Looking for a Window Replacement Contractor that serves Maryland and Virginia? Contact RGH Today!
Replacement windows built by today's standards can pay for themselves with the amount of savings in heating and cooling costs of a home. They also offer a homeowner many different options, such as different types of glass, colors of frames, and many different styles of windows.
RGH Contracting offers the very best in custom window replacements, with options to suit every budget. Contact us today to set up your free in-home estimate.
Our featured manufacturer is Restorations Windows by Sunrise.
About Restorations Innovative Window Systems
Inspired by the beauty and craftsmanship of traditional wood windows, the strength and durability of FiberCore, and the ease of maintenance of vinyl window systems, Restorations Windows by Sunrise are the clear choice for homeowners all across America.
Design – Restorations windows are designed with the beauty of American architecture in mind. With their patented, double-coved contoured window design, not only will your windows beautifully frame your view from inside your home, but your neighbors will envy the look of your home from the curb. And who wants to replace their existing windows only to find that they have actually lost their view in the process? The true narrowline window design offers up to 27% more viewing area than other replacement windows. So when you replace your windows with Restorations you'll benefit from today's technology without compromising your wonderful view.
Performance: Restorations Windows are Made to Insulate – There are many different types of materials that are used in the manufacturing of windows... some that will significantly improve insulation values, and others that may not even be as good as the windows you are replacing. With Restorations, you can be assured that only the highest quality and best insulating materials in are used, so you'll truly be insulated from the cold of winter and the heat of summer. When investing in new windows, you want to solve the problems your existing windows have. You want to block out winter's cold winds and stop losing heat. That's what Restorations windows do better than the rest.
FiberCore structural technology increases the strength and durability of Restorations windows versus other replacement windows.
UltraCore polyurethane insulated windows provide the finest in window insulation comparable to the insulation found in freezer doors. No matter the temperature outside, you're sure to stay comfy inside.
SecureSeal Meeting Rails combine the benefits of a continuous fiberglass structural core for superior strength and durability, the insulating properties of high-performance polyurethane insulation, and the advantages of a triple-weatherstrip barrier.
DraftBlock Weatherstripping provides a superior barrier to wind and air by combining three layers of weatherstripping all with a center double fin for durability, a specially designed balance chamber air block, and dual closed cell sill weatherstrip seals that all last a lifetime.
Questions To Ask Yourself If You Are Considering Replacement Windows
Are the frames insulated?
Vinyl windows with frames made of uPVC (unplasticized polyvinyl chloride) extrusions insulated with a polyurethane core are much more energy efficient than wood, multi-chambered hollow vinyl, aluminum, and composite windows. Also make sure you look at the R-Factor of both glass and frames. Remember, the greater the R-Factor, the better the insulating value. All Sunrise windows are constructed with a polyurethane core.
How are the window corners connected?
If the corners are fusion welded together, the corners will never leak, which means neither water nor air will penetrate through the frames of the windows. However, if the corners are screwed together, mechanically fastened, or chemically welded, then they can start to leak over time. All Restorations windows are completely fusion welded.
Do the windows have an energy efficient glass, which will help to reduce the transfer of heat and cold?
Most windows are available with Low-E Glass. Some Low-E coatings are pyrolitic hard coats, some are sputter-coated soft coats, and some even contain 2 layers of Low-E coating. The highest performing Low-E, Sunrise's Ultra U-Plus, are coated with up to 8 different layers of heat reflective metallic shields.
Are the windows ENERGY STAR® approved where I live?
Products are tested and rated by the NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council), which have certain guidelines windows must pass to be considered energy efficient. Only the best performing windows will have the ENERGY STAR® approval by the U.S. Department of Energy for outstanding energy efficiency (utility cost savings). The department rates products for three different geographical regions in the United States, so many windows may not be ENERGY STAR® approved in all regions of the country. Restorations windows are ENERGY STAR® approved in all regions of the country.
Understanding ENERGY STAR®: Getting More for Your Money
Will I be able to find the style and type of window I want?
When choosing an ENERGY STAR® window or door, you don't sacrifice comfort, versatility or style. Restorations Windows feature ENERGY STAR® approved glass in all our window and patio door options.
What other advantages can I expect from an ENERGY STAR® window?
