Why should I consider vinyl over aluminum windows? How do I determine energy efficiency of a window? If you haven’t asked these questions before, someone else has so we’ve complied a list of our most commonly asked questions to assist you in your purchasing process.

Q: Does WHC Distributors have Fiancing options?

Yes. We have 100% financing available. We offer programs with 0% interest for 90 days and have local banks and mortgage companies who can provide 1st and 2nd mortgages, home equity lines and debt consolidation.

Q: What is a vinyl window?

A vinyl window (frame) is one which is fabricated primarily from polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Q: Why choose Vinyl windows over aluminum, wood or other type of windows?

There are many reasons to replace your old wood windows with new vinyl ones. Vinyl windows are affordable, durable, energy efficient, aesthetically appealing and require little maintenance. Vinyl offers better energy efficiency which helps maintain consistent temperatures inside your home. Vinyl frames have welded corners, which make it air tight and prevent elements such as water and dust from leaking into your home. Vinyl offers the best protection against air and noise infiltration, which means a more comfortable and peaceful living environment. Vinyl maintains its new look over time, eliminating fading and repainting.

Q: What other advantages do vinyl windows have over windows fabricated from other materials?

Vinyl windows have demonstrated several significant points of undisputed superiority. For example, unlike many materials, vinyl does not swell and shrink when exposed to extreme moisture conditions. Vinyl windows operate smoothly in any weather. Vinyl has intrinsically high insulating qualities when compared to other window materials. Vinyl does not rust, pit or corrode. Vinyl windows never need painting and are easily cleaned with a damp cloth and some mild detergent. Vinyl is comfortable to the touch in either sub-zero or tropical weather conditions.

Q: How do vinyl windows compare in price with windows made of other materials?

Vinyl windows compare very favorably in price with quality windows made of all other materials.

Q: How do I care for my vinyl windows?

Vinyl windows never have to be painted. The color is actually part of the vinyl. If your vinyl windows have become particularly dirty, or if they are subject to stubborn grime because of local conditions, a mild non-abrasive detergent solution will clean your vinyl windows to an "as-new" condition. Normally, all that is required for thorough cleaning is a damp cloth.

Q: How does a window qualify for ENERGY STAR compliance?

The United States Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency have developed the ENERGY STAR program to help consumers identify products that save energy. A high performance window can actually pay for itself over time when compared to a single
pane non-installated window.

Under the ENERGY STAR program the country is broken down into three climate zones:
• Northern Climate Zone - Energy bills are mostly associated with heating costs.
• Central Climate Zone - Energy bills are for both heating and cooling costs.
• Southern Climate Zone - Energy bills are mostly associated with cooling costs.

Minimum requirements for ENERGY STAR are:
U-Factor* SHGC**
Northern - 0.35 Any
Central - 0.40 0.55
Southern - 0.75 0.40

* U-factor: This is a measure of heat loss. A lower U-factor means that you'll stay warmer in the winter and spend less heating your home.

** SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient): Once again, the lower the better. A lower SHGC will help keep your house cooler in the summer while reducing cooling costs.

Q: What is Miami-Dade and ASTM Approval?

They are testing specifications for Impact Resistsnce. Approved products are tested under hurricane-like conditions, including driving rain, and subjected to forces equivalent to 180 mph winds, to ensure that they perform in any situation. To simulate impact from windborne debris, each window is struck twice with a nine pound 2x4, shot from a cannon at 34 mph.The windows are then put through 9,000 cycles of positive and negative pressure to ensure they perform, even after suffering the punishment of these extreme condtions.

Q: How can I determine the energy efficiency and durability of Stanley Pro-Fit Windows or any other window?

Stanley voluntarily submits all of our windows and patio doors to an independent, certified testing facility where they are subject to the strict requirements of nationally recognized performance standards.

Thermal performance, or the energy efficiency of a window is tested to the NRFC (National Fenestration Rating Council) 100 specification. This test procedure provides the following information:

U-factor: This is a measure of heat loss. A lower U-factor means that you'll stay warmer in the winter and spend less heating your home.

SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient): Once again, the lower the better. A lower SHGC will help keep your house cooler in the summer while reducing cooling costs.

VT (Visible Transmittance): The higher the visible transmittance, the more daylight is transmitted. A high VT is desirable to maximize the amount of daylight entering a home.

AAMA, the American Architectural Manufacturers Association, has defined performance requirements for:

• Structural ability to withstand wind and other dynamic pressures. This is rated in design pressure (DP). The higher a product's design pressure rating, the greater the amount of wind or dynamic pressure the window will withstand.

• Resistance to air infiltration. Products are tested at an equivalent of a 25 mph wind. The lower the air infiltration rating, the better.

• Resistance to water leakage. This tests a window's ability to resist water leakage through the window frame, sashes, joints, weatherstripping, etc. No leakage is permitted under this test criteria.

• Forced entry resistance. A certified lab technician uses readily available tools such as a screwdriver, putty knife, coat hanger, etc. in an attempt to break into a home through the window. Next, windows and doors are subjected to hundreds of pounds of force to try to simultaneously lift or push them open while in the locked position. This is a pass/fail test.

Q: What is insulated glass and how does it compare to single pane windows?

Insulated glass consists of two pieces of glass sealed to a spacer. This creates an insulating air space between the two pieces of glass, resulting in better thermal performance. A lite of insulating glass is approximately twice as energy efficient as a single pane of glass, helping to keep your home more comfortable while reducing heating and cooling costs.

Q: What is LoE² glass and how does it work?

LoE² (low emissivity) glass is coated with two thin, transparent metallic layers which selectively filter solar energy. These coatings reflect infrared energy away from the window in the summer, helping to keep your home cooler. In the winter, LoE² glass reflects heat energy back into your home, helping to keep it warmer.

Q: What is condensation and what causes it?

Under certain conditions, condensation, or sweating, can form on windows and obscure your view. This is the result of high humidity levels, or excess water vapor in the air, coming into contact with the cooler glass surface of a w
indow and forming visible droplets. No window is immune to condensation although the energy efficient features of Stanley Pro-Fit windows keep the glass surface warmer, helping to reduce condensation.

Here are some other suggestions to help control humidity in your home:

• Open windows frequently to "air-out" your home.
• Use a dehumidifier to help control excess humidty/water vapor.
• Use venting fans in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry to help vent moist air to the outside.