Drafts were my main concern too, especially since our place is a 1920s bungalow with all the quirks you’d expect. We went with Elevate in the living room and kitchen—installed about three winters ago now. Honestly, I haven’t noticed any real drafts coming through the frames or sashes. The old windows were a nightmare; you could literally feel the breeze on your ankles. With these, it’s just... quiet. And warm.
That said, installation plays a huge part. If you’re in an older house with shifty framing (ours definitely is), making sure whoever installs them does a good job with insulation and caulking is almost as important as the window itself. Sometimes folks blame the window when it’s really gaps around the frame causing trouble.
I did have one spot by the back door where it felt a little cooler last January, but it turned out to be a gap in the trim, not the window unit. A bit of spray foam fixed it up.
About the color thing—totally get that. I obsessed over matching stains for weeks and finally realized once furniture and curtains were back, nobody noticed but me. The finish on the Elevate isn’t an exact match to my old woodwork, but it’s close enough that it just looks like “character.” If you’re really worried, maybe ask for a sample and hold it up in different lights? That helped me chill out about it.
If your main concern is drafts, I’d say Elevate holds up well—at least in my drafty old place. Just double-check whoever installs them knows how to handle older homes.
If you’re in an older house with shifty framing (ours definitely is), making sure whoever installs them does a good job with insulation and caulking is almost as important as the window itself. Sometimes folks blame the window when it’s really gaps around the frame causing trouble.
This right here is what’s making me hesitate. My place isn’t quite as old as yours (late 40s, so not exactly “vintage,” but there’s plenty of weirdness hiding in the walls). I keep hearing stories about people blaming the windows for cold spots when it’s really some half-baked install job. I’m kind of paranoid about paying a bunch and still ending up wearing wool socks indoors.
I’ve been looking at both Elevate and the old Integrity line, and honestly, I can’t tell if the differences are marketing or real. The Elevates seem solid, but part of me wonders if I should just suck it up and go for full wood, since that’s what’s already in here. Problem is, my budget is more “fixer-upper” than “historic restoration.” The color match thing is a pain, too. I’m probably the only one who’d notice, but every time I walk by that mismatched trim it’ll bug me. Maybe I just need to get over myself.
Funny you mention the spray foam—my dad’s solution for everything growing up was “just jam some foam in there.” Not always pretty, but it works. Still, I’d rather avoid having to patch stuff up right after dropping a chunk of change on new windows.
Anyway, sounds like Elevate might be the way to go if drafts are the main issue. Guess I’ll just have to cross my fingers that whoever does the install actually cares about details. Or maybe stand over their shoulder with a flashlight and a can of foam...
Not to stir the pot, but I’m not totally convinced Elevate is some magic bullet for drafty old places. I’ve been called in more than once to fix “cold window” complaints where the new units were perfectly fine—it was the install that tanked everything. But here’s the thing: even with a careful install, these hybrid windows don’t always play nice with older, out-of-square frames. You can foam and caulk all you want, but if your opening’s all cattywampus, you’re still going to get weird gaps or pressure points that show up as drafts later on.
The old Integrity line was pretty forgiving on this front, honestly. The frames had a little more flex, which helped with settling and all the quirks of mid-century houses. Elevate’s solid, but it’s stiffer—sometimes that means you end up fighting the opening more than you’d expect. Full wood is great for matching trim and aesthetics, but it’s way less forgiving if moisture sneaks in or things shift over time. And yeah, the price jump is real.
Color match is one of those things that’ll drive you nuts if you’re detail-oriented (ask me how I know), but most folks stop noticing after a couple weeks. Unless you’re planning to refinish all your trim anyway, I’d say don’t let that be the main deciding factor.
About the foam—honestly, I get twitchy when I see jobs where someone just went wild with spray foam. Too much and you risk bowing the frame or making a mess that’s impossible to trim out cleanly. There’s a sweet spot, and not every installer cares enough to hit it. If you’re worried about quality, maybe spend more time vetting your installer than debating window lines. A careful install with a mid-tier window usually beats a sloppy job with high-end stuff.