Some home furnishings and décor can actually suffer a kind of sunburn when continuously exposed to too much daylight. The ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can cause fading and degradation of many materials and dyes found in upholstery, carpet, artwork, wood or paint. Restorations' exclusive Ultra-U glass, can reduce harmful sun damage by up to 75 percent, giving greater protection to your interiors.
ENERGY STAR® windows, by virtue of their design, eliminate draftiness and resist condensation for greater comfort. A well-insulated window also diminishes sound transmission.
How can I get the most energy efficient product for my climate?
ENERGY STAR® performance requirements for windows and doors are tailored to fit the energy needs of the country's different climate regions - Southern, Northern and Central. The ENERGY STAR® Climate Region Map gives you clear guidelines for determining which windows and doors will do the best job to help reduce heating and cooling costs in your region - and your home. To be sure, crosscheck your window selection with the Climate Region Map on each ENERGY STAR® label. In all cases your decision is simplified; Restorations products meet performance requirements for all three regions.
What is an NFRC rating?
All ENERGY STAR® qualifying windows and doors also bear a label from the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC). NFRC provides unbiased energy performance ratings for windows and doors (or "fenestration".) Independent NFRC ratings provide the basis for the ENERGY STAR®'s window performance requirements.
NFRC's labels provide product-specific performance ratings for technical qualities such as U-Factor (the rate of heat loss from your home through the window during the winter), and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (how much heat your house gains from the sun during the summer.) Just as an EPA sticker on a new car will give you a guideline to the car's fuel economy, the NFRC label on a window gives consistent ratings that can help consumers determine both Winter and Summer performance characteristics. Look for low U-factor and SHGC numbers for highest efficiency performance. (See Restorations' label below.)
Can windows save energy?
In a typical house, over 40 percent of the annual energy budget is consumed by heating and cooling. Proper selection of windows and doors can significantly affect how much money we spend or save every year on keeping your homes bright and comfortable.
When you are investing hundreds or thousands of dollars on new windows or doors, you need to get the most for your money. A great way to find the right products for your home is too look for the ENERGY STAR® symbol. ENERGY STAR® labeled windows and doors are twice as efficient as the average window manufactured just ten years ago. These high performing products can help cut your heating and cooling costs, make your home more comfortable and help the environment too.
What features make the ENERGY STAR® window a good buy?
New materials, coatings, design and construction features, as well as other innovations, make ENERGY STAR® labeled windows a cost-effective investment. ENERGY STAR® labeled windows and doors are 40 percent more efficient than products required under the most common national building codes. This means you'll be using less energy to heat and cool your home all year, resulting in lower utility bills. There are also environmental benefits associated with choosing ENERGY STAR® labeled windows and other products. Most energy is produced by burning fossil fuels in large power plants. When we use energy more efficiently in our homes and businesses, we also help reduce air pollution.
Understanding the NFRC Label
The National Fenestration Rating Council's (NFRC) Energy Performance label is designed to help consumers measure and compare the energy performance of different window brands. Just as the EPA sticker on a new car will give you a guideline to the car's fuel economy, the NFRC label gives consistent benchmarked ratings that can help consumers compare performance characteristics of different window and door brands.
Winter - U-Factor
In the winter, the lower a window's overall U-Factor, the less heat you will lose through that window. A lower U-factor means you'll use less energy to heat your home, saving you more since your furnace isn't running as much. U-Factor ratings generally fall between .20 and 1.20.
Visible Transmittance
Visible Transmittance (VT) measures how much light comes through a window. The higher the visible light transmittance, the more light is transmitted through the window. VT is expressed as a number between 0 and 1.
Condensation Resistance
Condensation Resistance (CR) measures the ability of a window or door to resist the formation of condensation on the interior window or door surface. The higher the rating, the better the product is at resisting condensation formation. CR is expressed as a number between 0 and 100.
Summer - Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)
In the summer, a lower SHGC means less solar radiation is admitted through your window. Your home will remain cooler and your air conditioner will not have to work as hard. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1.
Air Leakage
The lower the number, the less drafts and air infiltration into your home. The lowest number the government assigns is a .1 and Restorations Windows are 70% better than the best industry standard. Any windows with an air leakage number above .3 fail this test.
