Frequently Asked Questions
The Allied Window Center Information

What is the warranty on your windows?
The Manufacturers offer a LIFETIME, NON-PRORATED, TRANSFERABLE warranty on materials with an additional GLASS BREAKAGE warranty that protects you in the event of an accident. Your salesman provides a ONE YEAR FREE SERVICE on our products to ensure that you are fully satisfied with our workmanship.

Why is Allied the best choice for me?
Allied has been in business for fifty years. Unlike home improvement stores, or large franchises, we have had the same three salesmen for over twenty years, and they are available to help service your needs from the start and into the future.

Large chain stores do not have the accountability that we do. Our salesmen are easily available to you, and will provide future support should you need help with warranties.

We have received numerous recommendations from local consumer magazines and also nationally as a specialty remodeler. We want our customers to feel the personal service that Allied has to offer. The large "big box" stores can't compete with Allied's commitment to you.

Allied has a showroom with full size samples so you can clearly see what options are available. We offer clear, up front prices to make your purchasing experience a pleasant one.

What makes Allied's windows better than the "big box" home stores?
The large home stores offer "stock" size windows with limited options. Though the initial cost of custom windows can seem high compared to the home centers, custom windows are easier and faster to install and offer a tighter, more exact fit, maximizing their energy efficiency. A perfect fit will save you money month after month.

We have the ability to offer the latest and most cutting edge technologies in window production. Improvement stores cannot be this flexible.

Choosing custom windows over stock windows allows homeowners to "design" the type of window they want in their home. We can offer new solutions for problem areas, match windows to exterior or interior colors, and offer personal service that cannot be replaced by the tease of low cost stock windows. A high percent of our business is based on repeat customers and their referrals. Allied's reputation is our most valuable asset.

Why doesn't Allied post their prices for windows?
Many factors go into determining the cost of a replacement window which makes it impossible to advertise a price. (Be wary of companies that do.) Depending on the needs of the homeowner, cost can vary. We have different manufacturer's windows available to us, so we can suit any budget and almost any situation since we are not limited to selling just one company's line of windows. Our salesman will come to your home to evaluate YOUR needs, and offer the best solutions.

Some questions to ask yourself when shopping for windows would be -

• Is this your personal residence? Are you planning to stay in your home long term?
• Are you replacing windows because you are selling or renting your home soon?
• Are you looking for standard white windows, or would you like to match the windows to your interior or exterior of your home? (Many options are available now. We are proud to offer a "creamy" white rather than the harsh white that many stockyards carry, along with many other color options.)
• Do you want grids in your windows?
• What size window are you looking for?
• Are you changing the style from an existing double hung to a bay or bow window?
• Are you looking for a quality product or bottom line price?
• Are there new code requirements for certain windows in your home?

We would be happy to talk with you if you have additional questions about any of the windows or doors we carry.

What are our windows made of?
We use a fusion-welded, premium gauge vinyl window with an insulated frame.

What is the Energy Star?
Products that carry the Energy Star label, ensure you that the product meets "specific U-value and shading coefficient ratings for one or more regions of the U.S." which help a homeowner to save money on heating and cooling. Choosing an Energy Star product assures a homeowner that they are purchasing an efficient product.

Are you licensed, bonded and insured?
Yes, we make sure that your home and also our workman are fully protected.

I like the look of wood windows, but do not want the maintenance that comes with them. What can you offer me?
The world of replacement windows has changed. Advances in window technology now allow Allied to offer windows with "sculptured" or woodgrain finishes. These windows give the appearance of wood without the hassle. Starmark windows also have a wood and cellular combination "that blends the ageless style and warmth of real wood with innovative technology." This material achieves "the look and feel of wood with the superior performance of a modern composite" that does not absorb moisture, insulates more efficiently, is impervious to rot, resistant to insects, has a hard dent-resistant surface and a high performance, paintable surface. This window offers simulated divided lites that can compete with the most expensive wood window.

What can I do to prevent leakage from an ice dam?
"Ice Dams form when melted snow refreezes at roof edges. Three things are required for an ice dam to form: snow, heat to melt the snow, and cold to refreeze the melted snow into solid ice. Ice dams develop as snow on the upper part of the roof melts. The upper roof surface is located above the living space . Heat lost from the house warms this section of the roof, melting the snow in this area. Water runs down the roof slope under the blanket of snow and refreezes into a band of ice at the roof's edge creating a 'dam' because these overhangs are not warmed by indoor heat-loss. Additional snow-melt pools against the dam and eventually leaks into the building through the roof or roof trim" sometimes down exterior walls and into cracks around improperly sealed windows.

