Unexpected Issues and Lessons Learned During Window Replacement in Tampa Bay

@patricia_peak Good question. The turtle glass we got has a slight tint – in our case it’s a light bronze/gray hue. During the day, from inside the house, we honestly don’t notice a big difference in brightness. Our view is still very clear; it’s akin to having a mild sunglasses effect on the window. Colors outside look a tiny bit warmer in tone, but unless you had a clear glass right next to it to compare, you wouldn’t think anything of it.
From the outside (looking at the house), the windows do have a reflective tint, kind of like a mild mirror finish when the sun hits them. But a lot of modern windows have some degree of Low-E coating that looks similar, so it doesn’t stand out as unusual. At night, when lights are on inside, the tint significantly reduces the glow that escapes to the beach side – that’s the main purpose. We can have our interior lights on and from the sand you barely see the windows illuminated.

So, in short, it’s a subtle difference in everyday use. We didn’t mind at all, especially knowing it was for a good environmental reason. If you didn’t know they were “turtle” glass, you’d probably just think they are slightly tinted high-efficiency windows.

I want to highlight an experience for those in designated historic districts (like parts of Tampa Heights, Ybor City, Old Northeast St. Pete, etc.). Our home is a 1925 bungalow in Seminole Heights, and replacing windows had an extra layer of complexity due to historic preservation rules.
When we decided to upgrade our very old wood windows (many were painted shut or had cracked panes), we couldn’t just pick any modern window off the shelf. The City’s historic preservation office required that any new windows visible from the street match the appearance of the originals. In our case, that meant we had to order custom wood-framed windows with the same grid pattern as the old ones. Vinyl or aluminum windows would likely have been rejected for the front of the house. We went through a certificate of appropriateness process, where we submitted our plans and window specs to the historic review board.

It definitely limited our options – not many manufacturers make true divided-light wood windows that meet current code. And of course, the ones that do are pricey. We ended up spending significantly more per window than we would have for a standard vinyl replacement unit. It also took longer; getting the historic board’s approval added about a month before we could even place the order, and the custom fabrication of those wood windows was around 12 weeks.

For the sides and back of the house (less visible areas), the city let us use wood-clad windows that looked similar but were a bit more cost-effective. Still, the experience taught us that if you live in a historic or preservation district, you need to factor in additional time, bureaucracy, and potentially higher costs for specialty products. The upside is the new windows look beautiful and very much in character with the home – you can hardly tell they’re modern double-pane windows. But it was a hurdle we had to navigate.

So, anyone in a historic neighborhood: check with your local preservation guidelines before ordering. The last thing you want is to violate those rules and have to rip out brand-new windows because they aren’t “historically appropriate.”

@geo733 That’s a great point. My friend owns a 1910s house in Ybor City and ran into the same issue – they could only use certain wood windows that the historic committee approved, and it cost them a pretty penny. It’s definitely something to be aware of if you’re in any of those old neighborhoods. Thanks for sharing your experience!

One more thing to add from my window install: make sure your installer is properly insured (and ask about it!). During our installation, one of the workers accidentally dropped a crowbar and put a small crack in our tile floor near the entryway. It was genuinely an accident, and the guy felt terrible about it. But these things can happen when you have major work going on in your home.
Fortunately, the window company had insurance for such incidents. We reported it to the project supervisor, and they took pictures and filed a claim. They ended up covering the full cost of a tile repair service to come out and replace the cracked tile and re-grout the area. We didn’t have to fight or pay out of pocket – it was handled professionally.

I shudder to think what would have happened if we had used some fly-by-night installer who wasn’t insured. We might have been stuck paying for that damage ourselves or dealing with our own homeowners insurance (which might not cover damage by an unlicensed contractor).

So, when you’re vetting companies, be sure they are licensed and insured. Don’t just take their word for it; you can ask for a copy of their insurance certificate. Reputable companies will have no problem providing that. Knowing that our contractor had our back when something went wrong gave us a lot of peace of mind.

