Foam-Fill & Vinyl Windows

Today, many vinyl windows include some form of insulation in the frame members. Injection foam-filling is generally the most energy efficient, since it completely fills the frame cavities when properly installed. Manually installed, ridged foam pieces are better than nothing, so choose to have those installed when staying within budget is critical. Your attic and walls are insulated to increase your home's energy efficiency, so make sure that your window frames and sashes are too!

For more information on windows, visit our website or come to one of our Northern Virginia showrooms.

Air Leakage

Here at The Window Man we pride ourselves on being the Educational Window Company. We start the educational process by talking about the three Window Evils.

1 Air Infiltration 60%
2 Radiant Heat 30%
2 Conduction/Convection 10%

Today we're going to talk about air infiltration, also called or air leakage.

Air leakage is unwanted amounts of outside air entering the house through cracks and small openings. A leaky house allows moisture, dust and allergens into your home, making it unhealthy. As air pressure changes in your home, these same leaks also allow heated or cooled air to escape. These air leaks waste energy dollars! Air infiltration causes cold drafts and temperature differences within a room, which frequently causes the thermostat to be set higher or lower, so that the average temperature is at the desired level. The Window Man takes pride in only selling windows that far exceed industry standards to reduce the air infiltration into your home.

Air leakage may come from gaps and cracks around the windows and doors in your home and can account for 50% of your heating costs. By reducing air infiltration, you can use lower thermostat settings and your comfort level significantly increases.

A good analogy is to think of going outside on a cold, windy day wearing an expensive, good quality winter coat all decked out with thermal fleece and water repellent, but if you don’t zip it up, you get little of the benefits you paid for.

Choose a window that has been tested and AAMA certified for air infiltration. If a manufacturer elects to have its product tested, it cannot have more than 0.3 cfm/ft2 of air leakage per linear foot of crack space.

Vinyl is the most popular material windows are made from, but vinyl moves! Vinyl expands and contracts 10 times more then other window materials and windows are tested at normal room temperatures. Our experience shows that vinyl windows need to be tested at “.10” cfm or less, which is 3 times better than a passing grade so they don’t become drafty in the winter when they shrink.

Vinyl Replacement Windows

Vinyl Windows are a popular choice for window replacements across the DC, Virginia and Maryland area. (Replacement windows also come in variety of other materials such as wood, fiberglass, aluminum-clad wood, vinyl-clad wood, vinyl, or a composite of wood or plastic.)

Because it’s so inexpensive and easy to maintain vinyl is the most popular type of replacement window in residential and commercial properties. But its ability to trap hot air inside your home during winter and prevent cold air from escaping in summer is vinyl’s real advantage. Energy efficiency means you’ll be helping the environment while dramatically reducing your monthly utility bills!

On the other hand, there aren’t a wide variety of color choices available in vinyl windows and the surface is not paintable, so unless you find the tint you love and that matches your home’s exterior, you may want to consider some of the other types of replacement windows for your property.

Contact The Window Man today at to discuss which type of replacement window is right for you and your home. We'd be happy to evaluate the pros and cons of vinyl versus fiberglass for your needs as well as explain the benefits of each type of window we carry.