New Jersey Window Replacement – Everything You Need to Know

If you are searching for replacement windows for your home in New Jersey, you may be confused by the technical lingo provided and don’t know what is best for your home.

In the below guide, we will share with you ways to evaluate replacement windows objectively without the pressure of a salesperson who claims to have one and only one product that is the best money can buy.

We’ll also cover facts about replacement windows in New Jersey and give you all the information you need to prepare yourself for your replacement purchase. In addition, we’ll provide some insight on the top window replacement companies in New Jersey to assist you with finding a quality contractor to estimate your project.

Why Replace Your Windows?

There are multiple reasons why people replace their windows. In a recent survey conducted by Window and Door Magazine, the top 10 reasons to replace your windows are:

1. Energy efficiency – One of the primary sources of energy loss in a home is inefficient and poorly sealed windows. You can save 15- 20% or more on your utility bills with replacement windows. Older homes with windows that have single-pane glass can realize even higher savings. With the price of energy rising, your savings will continue to compound for as long as you stay home.
2. Easy Cleaning – Windows get dirty often and drastically reduce the amount of visible light in your home. The ability to clean your windows is more important than ever, especially as more stay home for longer periods. Over the years, many new features have been developed to assist in window cleaning. Most double-hung windows feature easy tilt-in sashes which allow cleaning of the exterior glass from the interior of your home. Some casement windows crank out and over to allow cleaning for the inside. Others provide exterior glass coatings that keep windows clean for longer periods of time.
3. Low to Zero Maintenance – Today, many manufacturers offer an exterior window that requires virtually no maintenance. Besides cleaning and inspecting the caulk joints, you should enjoy many years of worry-free windows and trim maintenance. Windows made of vinyl, fiberglass, composite material, aluminum-clad wood, vinyl-clad wood or all aluminum will provide you with varying degrees of low maintenance. Most will eliminate the need to paint regularly, saving on your painting bills.
4. Aesthetics – New windows can give your home a new and modern look. They also can match your original home while delivering energy-saving benefits. Most window replacement companies offer different color choices for the exterior and hardwood interiors. Grid options can also allow you to change the look of your home on the outside totally.
5. Comfort – Another great benefit of new windows is the reduction of cold drafts in the winter and hotspots in the house during the summer. New energy-efficient windows with reflective properties help keep radiant heat inside in the winter and outside in the summer. This helps keep homes, especially those in climates like New Jersey, cool and comfortable all year!
6. Noise reduction – Double and triple pane glass, Low E coatings, Argon, Krypton gas, and modern weather stripping all contribute to a quieter home when your windows are replaced. For those high-traffic areas, laminated glass can dramatically reduce sound transmission through your windows.
7. Safety – Today’s modern windows have easy-to-use features that provide an escape route in case of fire. Ease of operation, easy tilt latches, and the ability to remove sashes can give you peace of mind in a fire. Tempered or safety glass protects high traffic and high-hazard areas where there is a danger of falling through the glass or glass breakage. For ultimate security protection, laminated glass can prevent or reduce the chance of break-ins and eliminate the need for security bars.
8. Durability – High-quality windows are built with the latest advances in technology. You can expect many years of trouble-free performance, low maintenance, and energy savings with quality replacement windows. Many manufacturers are now offering limited lifetime warranties.
9. Re-sale value – New windows enhance the value of your home and are one of many value rating points for appraisers.
10. UV protection – Fading of carpet, furniture, floors, and drapes is commonplace with old windows. With new glass technology, these issues can be drastically reduced without dramatically affecting the amount of visible light transmittance.

Types of Replacement Windows in NJ

There are several different types of replacement window options to consider. When choosing a window type, consider things like energy efficiency ratings, price, maintenance, durability, strength, and color selections.

Wood Windows

Wood windows have been around forever and remain popular for people looking to achieve a traditional aesthetic. Wood windows provide excellent thermal performance overall due to natural insulating qualities.

Some neighborhoods, especially historical ones, often require that replacement windows be made of wood. Proper weather stripping is key when using wood windows to prevent drafts and maximize energy efficiency.

The biggest drawback to wood replacement windows is the cost. There are also a lot of “bad” wood windows out there. Pay attention to the type of lumber and ensure it’s treated after it is cut to maintain aesthetics and performance.

