Funny you mention the “sweaty” vinyl—our old windows used to fog up so bad in the winter, it looked like I was running a sauna in the living room. Swapping to fiberglass definitely helped with that, but honestly, I didn’t notice a huge difference in noise either. Maybe a tiny bit, but like you said, it’s probably more about the glass itself.
Opening and closing? Fiberglass feels solid, but the vinyl ones we had before slid just as nice. If I had to do it again, I might stick with vinyl just for the price difference. Fiberglass looks great, but my wallet still hasn’t forgiven me.
I hear you about the wallet pain—fiberglass isn’t cheap. I’ve swapped out plenty of vinyl and fiberglass windows for clients, and honestly, unless you’re dealing with serious temperature swings or a lot of direct sun, vinyl holds up just fine. I’ve seen 20-year-old vinyl still sliding smooth, as long as it’s good quality and installed right. The condensation thing? That’s usually more about humidity in the house and how airtight the window is. Fiberglass does seem to handle it a bit better, but you’re right, the glass itself (and maybe adding argon fill) will do more for noise than the frame material.
That’s interesting about the condensation—our old vinyls would fog up every winter, but I always blamed it on the frame. Maybe it was just our humidifier running too high. Has anyone noticed a difference in how fiberglass looks over time? My neighbor’s vinyl windows yellowed a bit after about 15 years, but I haven’t seen that with fiberglass.
Yeah, I’ve seen that yellowing happen with vinyl too—my parents’ place had it pretty bad after a decade or so. Fiberglass seems to hold up way better in that department. I swapped out a couple windows five years back and honestly, the fiberglass ones still look brand new, even on the sunniest side of the house. Condensation was a huge problem for us too until I dialed back the humidifier... didn’t realize how much that played into it. Vinyl’s fine, but if you want something that stays looking sharp, fiberglass is hard to beat.
- Fiberglass definitely wins the looks contest at my place—mine haven’t faded or warped, even after a few years of direct sun.
- That said, I did notice the upfront cost was a bit of a gut punch compared to vinyl.
- Vinyl’s easier on the wallet and install was a breeze, but yeah, I’ve seen that yellow tint sneak in over time.
- Condensation—man, you nailed it. Didn’t realize how much the humidifier was sabotaging me until water started pooling on the sills.
- Anyone else get weird creaking noises from vinyl in winter? Mine sound like they’re settling in for a nap every time the temp drops...
That creaking from vinyl in the cold is all too familiar—mine almost sound like they’re settling arguments with the house frame when the temps drop. I will say, fiberglass feels sturdier in that regard. Haven’t had any movement or noise issues since swapping out a couple windows last year. On condensation, dialing back the humidifier helped, but I also noticed my old vinyl sills got a bit soft over time from the moisture. Fiberglass seems to shrug it off better, but yeah, that initial price tag stings. Still, not having to repaint or worry about fading has made life easier for me in the long run.
fiberglass feels sturdier in that regard. Haven’t had any movement or noise issues since swapping out a couple windows last year.
Interesting—I've actually seen some fiberglass units flex a bit in larger openings, especially with big temperature swings. Maybe that's more of an install thing than the material itself, but worth mentioning. Vinyl does creak, true, but I’ve had decent luck with higher-end vinyl frames holding up structurally (triple-pane helps). The condensation issue is real though; I’ve had to replace a few sills over the years. Still, for those on a tight budget or just doing a couple windows at a time, vinyl isn’t always as bad as it’s made out to be. Just depends on how much you want to mess with maintenance down the road...
I’ve actually been through this exact debate in my own place—1950s brick ranch, Midwest climate, lots of freeze/thaw cycles. Ended up doing a mix of both materials (vinyl in the basement, Ultrex fiberglass upstairs), so I’ve lived with the pros and cons side-by-side for a few years now.
On the flexing point: I did notice some minor deflection in one of the bigger fiberglass picture windows during last winter’s cold snap. It wasn’t dramatic, but enough that I double-checked the install. Turns out, the installer didn’t shim quite as thoroughly as they should have at the corners. After tightening things up, zero movement since. So yeah, installation seems to matter more than I expected—fiberglass is inherently stiffer than vinyl, but it’s not immune to bowing if it’s not supported right.
Condensation was a huge issue with my old vinyl sliders. Even after swapping to higher-end triple-pane vinyl, I still got moisture pooling on the sills during extreme cold spells. The fiberglass units upstairs haven’t had that problem at all so far—the interior temps stay much more stable, and I suspect the lower expansion/contraction rate helps keep seals tight.
Maintenance-wise, vinyl is basically set-and-forget until something cracks or warps (which happened on two south-facing windows after ten years). Fiberglass needs repainting eventually if you want it looking sharp, but structurally it feels like it’ll outlast everything else in the house.
One thing that surprised me: the price gap isn’t as wild as it used to be. Fiberglass is still pricier upfront, but factoring in energy bills and the hassle factor of replacing failed vinyl in a few years...it starts to even out over time.
If you’re only doing one or two windows and don’t mind possibly swapping them again down the road, vinyl can make sense. If you’re planning to stay put for a while or just want to stop thinking about windows altogether, fiberglass has been worth it for me—especially in rooms where temperature swings are brutal.
“Turns out, the installer didn’t shim quite as thoroughly as they should have at the corners. After tightening things up, zero movement since. So yeah, installation seems to matter more than I expected—fiberglass is inherently stiffer than vinyl, but it’s not immune to bowing if it’s not supported right.”
This right here is something I see all the time—doesn’t matter how good your window is if it’s not installed dead-on. Fiberglass is stiffer than vinyl, but it’s still just a frame if the opening isn’t square or the shims are missed. I’ve had customers swear their new windows were “bad” when it was really just a botched install.
On the condensation front, vinyl’s still got a reputation for sweating in Midwest winters. Even with triple-pane, I regularly get calls about ice on the inside when we hit those subzero snaps. Fiberglass, on the other hand, holds its shape better and keeps the seals tight, so you don’t get those cold spots.
One thing I’ll add: if you’re ever thinking about painting your windows to match trim down the line, fiberglass is way easier to work with. Vinyl paint jobs tend to peel or fade. But yeah, if you’re flipping the house in a few years, vinyl can make sense too. It’s all about what you’re willing to deal with long-term.
Really agree with the point about installation making or breaking things. We did a big window replacement project two winters ago—went with fiberglass after hearing all the horror stories about vinyl warping and sweating in cold weather (I’m in Minnesota, so that’s a real problem). The installer was super careful about shimming and double-checking for square openings. I haven’t had a single draft or cold spot since, but my neighbor just down the street had vinyl put in by a different crew—lots of condensation, even with new windows, and he’s not happy.
Painting was actually what sold me on fiberglass too. We wanted to match the trim when we redid the living room, and the painter said vinyl would’ve been a pain to get right. Only downside for us was cost; fiberglass was definitely pricier up front, but honestly, I’m glad we stretched the budget.
If you’re planning to stay put for a while, it seems worth it. If not... yeah, maybe vinyl is fine for a quick flip. Just depends on your plans and how much hassle you want later on.