The brand trusted by more builders than any other Project Showcase - Cottage Style With A Modern Twist Carl M. Hansen Homes crafted a unique cottage style home on the exterior, but inside, the decor shifts to a modern interpretation of the classic style. It can be hard to put your finger on the exact home style you'd like for your home. To help, Andersen has done extensive research into several architectural styles and how windows and doors play a critical role in achieving them. BROWSE HOME STYLE LIBRARYPatio doors – more warmth, greater choice Everest patio doors are available in both uPVC and aluminium, and in a wide variety of finishes, including both one and two-colour options. All options are double glazed and fully sealed, ensuring your home stays warm and draught-free. The patio doors you see on the left here are made from uPVC. Get a FREE quote > Here’s a closer look at the same patio doors. The uPVC frame is easy to maintain and highly durable, and both the frame and the door are fully reinforced for greater security and overall toughness.
Get a FREE quote >March 20, 2015 | Window & Door’s annual Top 100 Manufacturers list is designed to give dealers a snapshot of the major players on the manufacturing side of the industry. Our goal is not to provide everything you would ever want to know about these 100 companies, but to give a jumping-off point for your own research. As it has been since its inception, the list is organized by sales volume. Many companies provide the information, while others are placed based on our research. However, it’s not just about the numbers. Much time and research is devoted to digging into the products and processes that ultimately generate those figures. We asked manufacturers about any recent product launches from the past year, as well as those on the horizon for 2015. And, new to this year’s coverage, we wanted to provide dealers with an idea of the training and support programs available to help bolster their business. While not all companies were able to provide such specifics by press time, the many cited examples may give you some insight on what you can expect, or at least inquire, of your partners and potential partners.
We also wanted to mine other valuable resources from these big names in the industry. We asked for secrets to success— advice, tips and tidbits that can help take business to the next level. Look for these nuggets throughout the following pages. All of these elements combine to create what we hope is a good tool for you to use in your day-to-day search for the right products for your customers. Editor’s Note: Is there anything missing from this list that you want to know about the industry’s top manufacturers? Product Lines/Brand Names: Andersen Windows and Doors, Silver Line by Andersen, Renewal by Andersen, American Craftsman by Andersen Recent Introductions: The Architectural Collection brings together the company’s A-Series product line with the E-Series, formerly sold under the Eagle Window & Door name; Renewal by Andersen direct-to-consumer replacement windows Planned Launches for 2015: Andersen will expand its production capacity for the 100 Series product line at the company’s flagship Bayport, Minnesota plant Product Lines/Brand Names: Fiberglass entry doors and composite frames, and fiberglass patio door systems under Plastpro, Neuma Doors brands Product Lines/Brand Names: Wood, vinyl, and aluminum windows and patio doors;
wood, steel and composite entry doors; interior doors and molded facings; millwork products under Jeld- Wen, Craftmaster brands Product Lines/Brand Names: Steel, wood, fiberglass, and composite entry and patio doors; interior doors, French doors and bi-fold doors Product Lines/Brand Names: Wood, vinyl and fiberglass window, patio door and entry door products; architectural windows, curtain wall, storefronts and entrances Product Lines/Brand Names: Velux Skylights, roof windows, Sun Tunnel skylights and accessories including blinds and remote control units Recent Introductions: Laminated Clean Quiet & Safe glass, intelligent touch remote control units, next generation residential Sun Tunnel skylights, Velux SunCurve commercial skylights Planned Launches for 2015: GXU roof access windows, GCU center-pivot roof windows, instant light shaft kits, accessory installation adaptor kits Dealer Training/Support Programs: Installation training and certification, national advertising and editorial (PR) support, print and digital sales support, social media and video resources support, extensive lead generation activities and other tools to assist dealers in their sales and installation activities Product Lines/Brand Names: Vinyl windows and doors for the residential new construction, replacement and impact markets;
commercial windows, doors, curtain wall and entrances, including blast and impact products under YKK AP America brand $500 MILLION TO $1 BILLION Fortune Brands Home & Security* Product Lines/Brand Names: Fiberglass and steel entry doors and patio doors; vinyl windows and patio doors; synthetic trim and millwork components under Therma-Tru Doors and Fypon brands Product Lines/Brand Names: Wood, clad-wood and fiberglass windows and doors; brands include Marvin Windows & Doors, Integrity Windows & Doors, and Infinity Replacement Windows Product Lines/Brand Names: Vinyl, wood, wood-composite, aluminum, aluminum-clad and vinyl-clad windows and patio doors under brands including Ply Gem Windows, Great Lakes Window and Ply Gem CanadaFiled under: About windows & glass, Construction defects, PVC windows, Repair or replace windows?, Testing windows and glass, Vinyl windows; Tagged as: insulating glass seal failure, pvc windows, vinyl windows, window frame, window leaks Vinyl windows, also known as PVC (polyvinyl chloride) windows or uPVC (unplasticized PVC) are a ubiquitous part of the residential window landscape, and not only that, there are a lot of them out there.
