Seeking Real-World Results: ENERGY STAR Window Upgrades in Tampa Bay Homes

Hello! I’m in Clearwater (Pinellas County) and we replaced all our windows about 3 years ago. Our house was built in the early 1980s and still had the original single-pane aluminum frame windows. They were terrible – super drafty in winter and like a heat sieve in summer. We finally bit the bullet in 2022 and got ENERGY STAR rated double-pane vinyl windows throughout the house. We opted for hurricane impact windows as well because we live fairly close to the coast and wanted the storm protection (plus a little extra peace of mind).
It was absolutely worth it for us. 😃 The upfront cost was significant (we paid about $12,000 for 10 windows, including two large picture windows – all impact glass). But immediately we noticed the house stayed cooler. Before, by midday, the rooms by the south and west-facing windows would get really hot. After the new windows, those rooms stay much more comfortable and our AC doesn’t run constantly like it used to. Our electric bill dropped by maybe 15-20% in the summer months. Another bonus: the outside noise is noticeably reduced. We live on a somewhat busy street, and with the old single panes we heard every car and siren. Now it’s a lot quieter inside (not soundproof, but a big improvement).

One thing I’ll say is to plan for installation day. It took the crew two full days to do our 10 windows. We had to move some furniture away from windows and take down curtains and blinds beforehand. It was a bit messy (they had to do some cutting and there was drywall dust), but a good installer will put down drop cloths and clean up. Our contractor even vacuumed after. Also, because ours were impact windows, each one was heavy and had to be secured properly, and an inspector from the county came out afterward to approve the install (since it’s required by code for impact products here). The permitting and inspection were all handled by the window company we used. In the end, no issues – we passed inspection and have been very happy. I only wish we’d done it sooner!

I’m so glad to see this thread. I’m in north Tampa and looking to replace my windows soon as well. My home is circa 1990 and has the original aluminum single-pane sliders. They sweat with condensation all the time and are hard to open. 😞
For those who have done it, I have a few questions: How much did your window projects cost (per window or total)? I know it varies, but I have no idea if I’m looking at $5k or $20k for a whole house. I have 15 windows total. Also, any hidden costs I should be aware of? For example, did you have to pay extra for permits, or for repairing interior trim or exterior stucco after the old windows came out? I’m worried about potential add-ons because my friend had a bad surprise (extra charges for stucco repair) when he did his windows (he’s not in FL though).

And importantly, any local installer recommendations? I definitely want someone familiar with Hillsborough County codes (hurricane requirements, etc.) and our climate. Thanks!

@film495 Great questions. We went through this last year, so I can share our experience. We live in St. Petersburg (Pinellas) in a 1970s block home. We replaced 18 windows (various sizes) and it ran us about $24,000 total, but keep in mind these were all impact-rated, double-pane vinyl windows with Low-E glass. That comes out to roughly $1,300 per window on average. Non-impact windows would have been cheaper – in our case, going non-impact would have saved around 40% of the cost, but we chose impact for hurricane resilience (we didn’t want to bother with shutters). We used ProTech Windoors for our project and they did a fantastic job from start to finish. 👍
To answer your question about hidden costs: definitely pin down these details with each contractor before you sign a contract. In our case, ProTech Windoors provided an all-inclusive quote, which I really appreciated. It covered everything: pulling the permit from the city, the installation labor, any needed interior trim work or exterior stucco patching, and hauling away the old windows. We made a point to ask about all of these, because like you, I was worried about surprise add-ons.

For example, I suggest asking each company the following upfront:

Permit fees: Are they included in the quote? (Ours were included, which was a few hundred dollars value).

Stucco or drywall repairs: If removing the old windows damages any surrounding stucco or interior drywall, will they fix it as part of the price? Some will include a basic repair, others will charge extra. We had one or two small stucco cracks during install and ProTech patched them up no charge.

Disposal: Do they haul away old window frames and debris? (Most good companies will; ours took all the old aluminum frames to recycle).

Trim and finish: Will they paint or finish the interior trim if needed? (We had wood window trim that fortunately wasn’t damaged, but we clarified this in case).

By getting those details in writing, you can compare apples to apples. We had a neighbor who used a different company that gave a slightly lower initial quote, but later on he got hit with extra charges because their quote hadn’t included some necessary stucco repairs after installation. So the “cheaper” quote ended up costing him more in the end.

One more tip: ask about the timeline. From the day we signed the contract to installation was about 8 weeks (for custom-manufactured windows to fit our openings). The install itself took 3 days for 18 windows. Just have realistic expectations that it’s not usually a next-week kind of project – especially with the supply chain delays lately, a lot of window manufacturers are running several weeks out.

Hope this helps, and good luck. Based on my experience, energy-efficient windows are a very worthwhile upgrade here in Tampa Bay.

