s thinner and not nearly as strong.
Here you can see the frame of the Alside 5100 series patio door.
Here you can see the frame of the Alside Promenade door.
In the pictures above you can see the difference in the much weaker 5100 series door frame on top vs the much nicer door frame on the bottom.
The glass dimensions between the two models are about the same, but the structure is significantly different.
The frame of the 5100 door also comes assembled which makes it a hassle to transport. Other popular models will come with a knocked down frame so they can be easily and safely transported from the warehouse to the job site.
Are the efficiency options of the Alside 5100 sliding door any good?
Not really. Since this is a bottom of the line product they only offer bottom of the line options. The glass options are very limited.
In addition, the color options, hardware options and style options are all very limited as well. There’s no option for interior blinds either.
What’s the bottom line?
I would not suggest buying this door. It’s a super cheap door. If you’ve ever lived with an old or broken patio door you know it’s a really hassle. When you’re buying a new sliding door you want to get something decent.
When you’re trying to slide the door open with your hip while you have a drink in one hand and plate of burgers in the other you’ll be glad you have a better sliding door.
Other posts about Alside windows and doors that you might find interesting:
When shopping for windows I do always suggest finding a great installation company before you fall in love with any particular window model. There are plenty of great window options out there but not as many local companies that are great to work with.
To know which companies to avoid you can find common window sales tactics here. That’s become one of the most popular sections on the site.
Remember, for more great window company info you can find our suggestions for the best local companies right here.
There’s no need to work with a company that gives you the run-around or makes the process difficult. There are plenty of fish in the sea as they say. The best way to get started is to check out our list of great window companies here.
