Step 5 – Buying Replacement Windows for Your Home

September 22, 2014

Step 5- Ask for “Design Pressure” Ratings… 

To get the Best Buy for Replacement Windows, Consumer Ratings Guide  recommends  7 easy steps to make your purchase more satisfying.  This article explores the 5th Step of the process of buying replacement windows for your home or business…

7 Steps to New Windows 

1)       Visit a Local Showroom
2)       Ask for References
3)       Schedule an In-home Appointment
4)       Ask for Energy Star Ratings
5)       Ask for Design Pressure Ratings
6)       Ask to see the Warranty
7)       Get a Written Contract

Your list of potential contractors and window product choices is shorter because you have taken the first 4 steps to buying new windows and have:

  1. Visited showrooms and selected only contractors you feel comfortable having work on your home
  2. Asked for, received and checked local references
  3. Scheduled In-Home appointments with your short list of replacement window specialists
  4. Received Energy Star Ratings to compare pricing based upon energy savings potential

Now, it’s time to narrow your window product choices even further by learning which window will provide you with the best protection from air infiltration, water penetration and resistance to forced entry by comparing Design Pressure Ratings (DP Ratings)…

Design Pressure Ratings are like the Crash Test Safety Ratings for automobiles because they tell you how a window will perform when Mother Nature crashes into your home or intruders attempt to enter.

DP Ratings are formulated after standardized tests are independently performed in controlled laboratory environments. Comparing the DP ratings allows us to compare how windows perform when the wind blows, rain falls or an intruder strikes.  

The higher the DP Rating, the better it will protect you, your loved ones and your property in a weather event or a break-in attempt.

Often a window with a higher Design Pressure Rating is more expensive to make and may be a reason to pay more for one window than another…

 Read  “Crash Test Ratings”, by Mark Milanese in Door & Window Market Magazine

Mark Milanese writes articles for DWM/Shelter magazine.

“Crash Test Ratings for Windows”, by Mark Milanese

Read More Download 5th Step to Buying Replacement Windows

Also See the article written by Mark Milanese “Crash Test Ratings for Windows”