Was just reading an old post that was recently reactivated. Saw a comment that Serious Windows were very expensive. I think was back in the 2009/10 timeframe. Fast forward to today. I have just gone through getting bids on fiberglass Windows and French/Atrium doors from 4 manufacturers, including Alpen High Performance. Alpen took over or took back the heat mirror technology when Serious left the scene a couple years back. There were a total of 34 units, the smallest was a 2x3 and the largest were 6 x 8 and all the doors were 6 x 8. Comparing triple pane options from all, Alpen was extremely competitive with their 525 series. On the windows, They tended to be well below on large units and somewhat higher on the small ones. The end result, due to the large differential of the large units, offset or bettered the premium on the small. On the doors however, they tended to be higher, and I ended up going with Marvin Integrity and settled on double pane. It was very interesting though, with Marvin, if I wanted a high SHGC, (which I did)it was an extra $1000 per door, would would have put them well above Alpen. But at this point I was trying to whittle the entire cost down without sacrificing too much efficiency. , A big kicker for me was that two of the manufacturers couldn't deliver inert gas at my altitude (9100 ft). Marvin could if the window was of the right area, Alpen could for all, with their bladder technology. This is not an advert, just some information that some might be able to find useful.

Posted By Nashvegas on 15 May 2016 10:20 PM
Was just reading an old post that was recently reactivated. Saw a comment that Serious Windows were very expensive. I think was back in the 2009/10 timeframe. Fast forward to today. I have just gone through getting bids on fiberglass Windows and French/Atrium doors from 4 manufacturers, including Alpen High Performance. Alpen took over or took back the heat mirror technology when Serious left the scene a couple years back.

That is correct. Serious Windows filed for bankruptcy years ago and from online searches it appears that was due to the heat mirror failing in numerous windows and the warranty callbacks was too big financially for them.

Since then Alpen uses the heat mirror technology and so far so good. It appears that it's holding up quite well and they figured out the issues for the failures.

The inert gas between the panes is somewhat overrated vs using just Oxygen. The R-Value of using argon or krypton gas vs oxygen is so insignificant. One window with oxygen will have R-5.0 with argon it would be R-5.5

In time, experts agree that argon and krypton gasses will leak out over a course of 5-10 years.

Windows are more than just the glazing R-Value. The frames and hardware are likewise important. Poorly made frames, cheap hardware, will result in failures over the years. So when comparing windows one has to look at the complete package. Glazing, frame design, gasket seals, hardware, closing hardware, etc.

Intus Windows Triple Pane Tilt & Turn

Lbear,
I certainly agree construction and durability are factors that must be considered. One of the things I considered was PVC vs fiberglass. Where I am building, (high altitude mountains of northern NM, climate zone 7B, yes that is correct) we can have very large temperature swings - easily 50 degrees during the day, especially in winter, when night temps are often -20 and -35 is not uncommon, and the day temp may swing to +25F or more. Although in better windows, the glass is not siliconed to the frame, I still like the lower expansion coefficients of fiberglass vs PVC. I envision that there could be higher longitudinal stress in a PVC window as the gasket will have to respond as the frame expands. Maybe that's a non issue, but something I was concerned about. I do like Intus windows and was seriously considering them a few years ago as I was first designing the house. I went to the NAHB show primarily to see them. I think they are built like a vault. I love the tilt and turn feature, But the pricing I got for the set I had in the designs were on the order of $90k, vs Alpen of $60k. Zola was even higher at $120k. So --- with that in mind, as well as the much lighter weight (I've got some BIG units) because of two panes of glass vs three, and a lighter weight frame due to the strength of fiberglass, and I decided this year to eliminate them and Zola even though I consider them both to be excellent windows in a climate that might not be as harsh as mine, (again, maybe not an issue, but a concern of mine). Sometimes it just has to come down to what one is willing to afford. I'd love to have a Ferrari, or better yet a McLaren, but I might be able to afford a Corvette. 🤑

Windows like Intus use a floatable gasket design so the glazing is not attached to the PVC framing. The glazing and the framing can expand and contract as they choose without compromising the seal. They also use a flexible rubber/EPDM gaskets between the glazing and framing. They also use galvanized steel u-channels within the PVC frames for strength and stability.

The PVC frames are laminated at the factory using a special German laminate called RENOLIT EXOFOL that resists UV and protects the PVC underneath. Triple gaskets on operable windows with 6-9 locking points when the window is closed.

No doubt that Intus are not the typical vinyl window made in the USA. Which use silicone to seal the glazing to the framing and the seals end up breaking and failing within a few years. The vinyl frames are flimsy in US windows and don't contain any galvanized steel bracing.

Compare a US made vinyl window with a Euro Window like Intus. Night and day difference.

Hi!
These windows are very costly.

Posted By angeldale on 14 Jul 2016 01:39 AM
Hi!
These windows are very costly.

Intus or Alpen?