Pella Precision Fit-Any Thoughts...???

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dafreak
Posts: 40
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:10 am

Pella Precision Fit-Any Thoughts...???

#1 Post by dafreak »

I talked to a Pella rep and he is recommending the Pella Precision Fits for my house. Upper scale neighborhood, 40 windows or so. I was not impressed with the vinyl product (looks). Is this a good window and are there others I should consider? He thought around $700 per window installed (mostly double hungs).

XSleeper
Posts: 28
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2006 12:09 am

#2 Post by XSleeper »

I like them. Will you be painting or staining them?

But if you are concerned about losing glass, as you mentioned in another post with the vinyl windows, you're still losing glass w/ the precision fit, just not as much. Pella doesn't have the most impressive u-values, I'd say they are middle of the road as far as energy goes, depending on which glass package you choose. If you'd like to stay with a wood window, they are quite nice, but the cost of finishing the windows may be a factor you hadn't considered. I charge $130 a window to stain and finish them (4 coats).

You could also consider the Pella Impervia (fiberglass) line if you are considering replacements. They have a thinner frame than vinyl windows.

Guy
Posts: 552
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 12:41 pm
Location: Minnesota

#3 Post by Guy »

Pellas Precision Fit window only comes in double hung. They don't make it any other way. So if you have sliders or casements your out of luck. We've put a bunch of them in and they work great if you have a house full of DH windows. Depending on where you get your windows you can have them pre-finished on the interior from the factory for a real fair price. Marvin has a great insert window that also looks very nice. Here's the link
http://www.marvin.com/default.aspx?page ... ouble_Hung
Last edited by Guy on Thu Jun 22, 2006 6:18 am, edited 1 time in total.

windowrep
Posts: 181
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Location: ne ohio

#4 Post by windowrep »

impervia ,better numbers than any other window out there except schuco?
i scrolled the nrfc for 2 minutes and found 18 windows with better numbers then the impervia. mid level at best ,u-.33best numbers? cmon guy head back to the coffee maker this morning. thats it drink up and rethink that statement.

Guy
Posts: 552
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 12:41 pm
Location: Minnesota

#5 Post by Guy »

Windowrep my statements were way off base. I was mixing DP ratings with U value. 12-14 hour days have stopped my brain from working. My apologies!
Last edited by Guy on Thu Jun 22, 2006 6:20 am, edited 1 time in total.

RC
Posts: 120
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 5:28 pm

#6 Post by RC »

Actually with Argon and low-e2, the listing is for a u-factor of 0.25 for Pella Impervia (2.5mm glass)


http://impervia.pellaadm.com/PDFFiles/C ... rmance.pdf

InfoSponge
Posts: 75
Joined: Wed May 10, 2006 6:07 am

#7 Post by InfoSponge »

The quoted .25 u-factor is misleading since that is a center of glass u factor, so it can't be compared to other nfrc-certified window u-values, which are required to be rated as as a whole-unit inclusive of the spacer and sash/frame. As windowrep said, the Impervia double-hung rates at a nfrc-certified u=.33 and shgc=.29 in the best configuration, which is respectable but not exceptional for a double-hung in its price range. Pretty much every mid/high end vinyl double-pane can match or beat that u-factor, including some windows from Milgard, Gorell, Simonton, Great Lakes, Schuco, Sunrise, Alside, etc.

Pella Impervia Technical Refrerence: http://impervia.pellaadm.com/PDFFiles/G ... leHung.pdf

That said, the Impervia does have advantages over vinyl such as paintability, thinner frames, etc.

Bill
Posts: 279
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Location: New Jersey

#8 Post by Bill »

Don’t forget to read the fine print on that page they are quoting the center of the glass U-factor and they state it does not represent total unit values.

This type of information is useless and misleading; the total u-factor is what we should be comparing it has become the industry standard.

Bill
Uneeda Window

researcher
Posts: 129
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 11:39 am

#9 Post by researcher »

I have question on total U-Factor...When this test is performed, is it performed on same size window in all cases? What I am getting at is this...If two windows being tested are the same size and identical in every respect except for the with of the frame, the one with the wider frame will always have a better total U-Factor. And the smaller the window is, the bigger the difference the U-Factor will be. Less glass, means better U-Factor.

Isn't this right, or am I overlooking something?

dafreak
Posts: 40
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:10 am

#10 Post by dafreak »

Thats how I understand it. Pretty soon we will have windows with a 2" square window (the rest frame) but hey, the energy rating on it will be phenomenal.

windowrep
Posts: 181
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2004 11:54 am
Location: ne ohio

#11 Post by windowrep »

no not at all. just the opposite actually. that is why center of glass values will always be better performance numbers. that is also why picture windows and casements will tend to have better u ratings. a big part of the difference in u-factors from window to window is wool pile being either double or triple. the meeting rails and how they interlock and what type of bulb or blade that is under the bottom sash. with a pocket sill the design of the weep system will contribute to air infiltration. their is no draft that will come through glass,only transfer of heat/cold. however how the frame is designed and and how all the linear inches are weatherproofed is what causes air infiltration. glass may well be 80-90% of the window but think about how many linear inches you have where materials meet that must be adressed. example: a 36"x54" double hung will have 216 lineal inches of possibles areas of drafts.

InfoSponge
Posts: 75
Joined: Wed May 10, 2006 6:07 am

#12 Post by InfoSponge »

For each window type, there is a standard size for NFRC ratings. For double-hung windows, that size is 47x59 and for horizontal sliders it is 59x47, for example.

The center of glass performance for a window is usually better than the whole unit performance because the center of glass is least affected by heat conduction through the IGU spacer material, since the glass center is distant from the spacer material in all directions. The NFRC u-factor testing standard does not take air infiltration directly into account. In fact, standard allows the addition of extra sealing at material boundaries and weep holes during physical u-factor testing to negate the effects of normal air leakage! This isn't to say that air leakage isn't an important window performance issue, but just that there is a separate NFRC standard describing air infiltration testing and numbers that is a mostly separate issue from the rated u-factor.

Guy
Posts: 552
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Location: Minnesota

#13 Post by Guy »

Holy Cow I didn't mean to piss in anyones Corn Flakes that morning. Thanks for throwing me under the bus Windowrep I was wrong!
Last edited by Guy on Thu Jun 22, 2006 6:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

windowrep
Posts: 181
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Location: ne ohio

#14 Post by windowrep »

Guy, not throwing you under a bus by any means, just gathering information. sharing experiences and giving opinions.

Guy
Posts: 552
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 12:41 pm
Location: Minnesota

#15 Post by Guy »

I'm just yanking your chain windowrep. It's funny to watch things blow up from one comment. I'd do the same thing to you if I questioned something. I've learned long ago that if your going to question others be prepared to be questioned back.

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