Lowe's Pella Thermastar

[depper]

I recently got an estimate from Lowe's for a replacement of 13 windows in my home for about $4000 using Pella Thermastar windows in socal. Our current windows are about 56 years old and we're moving in to our first home and would like to make sure that it's safe n secure.

I've read many reviews on the Pella Thermastar windows some good, most bad it seems... something about air leaks and what not.

Is that something that I should be worried about in socal where the weather is 70-80 degrees all year long?

And what other problems do these windows have? Or what would be a slightly better and still inexpensive route to go?

Thanks!

[TheWindowNerd]

good quality and cheap do not normally seem to go hand in hand.
Look for a mid grade Simonton.

[alex11]

from my research i have found as well as read from the pro's here that Pella vinyl windows are cheaply made and are NOT good quality. the vinyl itself is cheap as well. just not a good window. Anderson's vinyl is just as bad and perhaps worse.

[uto]

Pella has several plants making the thermastar window. If your windows are coming from their Portland plant you can expect a decent window at a moderate price. Lowes current $99 installation fee makes independent dealer/installers choose other brands to promote.

[Window4U (IL)]

I inspected Thermastar at Lowes here in Illinois when they came out. I was shocked at the poor quality and I can't think of any brand that I think less of.

[Randy]

I inspected Thermastar at Lowes here in Illinois when they came out. I was shocked at the poor quality and I can't think of any brand that I think less of.

I agree, and it has nothing to do with which plant they come out of, it is a poor design, combined with cheap components.

[Guy]

I install them a couple times each week for Lowes. Honestly speaking, they're not the best window on the market or the worst. I've seen many others worse than these. Their quality issues seem to fade in and out. Sometimes we get windows that are done much better than other times. We spend more time putting these windows in than others because of these issues. But I never have had any complaints of leakage of water or air with any of their windows. I wouldn't use them on my house.

[Delaware Mike]

An installer friend of mine installs for several local Lowes stores in NJ. He doesn't care much for the Thermastars. When he stumbles upon side work he will go and get almost anything else. Seems like all of the samples that I've seen in the local Lowes have really bad welds. If I worked for Lowes I would grab a razor knife and a Dremel and go to town on some of the welds.

[TheWindowNerd]

UTO,
Is the portland plant the original vinyl window company(Viking) that Pella bought?

[edwulf]

I'm familiar with the Thermastar windows. You can do better for the same or less money but you can also do worse. If you wish to buy from Lowe's (I like them much better than Home Depot, but that's just me ) then the best inexpensive window that I think they'll easily be able to come up with will be the Reliabilt 3300 series made by Atrium. Make sure you take advantage of some sort of promotion, they run them way too often for you to pay full price. The most difficult thing about getting windows or doors from Lowe's and Home Depot is poorly trained staff so make sure you do your research and don't be afraid to ask questions.