We did a full window replacement on our home in New Port Richey (Pasco) about two years ago. Our house is a 1995 build with what I suspect were “builder grade” double-pane windows originally. They weren’t single-pane, but they had no Low-E coating and over the decades the seals had started to fail (we had condensation between the glass on a couple windows). So even though they were double-pane, they were no longer performing well. We decided to replace all 12 windows in mid-2023.
We opted for vinyl-framed, double-pane windows with Low-E glass (Energy Star certified for Florida). We did not go with impact glass on ours, mainly to save money – we’re a bit inland in Pasco and we have hurricane shutters for all windows that we’re okay deploying if needed. The cost for us was about $9,000 for all 12 windows, installed. We got three quotes and ended up going with a local family-run window contractor (not a big name, but well-reviewed). The other quotes we got were $8,500 (slightly less, from a one-man operation) and ~$12,000 (from a larger company heavily advertised on TV). We felt more comfortable with the mid-range option in terms of reputation and warranty for the price.

After installation, we noticed a few things immediately:

The comfort level went way up. Certain rooms that would get hot in the afternoon sun are much cooler now. The Low-E coatings really cut the radiant heat.

Our AC doesn’t cycle on as frequently. The difference in our summer electric bill was noticeable – probably around 10-15% lower the first full month after window replacement, compared to the prior year.

It’s a lot quieter. We don’t hear the lawn mowers and loud cars nearly as much as before. This was a nice unexpected perk, even with non-impact glass.

Aesthetic improvement: the new windows have clean white frames and make the house look more modern. We opted for no grids (no muntins), which gives us a clearer view outside. The old ones had those fake grids that were looking dingy, so we’re glad to be rid of those.

The installation process was smooth. It took two days for 12 windows. They had to do some minor touch-up painting on a couple of exterior areas where the new windows didn’t exactly match the stucco cutout – but that was included in our quote. We didn’t have any interior damage at all; the installers were careful removing the old ones.

Overall, we’re very happy. The house feels newer and more comfortable. If you have failing double-pane windows or older single panes, I’d say upgrading to modern ENERGY STAR windows in our climate is a no-brainer.

For those who had to choose: did you go with impact-resistant windows or standard windows with separate hurricane shutters? I’m trying to decide if impact glass is worth the extra cost for us. We’re in Brandon (Hillsborough), not right on the coast, and we already have accordion-style hurricane shutters that we can close when a storm comes. The price difference I’m seeing is significant – one quote was ~50% higher for impact windows vs. non-impact.
If I can save a lot by sticking with non-impact (since I have shutters for hurricanes), maybe I’ll do that. But I’m also thinking about things like insurance discounts and convenience (not having to put up shutters). Any thoughts or experiences on this trade-off? Did anyone regret NOT getting impact windows, or conversely, feel that impact glass was totally worth it?

@marks96 We faced the exact same dilemma. We live in Largo (Pinellas) and just replaced our windows last year. We do have hurricane shutters for all our windows, and like you, we initially leaned toward not spending the extra on impact glass. In the end, we actually did not go with impact windows to save money, and instead got high-quality double-pane vinyl windows (Energy Star rated, non-impact) and will continue using our shutters for storms.
Cost was a big factor. In our case, impact windows would have added roughly 40% more to the bill. For example, one quote was $7,000 for non-impact vs about $10,000+ for impact for our set of windows. We decided that $3k difference wasn’t worth it since we already had the shutter protection. We used Karoly Windows & Doors for the installation (they’re based in Clearwater but serve all Tampa Bay). Karoly gave us both options in their quote, and they were very understanding that we chose the non-impact route. They didn’t pressure us at all one way or the other – just explained the pros and cons.

Now, 8 months later, we’re happy with our choice. We got the energy efficiency we wanted and stayed within budget. Our homeowners insurance did offer a small discount if we had installed impact-rated windows, but it wasn’t huge (for us it would have been around $200 a year savings on insurance). We figured it would take well over a decade for that to pay back the extra cost of impact glass. And we’re okay with deploying our shutters when needed; it’s just my spouse and I and we can get them closed up in about an hour.

One thing to note: impact windows do have benefits beyond hurricane season. Because they have laminated glass, they provide even more noise reduction and also extra security (it’s much harder for a burglar to break an impact window). Sometimes I wonder if we should have sprung for them just for the added peace of mind on those fronts. But overall, no regrets. We had a tight budget, and the non-impact double-panes alone have made a world of difference in our home’s comfort.

Our electric bill went down about 15%. The AC doesn’t run as constantly, and we’ve noticed far less condensation and no drafts. When a tropical storm brushed by us in the fall, we put up our shutters and everything was fine. So as long as you’re diligent about using your shutters, non-impact windows can be a perfectly fine choice and you’ll still get the energy efficiency benefits. Just assess your own tolerance for storm prep versus the upfront cost and minor insurance savings.

