Here we have Great Lakes Comfort Smart windows reviews. We’ll look at the advantages, disadvantages, efficiency, warranty, prices and more. If you’re wondering if these are the best replacement windows for you we’ll find out right here.
What are the advantages of Great Lakes Comfort Smart windows?
Great Lakes remodeled their window like a few years ago. The new products, including the Comfort Smart windows, are defininltey an upgrade.
You’ll find they have basically all of the features that you’ll see in most nicer replacement windows. Things like virgin vinyl, welded corners, low-e glass, etc are all pretty standard and not really remarkable anymore.
The Great Lakes Comfort Smart windows will typically have slightly lower prices than the EcoSmart windows that we recently reviewed and that’s a good feature as well.
Overall I’d say the best advantage of the Great Lakes Comfort Smart windows is the newer design that does make it much more competitive than their older offerings.
However, there are a few disadvantages to be aware of.
What are the disadvantages of Great Lakes Comfort Smart windows?
The disadvantages to this model might be important to you. One disadvantage that is important to me is the loss of glass area. They heavily focused on efficiency when designing these windows and that’s great. One cost of that focus is the thicker frames.
That means you’ll get less glass area in the same size window with this model than you would with some other popular window models.
That can be a bigger deal if you have an older house with smaller windows. If you already have large windows in your house it may be less critical if you loose a little bit of glass area.
Another downside is the higher condensation resistance ratings that typically come with the interior coating of low-e. More on that below.
Finally, while the Great Lakes Comfort Smart windows are backed by Ply Gem, a very large manufacturer, the warranty isn’t as great as you might find with other brands.
How energy efficient are these windows?
Great Lakes offers a pretty wide range of efficiency packages in the Comfort Smart windows and that’s always good. It’s nice to have choices, but you’ll want to understand exactly what you’re getting.
They advertise Energy Guard packages in the brochure with very good ratings. You just want to be aware that those packages are only included if they’re clearly specified in your order. Those packages will also drive up the price.
The question you’ll be faced with is whether or not any improvement in efficiency is worth the increase in cost. Very often you’ll find diminishing returns as you get to the top end of the efficiency spectrum.
Beyond the price there are also other downsides to a more efficient window. For example, windows at the top end of the efficiency range will often use darker glass that can make it seem like you’re always wearing sunglasses. This might be fine if you live in Phoenix, but it might not be ideal if you live in Pittsburgh.
Overall, the efficiency ratings for the Comfort Smart windows can be great, or they can be pretty typical. If you’re considering one of the more efficient packages be aware of the VT rating that will show you how much light gets through, the CR rating that shows you how likely you are to get condensation on the glass and the price which can be substantial.
What are Great Lakes Comfort Smart prices?
Speaking of Great Lakes Comfort Smart Prices, they can defininltey span a pretty wide range. One reason for this is that is the limited dealer network.
Great Lakes tends to only sell their windows through certain dealers in every town. This limits competition and tends to increase prices. That might not be a bad thing because a more profitable dealer can also provide better service. That’s the positive spin. The other side of that argument is that the dealers can easily inflate prices because there is very limited local competition.
If you’ve recently received a quote for Great Lakes windows we ask you to post a comment below to let us know. Transparency is what this industry is lacking and you can help by sharing some info about your experience shopping for these windows.
What colors are available for these windows?
The Great Lakes Comfort Smart windows are available in a range of interior and exterior colors that you can see below.
As you can see they do offer a black exterior which is a common color lately. There is no option for a black interior which is also a common choice these days.
It’s important to note that the warranty on the painted exterior colors is 10 years which is shorter than you might expect. In addition, only some of the exterior colors are heat reflective. That means if you live in a very warm climate the options will be limited.
What’s the bottom line?
Overall, these windows have pretty good features. The efficiency ratings are solid and the warranty is decent. Downsides included the warranty being a little more limited that you’ll see from some companies and the prices being higher than other similar options.
This is probably not a window model I would pick for my house but if your local dealer is great and the prices are reasonable then they may make a fine solution.
Other posts about Great Lakes windows that you might find helpful:
- Great Lakes windows complaints
- Great Lakes windows prices
- Why you should NEVER buy Great Lakes windows
- Great Lakes windows FAQ
- Great Lakes window warranty review
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.
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