Frequently Asked Questions

Beware of any window dealer offering huge discounts. Often they have inflated their prices to make an inferior window seem like a good deal. If possible try to obtain 2 or more quotes on the same brand of window, making it obvious which discounts are genuine.

U.P.V.C. stands for Unplasticized Poly Vinyl Chloride, meaning it has no plasticizers added, making the extrusion more rigid and consequently more easily broken under stress. P.V.C has plasticizers added, giving greater flexibility without compromising the strength of the extrusion.

We all know that wood windows require many hours of maintenance, and the end result is always flaking paint or rotting sills:

Wood windows do not have an internal drainage system, meaning the water has to pass over the frames to drain.
Fibreglass windows do have an internal drainage system but the corners of the frame are screwed and caulked together. This means that through expansion and contraction the corners will open up, resulting in air and especially water leakage.
Aluminum Windows have the same corner leak problems as Fiberglass, as well as being colder.
Vinyl is the most durable product with very little maintenance. All corners are welded together, leaving no chance of leakage.
However, not all windows are the same! Look carefully at a cross section of a vinyl window frame. Count the number of chambers, and note the thickness of the chamber walls. Multi-chamber construction is crucial; the frame must be able to properly support the glass. Also, the more chambers in an extrusion the better the insulation value. Avoid vinyl windows that require added steel or wood to the interior of the extrusion. This is usually an indication of a weak extrusion.

Brick to brick (or siding to siding) windows will come from the manufacturer with a vinyl brickmould on the outside of your window, as well as an interior wood jamb extension. Wood is the preferred material for the jamb extension as it is easily adjusted for different wall thickness. New Interior mouldings (casing trim) should be included to finish the installation properly.

Your old wood frame is completely removed, and clearance is allowed when measuring so that foam insulation can be injected around your new window. The sources of drafts have been eliminated.

If your home was built in the 80’s or 90’s you should consider removing the old frames:

Most existing wood window frames have very little or no insulation between them and the frame of the house. Having high performance windows installed on such frames is really only doing half the job, as cold air will still penetrate your home around the wood frame.
You will lose a significant amount of glass area by having a new vinyl window installed on an existing wood frame.
Existing frames are not shimmed to support your new vinyl window, which will cause it to sag in the future, resulting in problems with drafts and leaks with you new window.
If you choose to have your new windows installed “Brick to Brick” (or siding to siding) you will have eliminated the 3 problems stated above. You will also eliminate the bulky look of the aluminum capping that is used cover over wood that remains.

A spacer is the material, which bonds 2 pieces of glass together, creating an insulated glass unit or “sealed unit”. A good spacer can improve the efficiency of a sealed unit by up to 20%, reducing the transfer of cold from the outer to the inner pane. A warmer inside pane means greatly reduced condensation. A poor spacer (usually metal) allows for the transfer of cold to the inside pane, meaning more condensation. This moisture must drain and usually ends up under the sealed unit. When water freezes below an insulated glass unit it can cause stress on the unit resulting in seal failure (the bond between the 2 panes of glass is broken). Your sealed unit has now lost its insulation value. You now have 2 choices, to pay to have this unit replaced or to live with “foggy” uninsulated glass.

*Look for a high efficiency spacer with Warm Edge Technology, and a minimum 20-year non-pro rated warranty.

Written references are ok, but they can’t show you the kind of workmanship that will be performed, nor can they guarantee that your installer is the same as the installer in a written reference. If at all possible talk with a previous customer. Windows must be installed squarely to ensure proper performance, an easy way to check this is to open 1 sash (on either a horizontal or vertical sliding window) then slide it slowly toward the main frame until there is a slight gap between the two. If this gap is uniform it indicates the window has been installed squarely, if the gap is wide at one side and small at the other, the window is improperly installed. Look at the mouldings that were installed with the windows, are the miters tight? On the exterior, look at any aluminum capping that has been done, are the joints tight and fastened with screws? Is the caulking neat?. Ask if this person’s home was protected using drop sheets. Was the property left clean? Did the installer demonstrate how to operate your new windows?

Replacing some or all of your windows can easily cost thousands of dollars. This is a good place to start. The Consumers Guide to Buying Energy Efficient Windows and Doors is an excellent source of information. This will help you understand the basics of windows and doors, styles and features, to more detailed information on vinyl extrusions, Low E coatings, gas fills, spacers, as well as installation methods. Once you have familiarized yourself with this information you will be better able to access the quotes you receive.

We have all seen old, yellow, door light frames. The door light frame is what holds the glass in place in your door system. Dorplex’s frame is made of a strong foam PVC material that resists warping. It is made of a non-yellowing material and comes with a screw cap cover to hide the fastening screws. The frame is sealed with three co-extruded seals that do not require sealant, which tends to ooze out when heated.

Yes, if you install a storm door on top of a steel door system, then the warranty becomes null and void due to excessive heat build up. Many people still choose to install storm doors, in which case we advise them to ensure that the ventilation panel is open most of the year, to avoid excessive heat build up. Damage to the steel door can still occur, especially to the paint.

