Good screens vs bad screens
Screens this may seem basic, but not all screens are equal. You want to avoid screens that use tabs. These are the things you pull on to take your screen off and put it on. The problem is the tabs will either fall off or ruin the screen mesh. Newer screen designs have within the screen frame a built in bar to avoid what commonly happen with tabs. Avoid Hideaway screens! They will inevitably give you trouble. To replace one screen will cost over $200 more than half of an average window. The other negative is that this type of window takes up more daylight opening space because they need thicker frames.
http://www.doorsnwindows.com/blog/2009/05/good-screens-vs-bad-screens.html
LowE3 this is important. This is something you want to see spelled out on your invoice! This is what makes your window and door products much more energy efficient. Many times companies will do a demonstration with lowE3 and show homeowners a massive difference in how it stops heat, making your home more energy efficient. This is true! But when they sell the job they only sell you lowE2. They will demonstrate the glass as if it is lowE2 but use the better lowE3. This is so that it will appear better than it really is. Just make sure you are getting lowE3! This is a major difference in indoor living comfort which also will save a lot of money for your home annually. If a homeowner adds argon gas filled between glass panels this will be eligible for the federal tax credit for 2009 of $1500. Windows with grids that have the thicker style may not meet specifications.
http://www.doorsnwindows.com/blog/2009/05/lowe3-this-is-important.html
Even sightlines this could potentially drive customers nuts. Many manufactures and companies will never bring this up. It is almost hard to believe windows would be produced like this. You would naturally expect it to be even sightlines. Higher-quality windows all have even sight lines. In other words, the glass panels are equal. Windows that do not have even sightlines are obvious. The active panel glass is a lot smaller on the width, and the height. This is a picture of a window without even sightlines. Many consumers do not even think to ask, because it would seem obvious to them they would be equal, and the company sales Rep will not point this out. You can be stuck with a lopsided window ,so you want to make sure to ask about this.
http://www.doorsnwindows.com/blog/2009/05/even-sightlines-this-could-potentially.html
