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anyone else struggling to find decent windows for high altitude?
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I'm honestly about ready to pull my hair out trying to find windows that actually hold up at higher elevations. We moved up to around 8,000 feet last year, and I swear every window salesperson acts like I'm speaking another language when I ask about altitude ratings or pressure differences. Like, hello, it's not exactly sea level here, you know?
We already had one set installed that ended up fogging and warping within months. The company blamed it on "unexpected pressure changes," which seems like a fancy way of saying they didn't know what they were doing. Now we're back to square one, and I'm dreading another round of sales pitches and vague promises.
Has anyone else dealt with this? Is there some secret code word or something I need to use to get decent windows that won't implode at altitude? Or am I just doomed to live with foggy views forever...
2 replies
- Actually, altitude-rated windows are definitely a thing - look for "breather tubes" or "capillary tubes."
- Standard sealed windows often fail at high elevations because they're built for lower pressures.
- Maybe try local suppliers who regularly deal with mountain homes? They usually know their stuff better.
When we moved into our place up near Tahoe, the windows were a total nightmare - constant fogging and even some cracking after the first winter. I had no idea altitude was even a factor until a local handyman pointed it out. Ended up getting windows with breather tubes installed, and they've held up pretty well so far. Curious though, does anyone know if these altitude-rated windows affect insulation efficiency much? Seems like adding a tube might compromise things slightly...
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