"Use preventative methods to ensure that your home is not at risk for an ice dam. Develop a strategy that is centered around reducing heat-loss from your home. Ventilate, insulate, and block as many air leaks as possible. Make sure your house is equipped with consistent ceiling insulation in the attic. Use a ventilation system to cool your roof sheathing. Soffit and ridge vents should run continuously around the home. A special effort must be made to block the flow of warm air into the attic. Small holes allow significant amounts of warm air to pass into attic spaces." Using PROFESSIONAL WINDOW INSTALLERS who know how to properly seal a window will add key protection against possible leaks into your home.

"Your home needs to be checked carefully when ice dams form. You should investigate thoroughly even when there are no visible signs of a leak. Make sure that the underside of the roof sheathing and roof trim is not wet. In some cases you can treat a symptom, the payback is that you have prevented expensive damage to your home."

What is condensation? Why do I sometimes see it on my windows?
Condensation is the visible presence of moisture in the air. When water vapor comes into contact with surfaces that are cooler, the vapor condenses into droplets of liquid, visible on your panes of glass. This is a temporary irritancy. In our climate zone, summer weather is very humid and hot, and the moisture builds up in homes. As winter brings drier air, and the inside of the home "dries" out, the condensation will become minimal. Just as a cold soda can sweats when it sits out in a warm room, your windows can sweat the same way when the temperature is changing around it. It's natural to blame the window, but you shouldn't. "Windows do not cause the condensation, they simply prevent the moisture from escaping and provide a highly visible surface on which to notice it." The condensation is an indicator that your windows are performing the way they should.

Experiencing overnight condensation is normal. It forms quickly when outside temperatures drop. With the return of the daylight hours and the increased interior heating, the condensation typically evaporates.

I have noticed that my windows had condensation ON the glass. I thought that I would not have this problem.

Many window manufacturers are now using several techniques to increase the resistance to small amounts of condensation. Typically these windows include "convection-limiting inert gas, Low-E coatings (low emissivity) that increase the temperature of the glass, insulating space savers that reduce heat conduction, and non-conducting sashes and frames."

Sometimes, even with new technologies, condensation can still be seen. With new construction methods focusing on energy efficiency, natural causes of moisture can be amplified in the Spring and Fall. Condensation is becoming more and more of a concern because it is a product caused by progress. With newer technology in home insulation and thermal improvements, today's houses are becoming 'tighter' and more energy efficient; excess humidity is now being trapped inside.

Spring and Fall is generally the time of year that you will suddenly see condensation form on your window. When cool nights are followed by warm days, the moisture in the air comes into contact with a cool surface and collects into beads of moisture on the glass. "Because LOW-E glass is used in modern windows, the reflectivity of long wave energy is increased, reducing the energy conducted through the glass unit. Since this glass has improved performance, the exterior glass temperature will remain cold, thus causing condensation to be visible on the glass. This is not a fault of the insulating glass unit, but actually a testimony to the excellent performance if the glass unit design." As the air outside the house and inside the house becomes dry, their should only be a hint of condensation. Monitoring the amount of humidity in your home is the most effective action you can take to understand and prevent condensation problems.

If a home is experiencing heavy droplets of water that is running off and staining woodwork, wallpaper, paint or plaster, then there is a good reason to be concerned that there is TOO MUCH HUMIDITY inside the home.

Monitoring the amount of humidity in your home is the most effective action you can take to understand and prevent condensation problems. But the basic principle of reducing window condensation is extremely simple. Some of the basic precautions are listed below to reduce the humidity that causes the condensation.

You can eliminate this excess moisture by taking a few steps. Here are a few of the most effective ways to remove excess moisture.

1. "Vent clothes dryers, gas burners, etc. to the outdoors.
2. Check that all ventilation equipment is adjusted properly.
3.Use kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans.
4. Air out the kitchen, bathroom and laundry room during and after use by opening a window for a few minutes.
5. Make sure that attic louvers remain open all year round and that crawl spaces are properly ventilated.
6. Consult a local heating and ventilator contractor to help determine whether ventilation is adequate and whether it can be improved.
7. Insure humidifiers are correctly set according to the outside temperature."

The Condensation seems to be BETWEEN the window panes because I can't wipe it off, what is wrong?
Condensation will accumulate between the window panes if there has been a seal failure. This happens rarely, but your window warranty protects you and it will be replaced.

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