A Useful Tool - Window Buyer's Dictionary of Window and Glass Terms
Air Leakage Rating
A measure of the rate of infiltration around a window or a skylight in the presence of a strong wind, expressed in units of cubic feet per minute per foot.
Airspace
The space in the cavity between two panes of glass in an insulated glass unit.
Argon
An inert, nontoxic gas placed between glass panes in insulated windows in order to improve the insulating value of sealed glass units.
BTU
An abbreviation for British thermal unit - a standard measure of the amount of energy required to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
Condensation
The accumulation of water vapor or droplets as the result of warm, moist air coming in contact with a cold surface and cooling to its dew point temperature. Condensation may occur when a cold window glass or frame is exposed to humid indoor air. Low-conductivity, insulated glass and warm-edge spacers reduce condensation.
Conduction
The transfer of heat through a solid material, such as glass or wood, through direct contact. Heat flows from a higher-temperature area to a lower-temperature one.
Convection
The flow of heat that occurs through a circulating gas or liquid (such as air) as warm air rises and cool air sinks. Convective heat transfer can take place in large areas (like rooms and buildings) and in small areas (like the cavity between two layers of insulated glass). Low-e insulated glass units lessen cold convection currents by maintaining warmer interior glass surface temperatures.
Emissivity
The relative ability of a surface to reflect or emit heat by radiation. Emissivity factors range from 0.00 to 1.00. The lower the emissivity, the less heat that is emitted through a window system. Emissivity is typically measured by U-factor (or its inverse, R-factor).
ENERGY STAR® Windows Program
A voluntary partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the fenestration industry to promote sales of energy-efficient windows, doors and skylights. The program establishes three climate regions with one recommended product designation for each region. All ENERGY STAR® windows must be NFRC-rated, certified and labeled for both U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient.
ENERGY STAR® Label
A label that indicates a window meets ENERGY STAR® program energy-efficiency requirements for a specific region, and is at least 40% more efficient than products required under the most common national building codes.
Fenestration
A window or skylight and its associated interior or exterior elements (e.g., shades or blinds).
Gas Fill
An insulating gas (such as argon or krypton) placed between window glazing panes to reduce the U-factor by suppressing conduction and convection.
Glaze/Glazing
Glass or plastic panes, as in a window or skylight. Note that the terms "double-glazed" and "double-paned" are interchangeable. (The term "glazed" should not be confused with "coated" or "tinted.")
Grids/Grilles
Also called "muntins." The decorative bars that divide the glass part of a window up and create a pattern. Sunrise Windows grids are located between the panes of glass.
Infiltration
The inadvertent flow of air into a building through breaks in the exterior surfaces of the building (e.g., through joints and cracks around window and skylight frames, sashes and glazings).
Laminated Glass
An insulated glass unit in which one internal piece of glass is covered (laminated) with an organic film. The film gives the glass an added degree of resistance to breakage.
Lite
A section of glass. This term can be confusing, as it can refer to an entire window (as in a 4-lite bow) or to one of the areas of glass divided up by muntins/grids/grilles. Sunrise uses the term "lite" only to refer to bow windows, which can come in 4-lite, 5-lite, or 6-lite sizes.
Low-Emissivity (Low-E) Coating
Microscopically thin, virtually invisible metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on a window glazing surface and sealed in an insulating glass unit to reduce the U-factor by suppressing radiative heat-flow through the window.
Muntins
Also called "grids" or "grilles." The decorative bars that divide the glass part of a window up and create a pattern. Sunrise Windows muntins are located between the panes of glass.
NFRC
National Fenestration Rating Council - a nonprofit public/private collaboration that provides contractors and homeowners with a standardized energy-performance rating system for fenestration products.
Passive Solar Heat Gain
Solar heat that passes through a material and is captured naturally, not by mechanical means.
Radiation
The transfer of heat in the form of electromagnetic waves from one surface to another.
Relative Heat Gain (RHG)
A calculated relationship of heat gain (through a window system) that accounts for center-of-glass U-value and center-of-glass shading coefficient based on a standard inside and outside temperature.
R-Value (also R-Factor)
A measure of a product's ability to resist the transfer of thermal energy. The inverse of U-factor (R=1/U), R-value is expressed in units of hr-sq. ft -ºF/BTU. A high R-value window has greater resistance to heat-flow and a higher insulating value than one with a low R-value.
