Casement recomondations: Integrity, Impervia, Fibrex, or?

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keilux
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Joined: Sun May 28, 2017 9:39 am

Casement recomondations: Integrity, Impervia, Fibrex, or?

#1 Post by keilux »

I would like to get some feedback and comments on a few windows I am considering. I live PA and have currently have 30 year old aluminum clad wood casement windows and going to replace them with casements. I am uncertain of the manufacturer, the wood is deteriorating and cladding is faded, some of the hardware is rusted and Windows difficult to open/close. There are a total of 12 Windows (4in brick veneer and 8 in t1-11)but right now looking to replace only a max of the 8 in t1-11 as I am looking to replace the siding as well.

I am looking for the best all around window in terms of price, performance (air tight), low maintenance and longevity (no rot/warp), two tone finish (a bronzish color on the outside and white inside for ease of cleaning), and warranty.

The current ones on my list are Marvin Integrity all ultrex, Pella impervia, and Anderson Fibrex. They are all priced similarly. I am leaning towards the integrity as they look the best and people seem to recommend them, the Pella has a lifetime warranty and stainless hardware, the Fibrex I like cause it has a thick extruded color coating and not painted like the others. My only concern with fiberglass is the painted finish, as it would need repainted at some point to protect the fiberglass. Do fiberglass Windows need or recommend waxing to prolong the paint life?

I have looked into Vinyl Windows because I have heard they suppose to give the best performance/air tight, I am not sure if those numbers translate to casements as I usually see people refer to single/double hung Windows. Personally I do not like the look of the vinyl windows as they look cheap and have a large frame, I had a rep come out with some Okna windows. I also worry about expansion and contraction cause in PA we can get large temperature swings, and the west face of my house gets sun from 11am on. The only thing I like about vinyl is they are slightly cheaper and they have insulated frames, nots sure how much that helps over the others, but to my know leg if I want a two tone color the exterior will still be a painted finish.

I would appreciate any and all feed back, or other Windows to take a look at, thank you.

masterext
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Re: Casement recomondations: Integrity, Impervia, Fibrex, or?

#2 Post by masterext »

The " expansion and contraction " assertion is perpetuated by non vinyl window salesman and its utter nonsense. Low end vinyl windows that are usually sold at home improvement stores can certainly cause issues with warping but not higher end vinyl. High end vinyl will render the best performance.
The pella impervia is a garbage window in my opinion as well as many others, and on so many levels.

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HomeSealed
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Location: Milwaukee, Madison, SE Wisconsin

Re: Casement recomondations: Integrity, Impervia, Fibrex, or?

#3 Post by HomeSealed »

masterext is correct on the expansion/contraction issue. Total non-issue invented by guys that sell a non-vinyl products exclusively.
Every material has great products and terrible products, and everything in between. For a white interior, vinyl can be hard to beat regardless of dh or ca, as it will still offer the best performance, warranty, and generally most cost effective option. The only reason not to go vinyl would be the aesthetics as you mentioned, however I don't know that I've ever found anyone that thought the all ultrex integrity was more attractive than say a Sunrise or Okna model. The wood -ultrex is very compelling for a nice wood interior, but the all ultrex does not enjoy the same love from most pros...
The Impervia is not very good imo, and the Fibrex is so-so. Not too bad, not great, can be fine if the price is right. Just be aware that the existence of fibrex is as a sales gimmick to justify a higher price. If there was anything truly compelling about mixing saw dust into vinyl, you'd see that offered by many manufacturers... but its not.
On the exterior paint coatings, these are pretty darn durable regardless of material these days. Vinyl, fiberglass, aluminum. They all typically have a minimum 10 year warranty, and very low rates of failure. I would not have that item anywhere near the top of my list as I considered multiple products and materials.

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TheWindowNerd
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Re: Casement recomondations: Integrity, Impervia, Fibrex, or?

#4 Post by TheWindowNerd »

In this case I would lean towards the Integrity by Marvin Wood Ultrex. Very nice unit.
I install all the mentioned products.
Are you doing insert install or full frame?

theWindowNerd.

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