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Q: How popular are vinyl windows when compared to wood or aluminum?
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A: According to several national industry
associations Vinyl windows accounted for 47% of all replacement
windows sold in 1998. Aluminum represented 15% and wood had 36% of
the window market. The numbers five years ago were: vinyl 36%,
aluminum 22% and wood 41%. You can see that vinyl is becoming
increasingly popular and accepted by homeowners when they are
remodeling their homes. |
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Q: Is vinyl the same as plastic? |
| A: No. Vinyl windows and doors are made from unplasticized poly vinyl
chloride (uPVC) which is an entirely different chemical
composition than plastic toys. uPVC is much stronger, durable and
more weather resistant than plastic. |
| Q: Will the PVC peel like my wood doors and windows? |
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A: No, the white or beige color is not painted on, but is through out
the entire shape of the material. If you cut through it, you will
see that it is all white or all beige. |
| Q: I have a home located near the ocean. How will the salt air and
salt water effect my Oasis windows and doors? |
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A: It will not effect your PVC Oasis windows and doors. PVC has been
used for years by boat manufacturers because of its endurance and
resistance to salt water. If you were to put a length of the
material into the ocean and let it sit there for a year, when you
took it out of the water it would not show any corrosion. |
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Q: Will I ever have to paint my Oasis windows and doors? |
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A: No. That is the beauty of PVC and particularly the high quality
PVC material Oasis Doors uses in the manufacture of their product. |
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Q: How can I be sure the vinyl used in my window is the best
available? |
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A: Ask the manufacturer of the window if
the vinyl extrusions are certified. This is an industry wide
program to guarantee you that you are getting a high quality vinyl
material. If the manufacturer can't
answer this question, you may want to find another manufacturer
for your windows. |
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Q: How expensive is it to replace my old wood windows with new wood
windows or vinyl replacement windows? |
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A: A remodeling contractor will spend
several hours removing an old wood window from the frame of your
house and then installing a new wood window. This will be slow and
expensive work, and there will be a considerable amount of finish
work and painting to be done after the installation. Most vinyl
replacement windows are designed to fit inside your existing
window frame and there is virtually no additional work to be done
following installation. |
| Q: Can I buy my windows and doors from a national home improvement
chain store? |
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A: There is an old adage, you get
what you pay for. Be aware that the chain store is
price-based and negotiates a "minimum cost" deal from the
manufacturer before selling products in the store. For national
chains, the manufacturer usually makes the least expensive window
or door possible and often cuts quality corners to meet price
points. Also, the majority of the windows and doors offered in
that type store are in stock sizes that are not custom made for
your house. Be aware that if you contract a chain store to install
windows for you, the first time you meet your contractor or
installer will be when he comes to measure your house for windows.
You won't
be able to check out the quality of his work or references. He
works for the chain store, not you. |
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Q: Who should I talk to about installing windows? |
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A: Oasis has had great success referring
homeowners to Oasis contractors . These people do their own
selling and installing of the windows. They are not franchise
operations, they own their own business. .In most cases, the
contractor will do the measuring and installation himself. This
means their reputation is at stake and they typically take greater
pride in the quality of their work and making the homeowner happy
and satisfied with the quality of the work. This type of
contractor has also been in business for a while and considers
himself a professional. |
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Q: How can I be sure to get a good contractor? |
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A: The more homework and research you do into the contractor, the
greater your chance of happiness. Make sure he or she is a
professional. Call a couple of references. Inspect a home where
the contractor has done similar work and ask the owners how they
felt about the contractor. Also, ask yourself how comfortable do
you feel with this contractor after he has been to your home to
provide an estimate? Do you feel like you can trust him? How long
has he been installing windows and doors? How long has he
purchased windows and doors from the manufacturer or distributor
from whom he is buying your windows? What do they say about him?
Do they recommend him? |
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Q: Should I take the lowest bid? |
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A: How did that window model compare to
the next higher bid or highest bid you received? Is the low bidder
the contractor you felt would do the best job? If the three bids
are within 10% of each other, than you should go with the
contractor with whom you are the most comfortable and who has done
the best work that you have seen. If low bid is 20% or lower than
all the others;
buyer
beware. If high bid is 20% or thousands of dollars
more expensive than other estimates, you may be overpaying. |
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Q: Can I install my own windows and doors? |
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A: That is a difficult question, but we recommend a licensed or
experienced remodeling contractor be hired to do the job for you.
Don't look at this answer as a challenge to your abilities. Not
everyone has the same aptitude and skills. Most people don't tune
up their car, they go to a qualified mechanic to do it. Our
recommendation should be viewed in the same manner. |
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Q: How do I know that I am getting a good vinyl window from the
contractors that I ask to do an estimate? |
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A: You will need to research the brand or
manufacturer of the sample window they brought into your home.