One last thing: have you thought about doing a test window first? Sometimes dropping one in and living with it for a season tells you more than any amount of research. Just my two cents.
I hear you on the install being half the battle. I’ve seen Elevate fight me every inch of the way in a 1950s ranch where nothing was square, and yeah, that stiffness is no joke compared to the old Integrity units. You can get it done, but sometimes it feels like you’re wrestling the house. I actually prefer using backer rod and a careful bead of caulk over going nuts with foam—learned that lesson the hard way after trimming out a wavy window or two. Not saying Elevate’s bad, just that it’s not the magic fix some folks expect. Test window idea is solid, especially if you’re picky about the details.
You nailed it with the backer rod and caulk. I’ve had too many callbacks after someone went heavy with spray foam, especially in older houses where the jambs are anything but straight. Elevate’s definitely stiffer—sometimes it feels like you’re forcing a square peg into a round hole. In my experience, the old Integrity units had a bit more forgiveness for out-of-plumb openings. Not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing before you start popping out every window in a wonky house. Test fitting one first can save a headache or two down the line.
That’s spot on about the spray foam—seen way too many warped jambs and sticky sashes from folks getting overzealous with it. The stiffer Elevate frames really do test your patience in an old house where nothing’s square. Ever try shimming one of those into a 1920s opening that’s off by half an inch? Makes you appreciate the old Integrity’s flex a bit more, even if they weren’t perfect either. Curious, have you noticed any difference in long-term air sealing between the two, or is it mostly install-dependent?
- Had both in my 1918 bungalow. Elevate’s frames are definitely less forgiving—felt like wrestling a stubborn cat into a carrier trying to get them plumb in my wavy openings.
- Air sealing? Honestly, I think it’s 80% install, 20% window. My old Integrity units weren’t perfect, but the foam and tape job made all the difference. The Elevates seem tighter out of the box, but if you botch the shimming or overdo the foam, it’s game over.
- One thing I did notice: the Elevate weatherstripping seems to hold up better after a few years of Midwest freeze/thaw cycles. The Integrity ones got a bit drafty around year six, but maybe that was just my luck (or my kids slamming the sashes).
- If I had to pick, I’d still go with the Elevate for new installs, but I do miss the flex of the old ones when dealing with these charmingly crooked walls… Sometimes “character” just means more headaches.
Yeah, getting Elevates into my 1920s place was a workout. Those frames do not want to play nice with anything less than laser-straight openings. I’ll admit, I got a little too generous with the spray foam on one and it’s still a pain to open. But they do feel solid—no drafts yet, even after a couple winters. The old Integrities were easier to fudge, but I swear they started whistling at me after a few years. Guess every upgrade comes with a new set of quirks...
I got a little too generous with the spray foam on one and it’s still a pain to open.
Been there. I learned the hard way that less is more with foam—too much and you’re fighting the window every time. Elevates do seal tight, though. My old Integrities let in a breeze if you even looked at them sideways. Tradeoff is, these new ones don’t forgive a crooked opening. If your house is out of square (like mine), it’s a real wrestling match.
That whole “tight seal” thing is a blessing and a curse, right? I swapped to Elevates last fall, and while I love not feeling a draft every time the wind picks up, I’ve definitely had a few moments where I thought I was gonna break the sash just trying to get it open. My place is almost 100 years old—nothing’s square anymore. Ended up shaving down some trim just to keep one window from sticking after the foam expanded more than expected.
Honestly, I do miss how forgiving the Integrities were with my wonky openings. They didn’t care if the frame was a little out of whack, but like you said, they let in plenty of air. Guess it’s just picking your battles. At least with Elevates, once you muscle them shut, you know they’re staying put... but there’s definitely an art to not overdoing the foam. Learned that lesson with a putty knife and some colorful language.