Replies

1. 
   CAGIV | Jun 25, 2008 11:30pm | #1

   we make a lot of money every year replacing weathersheild windows.

   

1. 
   jayzog | Jun 26, 2008 12:08am | #2

   Curious as to why you have to replace them?

   I have never used them, almost exclusivly Marvin, but  we have weathershields in our firehouse, for about 17 years. They look well made and work well- had thought about them as an alternative.

   Tell me why not.

    

1. 
   CAGIV | Jun 26, 2008 12:31am | #3

   I should qualify my statement with two caveats.

   Most of the problems I have seen have been in their wood exterior windows and not the clad, I can attribute some of those issues to lack of h/o maintanence.

   In some of their clad casements I've seen a problem where the hardware attaches to a wooden sill  because the clad sill did not completly cover the sill.  Not sure if this an older style or now.

   Maybe they've gotten better in time, I'm talking about 10-15 year old windows. 

    

2. 
   Piffin | Jun 26, 2008 01:14am | #4

   I have Weathershield wood on my house and like them just fine.

   But a lot of guys here have negative comments on them.

   And it seems they don't back up service very well. My retailers/suppliers tell me they will order Weathershields for me, but that I am on my own re service and warrantee. It seems they have been burnt by them a few times.

   my thinking on them is that they were the first to push the envelope in some things in window design. Like true divided lites with insulated glass and thin muntins - a very hard thing to accomplish.

   So there were some failures 'till they got it right.

   I don't know about their current genration of product.

    

    

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    where ...
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1. 
   confused2 | Jun 26, 2008 01:39am | #5

   Service & Warranty is a huge issue. Weathershield is new to Manitoba, having just opened their showroom this month. I started dealing with  a regional rep while they were working on the showroom, then he was gone. The district rep took over, now he is gone. The new people in the showroom have "sales" background, no window experience. I like what I see, but my red flags are up on service issues - I have my doubts that they will last here. I see them dropping out of the Canadian marketplace as soon as our dollar sinks again (it is only time).

   I just finished meeting with a regional rep for Marvin Canada who happened to be in town ( as there is no rep or dealer in Manitoba). I like the Integrity line, but some of my awnings are too big that they can't do them. They have limited options in grills between the glass. So around the mulberry bush I go.

3. 
   sledgehammer | Jun 26, 2008 03:52am | #6

   No wonder weathershield is new in your area.... they have burned oh so many and new markets are their only hope.

   I have them, they are 15 years old. As I remove them I'd be more then happy to ship them to you for free.... has to be cheaper then throwing them away. Only thing is... you won't be able to see out the glass , they are fogged... You won't be able to open them, balance shoes broke and they don't make them anymore. Can't tilt them, most bottom rails are rotten.

   Shoot me an address and they are yours, and I won't mind paying for them for the next 15 years of my mortgage....

1. 
   confused2 | Jun 26, 2008 04:08am | #7

   Wow, I take it Weathershield did not provide you any service / or warranty -which what really is burning me in this whole process. Windows are a major expense! I have had quotes from a local manufacturer which gives a 25 year warranty, but the company is only 4 years old, so how can they know how long they will last? And will the company still be around then? Almost makes you want to buy the cheapest thing on the market and throw them out in 10 years.

   I think I will be passing on the Weathershield and going with Marvin Integrity. There seems to be the least complaints about them.

1. 
   Piffin | Jun 29, 2008 07:23pm | #9

   Which is it that is 4YO?The Lepage/Bonneville line has a longer history than that, but not same name - buyout 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

4. 
   wolf | Jun 26, 2008 04:21am | #8

   Clad may be ok by now. The last time I used them it was for my own house in 1987 & I used all wood with 5/4 trim and had to replace all 11 of the south and west window sills. They came through with finger jointed exterior. I did not know about the finger joints because of the good prime job. I painted every 3-4 years. The second time (it was 7 years old) I painted the west side 8' sill it behaved like brushing paper in some spots. I discovered it was totally rotted near every finger joint. The sill on the original windows is a 2 part system & the outermost piece  fits into a pocket in the portion under the sash. When I got nowhere with their customer service or the yard I dismantled the sill & found how easy it was to replace the outer 2.5".  Life is too short to repeat the mistake of ordering from poor service providers. They could have simply sent me a cut sheet showing the sill section & I'd have been satisfied.  Earlier I did have to replace 3 panes that lost their seal after about 6 years.

   This last house I did I stuck with Anderson vinyl clad. I decided to reduce the maintenance portion of my summers.