Wow, thank you all for the detailed responses! This is incredibly helpful. 🙌
@sewist85 Thanks for breaking down those cost factors and what to ask in quotes. That checklist is gold – I wouldn’t have thought about the stucco repair or who handles the permit until you mentioned it. I’ll be sure to get everything in writing as you suggest. The timeline info is useful too; I won’t expect this to be done in just a week or two.

@jmartin52 Appreciate hearing your perspective on impact vs non-impact. It sounds like if you already have shutters, non-impact can work out fine and save a lot of money. We’re in a similar boat (have metal panels for storms), and honestly we don’t mind putting them up if it saves us several thousand dollars.

Given all this feedback, I plan to get at least 3 quotes. I’ll definitely be reaching out to Karoly Windows & Doors and ProTech Windoors, since you all have had good experiences with them. I might also get a quote from one more well-known company just to compare, but it helps to have a couple names that come recommended by real locals.

Thanks again to everyone – keep the stories and advice coming! I’m taking notes. 😄

Hi all, jumping in here. I’m in Wesley Chapel (Pasco County) and following this discussion closely because I’m in the early stages of researching window replacements. My home was built in 2003 and still has the original windows, which are double-pane but definitely not ENERGY STAR (no Low-E, and I suspect the argon has leaked out over time on some). My electric bills are outrageous in summer (over $300 some months for a 2,000 sq ft house). I’ve added attic insulation and upgraded my AC, but I can still feel heat radiating from the windows and some have slight drafts. So windows are next on my hit list.
A couple of quick questions for the group:

Frame material durability: Almost every quote or brochure I see is for vinyl framed windows. Are vinyl frames holding up well in our Florida heat and sun? I worry about warping or discoloration over time. Is aluminum or fiberglass worth considering instead, or is vinyl pretty much the standard now for replacements here?

For those who did it, how has your long-term experience been? Any issues with the new windows after a few years (like seal failures, hardware problems, etc.)? I plan to be in my house at least another 10-20 years, so I need these new windows to last.

This thread is already answering a lot of my other questions (impact vs non-impact, costs, etc.). Thank you all for sharing – as a first-time homeowner it’s super helpful to learn from people who’ve gone through it!

I’ll share my experience on the shopping process. We’re in South Tampa and replaced 10 windows in our home last year. We got several quotes and the price differences were wild. For example, we had Renewal by Andersen come out (they’re a big national company that uses a composite material called Fibrex). The sales pitch was intense – about 2.5 hours of slick presentations. The quote they gave us was around $25,000 for 10 windows! 😱 (Granted, those were top-of-the-line triple-pane Fibrex windows, but still.)
After picking our jaws off the floor, we got quotes from two local companies. One of them was Karoly Windows (mentioned by @jmartin52). Karoly quoted us about $15,000 for essentially the same number of windows, also double-pane, Energy Star, custom-sized for our openings. The windows they quoted were vinyl frame with Low-E glass (I think the brand was PGT or Simonton). No fancy Fibrex composite, but honestly that wasn’t worth the huge extra cost to us. The other local company’s quote was around $16k. We ended up going with Karoly Windows & Doors, and we’re so glad we did.

The installation with Karoly was great. They had a professional crew that knocked out all 10 windows in two days. The quality of the install was top-notch – they leveled everything, insulated around the frames, and made it look seamless inside and out. They even improved the look of some windows by adding nice PVC trim where the old ones had ugly caulk lines.

In terms of results, the new windows have been fantastic. We immediately noticed that our living room, which has two huge west-facing windows, is much cooler in the afternoons now. We can actually sit by the windows without feeling the sun’s heat blasting through. Our AC runtime is definitely lower – the thermostat is in that living room, and previously the sun would heat it up, kicking the AC on. Now the thermostat area stays cooler, so the AC doesn’t cycle as often. Hard to quantify, but our energy usage has gone down a bit per our utility’s reports.

Also echoing others: noise reduction and aesthetics improved. And no more foggy glass (seeing the world clearly through clear panes is nice!). We feel we got excellent value by going with a reputable local installer instead of the ultra-expensive national brand. No regrets at all on choosing Karoly.

For @sailing891’s question on frame materials: We have vinyl and so far, so good. The ones we got are UV stabilized (most quality vinyl windows are, these days) so they don’t yellow or crack. I asked the same question and was told vinyl is pretty much the go-to for Florida because it doesn’t conduct heat (better energy performance than aluminum) and is more affordable than fiberglass. Aluminum frames are still used by some, especially for really big window openings or commercial buildings, but they conduct a lot of heat unless they have a thermal break. I think as long as you get a decent quality vinyl window from a reputable manufacturer, they should hold up well. Ours came with a lifetime warranty on the frames and seals, which is reassuring.

Hope that helps!