The industry has been using vinyl cladding for years. Dorplex has developed a laminated vinyl cladding system that is glued to the wood substrate. It will not buckle or warp under intense heat which is a major concern with your typical vinyl cladding. Vinyl cladding is also prone to getting water under it, as the corner joints are only caulked, which also leads to buckling.

Dorplex is the market leader and innovator in custom steel and fibreglass door technology in Canada. Their steel and fibreglass doors are more durable and energy-efficient than wood doors. Because of their commitment to quality, their lines of steel and fibreglass doors are backed by a limited Lifetime Warranty, the best in the industry.

No. Dorplex steel doors are comprised of a polyurethane core with a steel skin over the top. A solid steel door would be prohibitively heavy and would most likely tear out the hinges. 24 gauge steel is used for the skin of the door. In addition, a wood frame, called a stile, surrounds the perimeter of the door. So, none of the polyurethane is visible on the edges of the door.

You may clean the glass surface with any common household cleaner or a mild detergent. A soft cloth or paper towel will do the job.

To clean your screens simply remove them and hose them off with water. Do not use a high-pressure sprayer or any cleaning solvents.

Unlike other materials, our vinyl is guaranteed not to pit, peel, fade or flake. And, it never needs painting. Airborne contaminants and dirt should be removed with a mild detergent and water, applied with a soft rag. Do not use any abrasive cleaning agents or an abrasive pad to apply. Rinse with clean water and wipe dry. Do not use a high-pressure sprayer to clean windows and doors.

Yes. We take great pride in our showroom where we took great care to replicate a small brick home and installed most of the windows brick to brick. We strongly encourage people to visit our showroom and allow us to educate you a little on the whole process, before you actually make any decisions.

Not only do we remove all job related debris from the site afterwards, but we use drop sheets everywhere throughout the home to protect your floors. We even vacuum the area once the job is complete.

All of our products are Energy Star Rated. In fact Superior Home Improvements is a listed Energy Star participant company. You can check here.

We welcome the chance to provide you with an in-home estimate and there is never any cost or obligation on your part.

Low-e glass improves the insulating value of a window roughly as much as adding an additional pane of glass does. Low-e glass combined with argon gas boosts energy efficiency by nearly 100% over clear glass. Like all gases, argon gas will leak from the window over time, however since it is non-toxic it is safe. Studies suggest a 10% loss over the course of 20 years, but that will reduce the U-value of the window by only a few percent.

An odorless, colorless, tasteless, invisible, non-toxic gas used to replace the air inside the sealed units to reduce thermal transfer. It is six times heavier than air. Since argon gas is denser than air and is not in continuous motion like air, the transference of energy (heat and cold) is greatly reduced. In short argon gas provides extra insulation.

Low-E glass stands for low emissivity glass. It is a technologically advanced, insulating glass that improves energy efficiency by reducing the transfer of heat or cold through windows. Coatings are microscopically thin, virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on glass surface to reduce the U-factor by suppressing the radiant transfer of energy (heat and cold).

While we do our best to complete our installation within your ideal time frame, we are committed to providing realistic time estimates and will keep you in the loop as to manufacturing and installation schedules. Once you’ve signed a contract, we will send a recheck person to your home to get the exact dimensions of the windows or doors you have ordered. Then we place your order with the manufacturer. We always provide customers with an estimated date of installation, typically 6-8 weeks, and confirm this date a week or so before we are due to arrive. Our busiest times of year are usually late spring and fall and our quietest time of year is late winter. If you have the flexibility to order your windows or doors in January or February, installation will happen more quickly.

Vinylbilt goes one step further than their competition. For example, Vinylbilt is one of the first manufacturers to obtain CSA certification for combination units. To achieve this certification requires a very rigorous series of tests that run numerous times, it is also considered as one of the most difficult tests. Vinylbilt goes the extra mile to provide quality and safety assurance on their combination windows.

Not all windows are created equally. Do not confuse Vinylbilt with other window manufacturers that do not have CSA certified products.
Most other manufacturers have less rigorous standards such as:

• CSA Approved
• CSA Compliant
• CSA Tested

To achieve CSA certification, Vinylbilt Platinum Series are not only certified in the CSA lab, but they are subject to frequent performance audits at their manufacturing facility. These audits ensure every product they manufacture is in accordance to the CSA standards and that Vinylbilt continues to produce products at the highest level.

If you select high-quality energy-efficient windows, and just as importantly install them properly, your windows will “payback” your investment in savings that you will realize with lower cooling and heating bills. Well-built windows developed with the last technology have been proven to lower home energy consumption.

Condensation is a natural occurrence on all windows and is caused by humidity, or invisible water vapor, present in the air. When this water vapor comes in contact with a surface that is cooler, the vapor turns into droplets of moisture. (See our detailed condensation information page …insert link)

Vinyl windows are available in all popular models. The most common are fixed (aka picture windows), double hung, horizontal sliding, casement, single hung, awning, decorative bay, bow and garden windows. Vinyl windows are custom made to fit any size or shape required by the architectural style, existing openings, or personal taste.

Here are some sure signs that your old windows need to be replaced:

• Difficult to open or close
• Drafty, with air leaking through or around the window
• Excessive condensation on the inside of the window panes
• Windows rattle in the wind
• Paint chipping or peeling
• High utility bills
• House is always -too hot in summer or too cold in winter