Where is the window made? How long has the contractor been
installing this specific brand? Has the manufacturer been making
vinyl windows for at least ten years? Will the manufacturer or
distributor provide warranty service with a factory trained and
paid service technician. Ask to go visit the distributor or
manufacturer. Oasis maintains a beautiful showroom for homeowners
to see life size windows . Your vinyl windows represent an
investment on your part and you should research the manufacturer
of the product. |
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Q: Are Oasis windows and Patio doors made with insulated or some type
of thermal glass? |
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A: Yes, we manufacture our windows and Patio doors with a thermally
efficient 1" thick insulated glass panel. |
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Q: Why should I consider insulated glass windows and doors? |
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A: The insulated glass provides greater insulation value than single
pane glass. The air trapped between the glass reduces the
conduction of heat and cold through the window. Single pane glass
has an R value of about 1.0 and clear insulated glass in a vinyl
window has an R value or 2.0. You can also improve on the R value
with Low E glass and argon gas. |
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Q: What is Low E glass? |
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A: Low E glass features a transparent
reflective coating which reduces the transfer of radiant heat
across the space between the panes of glass in a dual pane window
or door. Low E glass will further reduce your heating and cooling
bills. Oasis recommends that you ask for this and have your
windows manufactured with this option. Low E can not be applied
after the window is manufactured. |
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Q: What is Argon gas and why is it offered with the Low E glass? |
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A: Argon gas is a harmless, colorless and inert gas that further
improves the thermal efficiency of your new construction or
replacement window or door. Oasis provides argon gas whenever a
contractor orders Low E glass. The argon also improves sound
deadening because argon is a heavier gas and reduces sound
transmission from outside your home. As a manufacturer, Oasis
likes to use it because it is relatively inexpensive and readily
available. Krypton gas is also available and perhaps better than
Argon, but it is quite expensive |
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Q:
Can Argon gas leak out of the window or door? |
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A: Over a period of twenty years, 1% per year of the argon gas will
escape. This does not have a material effect on the thermal
benefit of the Argon gas, and it is harmless to people pets and
the environment. |
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Q: Does Oasis use safety glass? |
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A: Yes, we use tempered glass which will
behave similar to the glass in your car windshield if it is struck
hard by an object. This is required of all door manufacturers in
the US by the government for safety reasons to prevent severe
injury in the event the glass is broken. |
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Q: What type of options are available in the look of the glass of
Oasis windows and doors? |
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A: You can get Grey or bronze tinted
glass to reduce the effect of bright sun on the interior of your
home and there are a variety of grid patterns available to match
exterior architecture and interior decor. On our patio doors, we
even offer a decorative grooved glass pattern |
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Q: Can I get a custom sized window or Patio
door? |
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A: Absolutely and we can do it for a reasonable price in a reasonable
amount of time. |
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Q: What causes condensation on windows? |
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A:Whenever there is excess humidity in the home,
it will manifest itself on the coldest area of a wall, which are
normally the windows. The warmer the air, the more moisture it
will retain, so when it comes in contact with the colder glass
surface and the air is subsequently cooled, moisture is released
in the form of condensations. |
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Q: Do windows cause condensation? |
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A: No, condensation on windows is not the fault of the window, unless
the window seal has failed. However, by replacing drafty windows
or even installing a new roof, you are reducing airflow in your
home and making it tighter. Tighter homes retain more
humidity. |
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Q: Where on a window does condensation normally form and why? |
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Condensation often forms at the meeting rail and at the bottom of
the lower sash on the interior of the glass. This is because when
warm air cools, it falls down across the interior surface of the
window at the same time the air's temperature is falling. The air
contacts the horizontal surface of the meeting rail, which acts
like a dam, slowing the air's rate of fall and creating the
perfect opportunity for the trapped water vapour to escape and
form on the meeting rails surface. The air then rolls over the
edge of the meeting rail and again gains speed until it encounters
the lower handle of the sash. At this point, the water vapour
again makes its exit and lies at the bottom of the sash. |
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Q: Can I reduce the condensation on my windows? |
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A:Yes. In order to reduce condensation, humidity must be controlled
and air movement must be generated. As the exterior temperature
drops, the humidity level needs to decrease if condensation is to
be controlled. |
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Q: What steps can I take to reduce humidity in my home? |
A: The two main things you can do are to control sources of moisture
and increase ventilation. To decrease or control excess humidity
and condensation:
- Use exhaust fans in
your kitchen, laundry and bathrooms.
- Vent gas burners,
clothes dryers, etc. to the outdoors.
- Shut off furnace
humidifiers and other humidifying devices in your home.
- Be sure that louvers in
your attic or basement crawl spaces are open and amply sized.
- Open fireplace dampers
to allow an escape route for moisture-laden air.
- Air out your house a
few minutes each day.
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If we haven’t answered your particular question,
please feel free to
e-mail us
and we'll get back to you. |
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