And on a related note: do a careful walk-through after the job. Check for any damage or issues not just with the windows but around them (walls, floors, etc.). The sooner you flag an issue, the easier it is to get it resolved.

I have a regret to share regarding the type of glass: not getting impact-resistant windows. We chose to go with standard, non-impact windows for our home in Land O’ Lakes to save some money, with the plan to use hurricane shutters/panels when needed. The windows themselves are good quality double-pane, but they aren’t the impact glass that can withstand debris by itself.
Now, a year later, I wish we had spent the extra for impact windows. We’ve already had a couple of storm scares (tropical storms that threatened our area), and the hassle and stress of putting up shutters is real. Just last month, there was a severe thunderstorm with high winds that blew a branch into one of our new windows. It didn’t break, thankfully – perhaps partly luck – but it gave us a scare. Had it been a stronger projectile, we might have lost that window. With impact-rated windows, I’d have more peace of mind year-round.

Also, I learned that if all your openings are impact-rated, you can often get a discount on your homeowner’s insurance in Florida. We missed out on that. We still use clunky metal panel shutters that came with the house for the big openings, and deploying those every time there’s a hurricane warning is something I dread.

Don’t get me wrong: non-impact windows combined with shutters will protect your home if you use them properly, but the convenience and security of impact windows are something I find myself envying now. A neighbor who got impact windows doesn’t have to do anything when we’re bracing for a storm, while I’m out there drilling in panel screws or putting up plywood.

So, if you’re on the fence about spending the extra money for impact glass, consider the long-term ease and safety. At the time of purchase, we saved a few thousand dollars by skipping the impact feature, but in retrospect, I would rather have spent that and avoided the ongoing worry (and labor) every storm season.

@gardener67 I feel you on the impact window debate. We decided to splurge on impact-rated windows for our house in Westchase, and we have zero regrets. The peace of mind during storm season is huge – when a hurricane watch rolls around, we aren’t rushing to board anything up; we just make sure everything is closed and locked.
Also, as you mentioned, the insurance benefit is real. After we installed all impact windows (and an impact-resistant front door), we had a wind mitigation inspection done. Our home insurance premium dropped by about 15% because we now qualify for the wind-resistant openings credit. Over time, that will help offset some of the cost of the upgrades.

On top of that, the impact glass has other perks: it provides better sound insulation (our house is quieter now) and it blocks UV to some extent, which has helped with the afternoon heat in our home.

The windows were definitely more expensive individually – we probably paid maybe 20-25% more per window for the hurricane glass option – but like you, some neighbors of ours went non-impact and rely on shutters, and they’ve already said they envy not having to mess with anything when a storm threatens.

For anyone on the fence, if budget allows, impact windows are a worthwhile investment in my opinion. It’s one of those things where you pay for it once, and then you’re set for decades of storm seasons.

A cautionary tale about going too cheap: the previous owner of my house in New Port Richey had replaced the windows on the cheap about 5 or 6 years before I bought it. They went with some bargain-brand, no-name vinyl windows (probably to flip the house quickly). Well, here we are a few years later and I’m already seeing the consequences. Two of those windows have lost their seal – there’s permanent fog and condensation between the double panes on cool mornings, which means the insulating gas likely leaked out. One window doesn’t stay open because the balance spring broke. In short, these “newish” windows are aging poorly.
Now I’m in the position of looking to replace windows that aren’t even that old. Had they installed decent mid-range or premium windows, they should have lasted decades. The lesson I take from this: invest in good quality windows from reputable manufacturers (and with good warranties). And of course, pair that with a good installer as we’ve all been discussing.

I know budget is a big factor for everyone, but if you cut costs too much on the product itself, you might end up paying more in the long run to fix or replace them again. Sometimes spending a bit more upfront for a well-made window will save you money (and hassle) down the road. I’m now planning to replace these failed ones and I’m making sure to choose a respected brand with solid reviews, and a company that will stand behind it.

