Too many choices! I know there are lots of discussions and opinions about window brands out there but it still feels like murky waters. We are remodeling and adding an addition to a 1958 track ranch. I have narrowed down to 4 window brands and think all of them are in the right price range for our budget. We will be installing about 15 double hung windows and one slider door. Phase 2 will include replacing 10 existing windows (the entire window and casing) and re-siding the existing house. We live in Colorado and have forced air heat and no air conditioning. Our main objective is to bring alot of light into the home but hope to achieve passive heat gain in the winter and better insulation in the summer than our current cheapo vinyl windows provide.

We are considering the Sierra Pacific Carmel line, the Weathershield Premium line, the JeldWen Siteline and maybe the Marvin Ultrex/wood line. The exterior will be blue or green alulminum. Some of the interiors will be painted and some will be stained. I understand that you can pick any color with the marvin fiberglass exterior but I am sure that is a costly upgrade (and no idea how well painted fiberglass holds up to the intense mountain sun) and when I looked at a floor model, the jamb's were not concealed on the marvin integrity line which seems like industry standard now - at least for all the other brands we are looking at. I have also read that Marvin's have some issue with wind penetration. We don't live in a windy place but it seems that if a window is porrly rated for window, then the insulating properties most also be compormised. I know that double hung windows are by nature less insulating than casements so we are giving up a little there. As for color, Jeldwen has the least amount of color choices. WS and SP have lots of choices in color.

I visited a friend's home recently and the jeldwen hardware on the casements and awnings was failing after 6 or 7 years. We want to select a window that has the longest lifespan, with the least amount of color fading on the exterior and least chance of condensate. I don't really understand the Jeldwen auralast wood and if it is any improvement over the other brands wood though on the windows we are staining, I actually prefer the look of fir. I don't know if fir holds up as well or better than pine however.

A friend has Kolbe double hungs and I found them extremely hard to open and they were brand new - they just felt really heavy, like they were over-engineered. Likewise, I went into a new home that had 3' x 6' Jeldwen double hungs and they were hard to open and close. We want windows that are effortless to open up and down (like vinyl is frankly). On the flip side, my parents home as andersons and when you unlock the double hung, on their 3' x 5' windows, the top part slides down and then you have to stand on a chair to reach the top of the sash to close it so obviously you don't want your sashes too loose. Without air conditioning, our windows are opened and closed every single day so function is equally important as longevity and aesthetics.

We also want a company that has a great customer service department in case there is a problem down the road. Any feedback is much appreciated. I feel at this point I am going in circles!