• Energy Efficiency: Very Good
• Price: High
• Maintenance: High
• Durability: Fair
• Strength: Good
• Color Selection: Very Good

Wood Clad Windows

Wood-clad windows are a good option if wood windows are desired, but maintenance is a major concern. Cladding is typically an aluminum or vinyl protective cover that shields the wood exterior from the weather but leaves the natural wood exposed inside.

There are three types of wood-clad windows to consider:

1. Extruded aluminum-clad windows
2. Roll formed aluminum clad windows
3. Vinyl-clad windows

Extruded aluminum is more durable than roll-formed. Vinyl-clad windows are the least durable because the sun’s rays break down vinyl over time. However, vinyl’s low thermal conduction properties may provide a slightly higher energy efficiency rating over aluminum.

• Energy Efficiency: Very Good
• Price: High
• Maintenance: Very Good
• Durability: Good
• Strength: Good
• Color Selection: Good

Vinyl Windows

Once upon a time, vinyl windows were considered a less-than-ideal choice for window replacement. Design enhancements and improvements in vinyl formulation have improved the product’s quality. And now it is a nice alternative to wood.

Vinyl’s low thermal conduction properties make it nearly ideal for use in windows. Overall the thicker the vinyl, the stronger and more energy efficient the vinyl window. Remember: Not all vinyl windows are created equal. The type of vinyl used in the window greatly impacts the product’s performance and lifespan.

• Energy Efficiency: Very Good
• Price: Moderate
• Maintenance: Very Good
• Durability: Good
• Strength: Average
• Color Selection: Average

Cellular PVC Windows

Cellular PVC windows are fairly new to the window replacement market. Cellular PVC is a solid, extruded material that has the working characteristics of wood and is used for interior trim, exterior trim, and paneling, as well as windows and doors, blinds, and furniture.

Cellular PVC has very high tensile strength and resistance to movement caused by thermal expansion and contraction. Cellular PVC is medium white and can be painted with light acrylic paints. Because profiles can be welded like vinyl and milled like wood, they can be produced to look like a wood window. Cellular PVC avoids many potential wood problems, such as rot, split, water absorption, peeling paint, and termites. It can be left unfinished or with a color-matched permanent finish.

• Energy Efficiency: Very Good
• Price: High
• Maintenance: Very Good
• Durability: Good
• Strength: Good
• Color Selection: Good

Aluminum Windows

Aluminum Windows were very popular when energy prices were not a concern. Today aluminum windows are used more in commercial buildings because of their structural strength, which allows very large glass sizes to be used.

Aluminum is a very good conductor of heat (1000 times more than wood and vinyl) and cold. However, they can be designed with a much smaller profile than wood or vinyl. This can minimize heat frame loss and yield a larger glass vision area.

• Energy Efficiency: Average
• Price: Moderate
• Maintenance: Very Good
• Durability: Very Good
• Strength: Very Good
• Color Selection: Good

Fiberglass

Fiberglass Windows are relatively new to the market and can provide a combination of benefits. Fiberglass is structurally strong, expands and contracts very little with temperature changes, and is a good insulator. Fiberglass frames are much stronger than vinyl and, therefore, can be made with a lower profile like aluminum but with better thermal efficiency.

Fiberglass windows are typically priced above vinyl and equal to the cost of high-end wood windows. As more new window products come on the market today, the issue of availability and price will determine which housing market segment will accept or demand fiberglass products.

• Energy Efficiency: Very Good
• Price: High
• Maintenance: Good
• Durability: Good
• Strength: Very Good
• Color Selection: Good

How to Tell if a Window is Energy Efficient

As you can see from this guide, New Jersey has many window options with varying degrees of energy efficiency. Due to the high cost of replacing windows, homeowners are often concerned with the energy efficiency rating of windows.

Check out our guide on how to create a more energy efficient home.

Finding a NJ window replacement company that can provide the best energy-efficient windows is necessary for those looking for a fast return on investment. But nowadays, everyone says they have energy-efficient windows. How do you know how efficient a window is? What are some things that you should look for?

In this section, we’ll cover the primary energy-efficient rating systems for windows in New Jersey.

NFRC

The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) is a non-profit organization that administers the only uniform, independent rating and labeling system for the energy performance of windows, doors, skylights, and attachment products.