One piece of advice for the end of the project: do a thorough walk-through/inspection after installation, ideally with the crew or project manager, before you consider the job done. In our case, when the installers finished, everything looked great at first glance, so we paid them the final installment and they left. But over the next couple of days, as we started using our new windows, we noticed a few minor issues:
One window’s lock was a bit stiff and hard to latch.

Another window had a small gap where the caulk missed a spot under the exterior trim.

We found a few stray nails/debris in the yard (they had cleaned up, but a couple were hiding in the grass).

None of these were huge problems, but I had to call the company back to address the lock and the caulking gap. To their credit, they sent someone out the following week and fixed those issues. However, had I been more vigilant during the final walk-through, I could have pointed these out on the spot and maybe avoided the wait.

So, lesson learned: before the installers pack up their ladders and leave, take the time to inspect each window:

Open and close every single one to ensure they slide smoothly and locks engage properly.

Examine the edges to see that everything is sealed up (no missed caulk or insulation visible).

Check that any screens are properly fitted and not torn.

Make sure any debris or old materials are truly cleaned up (especially nails or glass shards, which can be hazardous to kids/pets).

If you have an alarm system, verify that the window sensors were put back correctly (our alarm guy came the next day to reattach sensors, but if yours does it, coordinate that).

Most installers want you to be satisfied and will happily fix small things if you catch them immediately. It’s much easier to get it done while the crew is still mobilized on site than to call them back later. It also helps ensure you get a perfectly finished job.

Speaking of alarm systems (as @gaming_duke mentioned): if you have a security system with window sensors, don’t forget about those in your project plan. We have an older wired alarm system in our home in Brandon, with sensors attached to each window frame. When we replaced the windows, all those sensors had to be removed before the old windows came out and then reinstalled on the new windows.
Our window installers made it clear that they don’t handle alarm systems, so it was on us to arrange. We ended up scheduling our alarm company to come out the same day the window work was finishing up. They disconnected and labeled the old sensors in the morning, then later that afternoon once the new windows were in, they came back to reinstall them (in some cases with new adhesive or recessed magnets in the new frames). It added a little coordination effort and a service fee from the alarm company, but everything works perfectly now.

I’ve heard of some people forgetting this step, and then suddenly their alarm system thinks all the windows are open or is out of order because the circuit was broken when the old sensors were ripped out. If you have wireless sensors, it might be simpler (you can likely just pull them off and stick them onto the new window after), but with wired ones definitely plan for it.

So, just a heads-up: include your alarm system in the conversation. Check if your window contractor will work around sensors or if you should have your alarm service handle it. It’s a small detail, but you don’t want to find out at midnight after the install that your alarm is beeping because of a missing sensor or something.

Another post-install tidbit: window treatments. When you get new windows, especially if they are a different style or frame thickness than your old ones, your existing blinds or shades might not fit exactly the same way as before. We took down all our blinds and curtains before our window install (which is definitely recommended to give workers clear access). But when we went to put the blinds back up, we encountered a few surprises:
The brackets for our living room’s old mini-blinds couldn’t be reattached in the same spots because the new window frames were configured differently (the screw holes didn’t line up with the new frame’s interior). I had to drill new holes and in one case get slightly longer screws because the new vinyl frame had a thicker return.

One of our bedrooms had inside-mount roller shades. After the new windows went in, the opening was just a tad narrower because of the new window frame inserts, so the old roller shade was literally 1/4 inch too wide to fit. We ended up having to buy a new shade in a slightly smaller width for that room.

Our curtains hung fine, but we noticed the new window frames sat a little higher on one window, meaning the curtain length needed adjusting (we just re-hemmed it).

It’s not a huge deal, but be prepared for a little tinkering with re-installing blinds, shades, or curtain rods. In some cases, you might take the opportunity to update your window treatments anyway. If you have very custom-sized blinds, double-check the measurements once your new windows are in, in case you need to order new ones.

On the bright side, since we had everything down beforehand, it was a good chance to clean the curtains and dust the blinds thoroughly before putting them back up on nice new windows. Just another small thing to keep in mind so you’re not caught off guard.