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Vytex Heritage Series Window Review
by Michael Kaplan
I first had the Vytex Heritage series window
installed in my home about 2 years ago. At the time I was replacing old,
broken-sealed builder grade windows from 1985. They were single pane and
were doing little to keep out the heat in the summer or cold in the winter.
Since this was the first time I had ever purchased replacement windows,
I found out there was alot that I didn't know about windows. I learned
all I could from the dealers who showed me their windows, from reading
literature and asking questions.
I considered several brands of windows before finally deciding on the
Vytex replacement window. Several things went into my decision. The bang
for the buck factor was certainly at the top: the Heritage series window
had terrific features at a competitive price. The double-strength glass,
LowE Coatings on two of the glass surfaces, tilt-in windows and constant
force balance were at the top of my list. I also liked the science behind
the Duraseal spacer that they used to keep the two layers of glass in
each sash separated. I will do my best to discuss why these things were
important.
First and foremost, the overall qualities of
the glass package were just what I was looking for. After doing my homework,
I knew that I wanted a window with an 'R' value of at least a 4. The 'R'
value represents how well a window resists heat transfer. The higher the
R value the less heat that can flow through the window (and into or out
of your home!). Most of the windows I looked at had an R Value in the
2 to 3.4 range. Without getting into triple pane glass and more expensive
gas fills, the Vytex Heritage was the best I could find in the
price range.
The fact that the window had a high quality
low emissivity 'LowE' coating on both surfaces of glass inside each sash
is part of what made the difference. Vytex uses a lowE coating from Guardian
called 'Acclimate'. They have a few competitors, but this seems to be
one of the best soft-coat contenders. Also contributing to the high R
value was the spacer. The spacer, called Dura seal is warm edge technology
'ribbon' made of rubber and steel. This spacer keeps the inside and outside
glass of the sash from touching--in fact it keeps the glass about half
an inch apart while at the same time adding the bonus of not conducting
energy between the two pieces of glass. Altogether from outside edge to
outside edge, the glass package measured nearly a full inch--that's plenty
of space, and leaves enough room for them to fill the inside chamber with
Argon gas. Argon gas is better than just plain air. It is more energy
efficient and also doesn't conduct sound as well as air does. To make
the window even more energy efficient, the vinyl frame around the glass
was cleverly constructed to further insulate the window with chambers
of dead air space.
Another feature that made me a fan of the Vytex
Heritage window was the constant force balance. To fully appreciate why
this is important you really have to try it yourself and compare it to
other brands. The balance system is what keeps the window up or down or
wherever you leave it in between. If you're familiar with older windows,
you'll probably recall some kind of noisy spring mechanism that did this
job. The constant force balance is quiet and smooth and keeps the window
wherever you leave it--even when you tilt it in for cleaning. Of the balance
systems in the windows I previewed, this one was one of the best.
Finally, and very important was that I felt
that the dealer could get the job done and done well. The dealer I selected
was Hallmark Windows and Siding. They could not have done a better job
answering my concerns and installing the windows. The installers were
factory trained, and I tell you--they were like clockwork. The precision
of their install team was impressive. You could tell they worked together
often and have installed many windows. I have confidence that these guys
did a perfect job and I couldn't be happier with my windows.
So if you're in the market for replacement
windows for your house, be sure and check out Vytex and Hallmark Windows
and Siding. I will recommend them again and again, even after 2 years,
they still look new.
©2005. Reprinted with permission from
the author.
 Pictured
above: John sets a Vytex Georgetown window replacement into the frame Rockville, Maryland.
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