Their goal is to provide fair, accurate, and reliable energy performance ratings so that consumers can compare different products and make informed buying decisions. In addition, their ratings are used to determine if products meet local building codes, establish performance requirements, and show new technology’s benefits as it enters the marketplace.

By using the information on the NFRC label, consumers can reliably compare one replacement window with another. The NFRC label lists the manufacturer, describes the product, provides a source for additional information, and includes ratings for a variety of performance metrics, including:

• U-Factor measures how well a product prevents heat from escaping. U-Factor ratings generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20. The insulating value is indicated by the R-value, which is the inverse of the U-value. The lower the U-value, the greater a window’s resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating value.
• Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) measures how well a product blocks heat caused by sunlight. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window’s solar heat gain coefficient, the less solar heat it transmits.
• Visible Transmittance (VT) – measures how much light comes through a product. The visible transmittance is an optical property in that VT is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The higher the VT, the more light is transmitted.
• Air Leakage (AL) is indicated by a rating expressed as the equivalent cubic feet of air passing through a square foot of window area (cfm/sq ft). Heat loss and gain occur by infiltration through cracks in the window assembly. The lower the AL, the less air will pass through cracks in the window assembly.
• Condensation Resistance (CR) measures the ability of a product to resist the formation of condensation on the interior surface of that product. The higher the CR rating, the better the product resists condensation formation.

ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR is a program run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that promotes energy efficiency. The program provides information on the energy consumption of products and devices using different standardized methods.

ENERGY STAR qualified windows:

• Are manufactured by an ENERGY STAR partner,
• Are independently tested and certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC), and
• Have NFRC ratings that meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Though ENERGY STAR does not require specific technologies, certain product features are standard in many certified products. Performance criteria for windows are based on the below climate zones and ratings certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC).

Depending on where you are located in New Jersey, your windows should meet the performance criteria of either Northern or North-Central climate zones.

New Jersey Window Replacement Costs

Replacement window prices vary from company to company, product to product. Some may appear to be ridiculously low; others outrageously high. As a general rule of thumb, window replacement costs about $650 per window for materials and installation.

Here are some general estimates for different types of window replacement projects:

Vinyl pocket replacement

Replace ten existing 3-by-5-foot double-hung windows with insulated vinyl replacement windows: $5000-$8000 average cost depending upon window manufacturer, options, and installation method.

Wood Clad pocket replacement

Replace ten existing 3-by-5-foot double-hung windows with insulated wood-clad replacement windows: $8000 -$12000 average cost depending upon window manufacturer, options, and installation method.

Wood Clad full tear out

Replace ten existing 3-by-5-foot double-hung windows with insulated wood-clad replacement windows (full frame tear out). Install new interior and exterior trim: $ 12000-$18000 average cost depending upon window manufacturer, options, and installation method.

How to Choose a NJ Window Replacement Company

There are many window replacement companies in New Jersey, and it can be overwhelming to choose one. As a general rule of thumb, we recommend getting at least three estimates before deciding.

With window replacement being a longtime investment, getting the right crew is extremely important. Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing your provider.

Lifetime Warranty

A lifetime warranty guarantees that the product you receive from a business won’t fail, and if it does, the service provider will replace and repair their initial work. A lifetime warranty from a window replacement company shows confidence in their work, and the warranty can also be transferred to subsequent owners of your home should you choose to sell it.

Full Transparency

Try to find a business that will discuss every detail of the window replacement process without sugarcoating anything. This shows not only their dedication but also their trustworthiness as service providers.

It’s a good sign if a contractor communicates effectively or is willing to clarify terms you don’t know. Follow-up and professionalism are something to pay attention to during the vetting process.

Reviews and Ratings

Go online and check a provider’s Better Business Bureau rating. These ratings show how well the business interacts with its customers. BBB often tracks how long a company has been operational, its customer transparency, and even its history of complaints and how they were dealt with.

BBB has a comprehensive rating system designed to inform users with a full understanding of how well a window service provider serves their customers. Beyond the BBB, check out your potential window replacement company’s website, Facebook page, Google reviews, and other third-party ratings. The more reviews and higher the ratings, the more you can rest assured that you will get a quality job.