I had to shim every single window in my 1935 place when I put Simontons in—felt like I was building a puzzle with warped pieces.
Yeah, that sounds about right. My 1929 bungalow was the same story—nothing square, everything a bit off. I went with Simonton too, and honestly, they’ve been solid. Had to do a fair bit of creative shimming and cursing, but once they were in, the drafts pretty much disappeared. Only thing I’d say is the hardware feels a little cheap after a couple years, but the glass itself is holding up fine. Worth it if you’re tired of feeling a breeze in January.
That’s pretty much been my experience too. My place is from 1941, and nothing was ever level or square to begin with, so shimming was just part of the process. The Simontons have held up well—energy bills dropped a bit, and the house feels tighter in winter. I do agree about the hardware, though. It’s functional, but doesn’t exactly feel premium after a couple seasons. Still, I’d take that over the constant drafts any day. Sometimes you just have to pick your battles with these old houses...
Funny thing—my place is from the 30s, and I swear the walls are doing their own thing half the time. I went with a different brand (Pella), mostly because I wanted wood interiors to match the trim, and honestly, I’m not sure the energy savings have been dramatic. The drafts are better, but I still get some cold spots. Did you notice any condensation issues with the Simontons? That’s been my ongoing battle... Guess it’s always something with these old places.
Ha, I hear you on the walls—mine are more suggestion than structure at this point. I did Simonton in the back sunroom last winter, thinking it’d solve the “indoor breeze” issue. Condensation’s still a thing, but not as bad as the old single panes. Biggest surprise was how much noise they cut—didn’t expect that. Still get a draft near the baseboards though, so maybe the windows aren’t the only culprits...
Noise reduction’s a big plus with Simonton, for sure—folks are usually surprised by that. On the drafts, though, you’re right: windows only do so much if the walls or baseboards aren’t sealed up tight. I’ve seen a lot of older homes where air sneaks in around the sills or even through gaps in the floor. Sometimes it’s worth pulling off a bit of trim and checking for old, crumbling insulation... it’s not glamorous, but it can make a difference. Condensation’s always tricky, especially in rooms that get a lot of sun and then cool off quick at night.
Yeah, the noise reduction with Simonton is no joke—my neighbor replaced his old single-panes with them and you can barely hear the street now. I was honestly more impressed by that than the energy savings at first. But you’re right, if the rest of the house is leaky, new windows can only do so much. I learned that the hard way with my 1950s ranch. Thought I’d solved my draft problem with new windows, but nope… still felt a breeze by the baseboards. Ended up crawling around with a tube of caulk and some foam gaskets. Not the most fun Saturday, but it helped.
Condensation’s a tough one, especially here in the Midwest where temps drop fast at night. I’ve noticed it’s way worse in the rooms that get afternoon sun, like you mentioned. I think it’s partly a humidity thing too—if you’ve got a lot of plants or you dry clothes inside, it just adds up. I put a small dehumidifier in the worst room and it made a bigger difference than I expected.
One thing I’d add: Simonton’s warranty is pretty solid, but make sure whoever installs them actually follows the manufacturer’s guidelines. I’ve heard of folks losing warranty coverage because the installer skipped a step or used the wrong flashing tape. Not a fun surprise down the line.
Overall, I think the windows are worth it—just don’t expect miracles if the rest of the envelope is leaky. It’s like buying a fancy thermos with a cracked lid, you know? Gotta seal up the whole thing or you’re still losing heat (and money).
That’s a great analogy about the thermos—really sums it up. I ran into the same issue with my 60s split-level. The Simontons cut down on noise and drafts, but until I sealed up the rim joists and attic hatch, it was still chilly. Funny how windows get all the credit, but air leaks love to hide in the weirdest spots. And yeah, installer quality is huge—my friend’s warranty got voided because the crew used generic spray foam instead of what Simonton recommended. Worth double-checking the details before signing off.
Yeah, installer quality can make or break the whole window upgrade. I’ve seen folks drop big money on solid windows like Simonton, but then the crew rushes it or skips steps and suddenly you’re still feeling drafts. Rim joists and attic hatches are sneaky—most people don’t even think about those, but they’re basically highways for cold air if they’re not sealed up right.
It’s wild how much difference a proper air seal makes, even with good windows. I’ve had customers swear their “new” windows didn’t help until we tracked down leaks around the sill plate or in random closet corners. As for that spray foam thing—yeah, manufacturers can be pretty picky about what’s used for insulation. Seen warranties get tossed for less. Always worth poking around and making sure the crew is following the fine print, not just slapping stuff in.
Honestly, windows are just one piece of the puzzle. If the rest of the house is leaking like a sieve, you’ll never get cozy no matter what brand you put in.