I am renovating

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I am renovating

How do I take the rough measurement to have an idea of the price?

We suggest measuring the windows and doors from the inside of the interior casings. A detail that can be useful for the dealer is to know if your windows and doors have an exterior moulding that surrounding their perimeter.

For my windows, between installation in the existing box or replace the box, what to choose ?

Each dealer has their personal preference and every renovation has specific needs, nevertheless you should know that:

Installing a window into the existing box does generally a cleaner job mostly due to the fact that it minimizes bad surprises that can occur in any renovation project.

Installing windows into existing boxes, generally, do not damage interior casings around windows.

A good installer will replace any piece of wood that seems rotten during the installation.

Two caulking beads must be applied on the outside; one between the window and the flat aluminium flashing that usually covers up your frame and another one between the aluminium flashing and your outside cladding.

The removal of the window box implies more important carpentry work.

Starting from the frame of the house assures a more homogenous installation and a more integrated final job.

Only one caulking bead should be necessary (in most cases), between the window and the exterior finish.

What do the performance numbers (A-3, B-7 etc...) attached to windows and doors really mean ?

These numbers give an idea of the value of the windows and doors to the followings tests:

A= Air, the scale is from 1 to 3.

B= Water penetration, the scale is from 1 to 7.

C= Wind load resistance (The capacity of a window or a door to withstand hurricane or extreme winds.), the scale is from 1 to 5.

These tests must be passed in an accredited laboratory and are essential to obtain an acceptation number from the CCMC (Canadian Construction Materials Centre) http://www.nrc.ca/ccmc/home_e.shtml .
An important point to verify when buying windows and doors is to be sure that it is the manufacturer itself (and not the PVC extruder) that went through the testing process. That is a way to be sure that the window or door you're buying will be identical to the one that has been tested.

For a couple of years, Fenplast does some testing on brand new products randomly taken from the production line, just to make sure that the "regular" one will be as efficient as the one being tested.

How can I evaluate a proposition from a dealer who wants to replace my windows and doors?

Windows and doors renovation isn't different from other renovation projects. You should ask for references from the dealer you're interested in doing business with. Don't be shy to ask the dealer for some references in your vicinity. The number of years in business and the quality of the presentation he gave you are clues you can count on.

How to insulate the space between the window / door and the house?

Mineral wool or injected urethane, the two solutions are until now, the only ones used for residential purposes. Both carry advantages and disadvantages. We should advise you against the use of the kind of urethane used. It should be a non-expensive type and should keep all its flexibility (like a marshmallow) for a number of years.

What is the ER scale ?

Let us specify that the ER value is based on several factors, including a product's U value, potential solar heat gain coefficient and airtightness. The ER scale determines the Energy Rating value required for a product to qualify in any given zone. It can be used to compare the overall energy-saving performance of different ENERGY STAR qualified windows and doors. This scale ensures that even Canadians living in the colder areas of the country can base their choice on the most energy-efficient products available. A negative ER value refers to an ENERGY STAR qualified product that has not been reviewed since the new CSA standards were adopted in 2004. Use the following formula to convert negative ER values: Negative ER value (pre-2004) + 33 = Approximate current ER value.