"Honestly, they've held up pretty well. A little weatherstripping touch-up here and there, but nothing like the vinyl nightmare drafts I had before..."
Couldn't agree more with your experience. I've had fiberglass windows installed for about 8 years now in the Colorado Rockies, and they've been impressively reliable. The thermal expansion rate of fiberglass is closer to glass itself, which really helps minimize gaps and drafts during extreme temperature swings. Vinyl windows I had previously warped noticeably after just a few harsh winters... fiberglass has definitely been worth the investment for me.
Interesting to hear fiberglass has worked out so well for you guys. I'm still pretty new to all this homeowner stuff, but I did a ton of research before replacing my windows last year (first winter in the mountains was brutal... lesson learned). Ended up going with fiberglass too, mostly because of exactly what you mentioned—the thermal expansion thing. Vinyl seemed tempting at first because of the lower price, but after reading about warping and drafts, I figured I'd rather spend a bit more upfront than deal with headaches later.
So far, they've been solid through one full winter. No noticeable drafts or gaps yet, fingers crossed it stays that way. Only minor gripe is they weren't exactly cheap... but hey, neither is cranking up the heat every night because your windows leak cold air, right?
"Vinyl seemed tempting at first because of the lower price, but after reading about warping and drafts, I figured I'd rather spend a bit more upfront than deal with headaches later."
You're spot on here. I've seen vinyl windows do alright in moderate climates, but when it comes to mountain winters, fiberglass generally holds up better over time. It's not just the thermal expansion—fiberglass frames also tend to keep their structural integrity longer. Curious though, did you go with double- or triple-pane glass? I've found triple-pane can make a noticeable difference in comfort, especially at higher elevations...
It's not just the thermal expansion—fiberglass frames also tend to keep their structural integrity longer.
Fiberglass definitely has its perks, but honestly, I've had vinyl windows for about 8 years now in some pretty harsh winters, and they've held up surprisingly well. Maybe I got lucky? Also, triple-pane sounds nice, but is it really worth the extra cost...?
I've had triple-pane vinyl windows for about 5 years now, and honestly, they're great at keeping the cold out—but the price difference was kinda painful. Fiberglass might hold up better long-term, but vinyl isn't exactly falling apart either... tough call.