Sealant
A substance, which adheres to the glass and the spacer, sealing an insulated unit. It must provide adhesiveness and a minimum of moisture transmission through itself. When one substance provides both these characteristics adequately, the unit is called a single-seal unit. Sometimes two materials are needed for the desired result, which makes a dual-seal unit.
Shading Coefficient (SC)
A measure of the ability of a window or skylight to transmit solar heat, relative to that ability for 1/8-inch clear, double-strength single glass. This measurement is being phased out in favor of solar heat gain coefficient, and is approximately equal to the SHGC (see below for definition) multiplied by 1.15.
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)
The fraction of solar radiation transmitted through a window or skylight, expressed as a percentage. The lower a window's SHGC, the less solar heat it transmits and the greater its shading ability. SHGC can be expressed in terms of the glass alone or can refer to the entire window assembly. Generally, a lower SHGC is desirable in warm climates, and a higher SHGC is desirable cold ones. SHGC has replaced shading coefficient (SC) as the standard indicator of a window's shading ability.
Solar Reflectance
The measured quantity of energy in the solar wavelength range that is reflected by a window, expressed as a percentage.
Solar Transmittance
The measured quantity of energy in the solar wavelength range that passes through a window, expressed as a percentage.
Spacer
A material placed between two or more panes of glass in an insulated glass unit to bond and seal the glazing unit.
Tempered Glass
Special heat-treated, high-strength safety glass which shatters into pebble-sized particles and not in slivers.
Titanium
An ultra-hard metal with low light absorption and high visible light transmittance (VLT) properties. Used in Sunrise's Ultra-U+Plus Glass, titanium low-e coatings improve transmitted color and reduce emissivity.
U-Factor (U-Value)
A measure of the rate of non-solar heat-flow through a material or assembly. It is expressed in units of BTU/hr.-sq. ft. -ºF (or W/sq. m-ºC), and may be expressed for the glass alone or for the entire window assembly, including frame and spacer materials. The lower the U-factor, the greater a window's resistance to heat-flow and the better its insulating value.
Visible Light Transmittance (VLT or VT)
The percentage or fraction of the visible light spectrum that is transmitted through the glass of a window or skylight as reduced by the sash material and reflectance of the glass.
Visible Reflectance
The measured amount of energy in the visible wavelength range that is reflected by a window system, expressed as a percentage.
Warm-Edge
Describes a window unit that uses a new spacer material (e.g., rubber or stainless steel or plastic vs. aluminum) and/or a thermal-break spacer design to reduce conductivity between interior and exterior glass panes.
RGH Contracting offers a variety of choices for entry and patio doors. We feature the very best from premium-quality brands like ProVia® and Restorations. Contact us today to set up your free in-home estimate.
ProVia® Entry Doors
ProVia's® line of entry doors include:
- Signet® Fiberglass Entry Doors
- Heritage™ Fiberglass Entry Doors
- Legacy™ Steel Entry Doors
Most ProVia® entry doors qualify for the ENERGY STAR® program. Installing these energy efficient doors will save you money on heating and cooling costs, improve interior comfort, and increase the value of your home.
ProVia's® professional class doors are made from the highest quality materials, starting with 20-gauge galvanized steel that gives you 49% more steel than a consumer-grade door. This exceptional durability is endorsed as "the door preferred by America's top remodelers" and is backed by a lifetime limited transferable warranty.
State-of-the-art methods of customization make it possible for you to create entry doors that are made to order for your home.
Restorations Sliding Patio Doors
Create a statement of sophistication with a new sliding patio door. Benefit from greater views without compromising security or comfort with a new Restorations sliding patio door. Built with big views and high performance in mind, your new patio door has 1' thick tempered safety glass encapsulated by an impressive sculpted sash frame for added architectural detail. The structural three point locking system is actuated with just a turn of the knob or the use of a key for easy operation and even greater security.
Outstanding Features
- Forever Finish brass handle eliminates chance of tarnishing and pitting
- Three-point locking system for added security and peace of mind
- Optional combination ventilation and dead bolt footlock for greater security and convenience
- Quad seal weatherstripping provides protection from drafts and offers twice the amount of weatherstripping used on most other doors