There are many satisfied vinyl window customers and I have seen many good installations, however there can also be problems with vinyl windows. Some problems are common to all windows, others stem from the unique properties of PVC. Some problems occur in the window itself, some come from the way windows are installed or joined to one another or to adjacent materials. What is PVC / Vinyl? PVC is a thermoplastic polymer constructed of repeating vinyl groups (ethenyls) having one of their hydrogens replaced with a chloride group. Grab a tweezers and make some yourself. Seriously, folks, PVC is the third most widely produced plastic and is expected to exceed 40 million tons by 2016. PCV is made up of 57% chlorine by weight. The remainder is the petrochemical ethylene. Windows and plumbing pipes are made from rigid, or unplasticized PVC, also called “rigid PVC” or “uPVC”. Shower curtains, IV bags and sex toys are made from plasticized PVC due to their need for flexibility.
The good news about vinyl as a window material The bad news about vinyl as a window material Here are some problems I have seen with vinyl windows.The numbering does not reflect frequency of the problem, but rather an attempt at creating the illusion of organization. 1. Water leaks through window frame joinery Back in the day before vinyl window manufacturers found out how well the fused corners worked, they simply screwed and sealed the frame corners together. To make things worse, the corner joinery was in some cases not conducive to effective sealing. Add in the problems with sealant adhesion, and you have a leak at the bottom of the window, allowing water into the building. You can determine if your vinyl windows have this problem by performing water testing. Thermal movement of PVC is seven times that of glass. As the temperature changes, the PVC often slides against the glass. This can puts stress and wear on the glazing sealant, which might be only 1/16″ thick, eventually shearing it.
I have seen vinyl window sash overflow with a light water spray. Trims could be mullions, brick-mold or capping. Generally, these elements must be continuously sealed to the window at the exterior plane. At the interior, screws driven into wet areas of the window will produce leaks and should be avoided. 4. Bowing or bending of vinyl frame or sash members Due to their inherent flexibility, framing members should be shimmed and fastened well. Even if this is done, framing members that span a distance should be observed for excessive bending. Such bending will often result in reduced performance as can be seen in the photo below. 5. Poor component tolerances In vinyl windows, just like any other manufactured product, the parts need to fit. Sadly, this does not always happen. Window manufacturers use “cutting formulas” to tell them the cut length of each part of a window, given the window’s overall size. In a simple double hung window there can easily be almost 30 parts that all must be cut to the proper length in order to work well.
Sometimes there can be an error in the cutting formula. If assemblers on the plant floor are not vigilant, poorly fitting components can be released to the public, resulting in degraded quality and reduced performance. Double hung windows utilize a pair of spring-loaded balances that assist in reducing the amount of force need to raise the sash, and to hold the sash in its raised position. It is not uncommon for this balance to fail and require replacement. Sash balances should be easily replaceable, but on one of the jobs pictured here, one would need to cut the frame in order to replace the balance. 7. Insulated glass seal failure Seal failures occur in vinyl windows, just as they occur in wood and aluminum windows. Often, this is due to the long term presence of water in the area beneath the glass. No matter where you are, contact me, Mark Meshulam, the Chicago Window Expert For the attention deserve Download Mark Meshulam’s CV Download Field Testing Credentials
Air Infiltration Testing for Windows & Curtainwalls Condensation Investigation & Testing for Windows and Buildings Expert Witness & Investigation of Window Falls Expert Witness & Investigation of Glass Injury Glass Consultant for Architects, Engineers and Building Owners Insulating Glass Dew Point Testing Insurance Investigation for Claimants or Carriers Masonry & Wall Moisture Intrusion Investigation & Testing Window Consultant for Architects, Engineers and Building Owners Window Water Leak Testing Current client locations: Alabama, Alberta, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Russia, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington State, Washington DC and Wisconsin. Coming soon to your area!