@oberon

Biggest concerns would be cost, reliability of the source, shipping, warrantyTy,ROI ,condition of existing windows.

Thx... good feedback.

- Existing windows are a concern (there was a class action lawsuit for failure of the exterior sealant between the aluminum cladding and glass pane - that has been recaulked, but - worst case, I should be able to salvage the VIG and frame it in by itself)

- cost is $25 / sq ft.

- agreed on shipping - will definitely need some type of insurance.

- Warranty is 10 years, proof of failure would be easy but I'd expect I'd own shipping and installation for any replacement.

- ROI - Given I'm heating with wood mostly - ROI is probably not there (the low-e coating should help mitigate morning heat up from the summer sun - so some savings on AC when we run it).

Pella ProLines? How good a shape are they in?

Agree with WOW's question, Proline is Pella's low-end wood product and you are probably off replacing it with domestic windows and the glass package you are looking for.

I also thought Vacuum was an old technology but Oberon knows better. Not a fan of importing glass products, especially from our comrades in China.

Immediate thought, and agrees with WoW, those are 23 year old ProLine windows. That they made it 23 years is a surprise in itself.

Second thought, agree with Todd 100% on his questions/concerns.

Third thought (actually my initial thought when I read your original post..) .$25 sqft for VIG??? $125 I would say was a great price and $225 I would call reasonable, but $25, including shipping from China? There is no way in hell that I would touch that at any level.

Two biggest concerns about VIG's, first is how the edge is sealed since it has to seal a vacuum for years in a potentially very hostile environment in a window system and second would be the pillars separating the glass.

VIG space between lites is crazy narrow, about .3mm (3/10's), with the glass panes being held apart using tiny pillars placed every square inch throughout the entire glass area. The pillars are clear but not invisible, you can see them when looking through the glass. I find it distracting, others maybe are fine with it.

I truly hate to discourage someone who is trying to be cutting edge and pushing the envelope, but IMO in your situation you would be much better off installing new high performance conventional triple pane windows rather than trying to mesh what you have with what you want in a questionable hybrid of an IG unit. For what it's worth there are very good reasons why IG manufacturers don't use wood spacers when building IG units....there were some that tried 40 years ago, and they are no longer around.

Missed that part. Vacuum sealed for $25 per sq/ft...?

Didn't think that was even possible.

https://media.tenor.com/6u54NQDezycAAAAM/inutil-plastic-bag.gif

Haha i like the video

i have seen a sample - 5-6 very small ball bearings comprised comprise each pillar there is a wide border around The frame and there is a dessicant in the window to ensure any moisture is trapped

i like the idea of pricing standard replacements but doubt i can find something at a similar price point and anything close to the R value

not sure if the cost includes shipping - in fact i expect it doesn’t - I’ll confirm

This would be an interesting project to follow. The idea of saving it and reframing to fit presents another set of problems and cost. If your serious I would carefully evaluate the condition of the windows. I would also do a mock up on 1 of the windows with a piece of glass the same thickness. This would let see what problems you will run into deglazing the existing, creating a filler to make up the glass thickness and being able to put them back together in a professional manner. The labor is the other factor as well. I have replaced many Pella’s that look good on the out side and the bottom rail is powder behind the cladding. I have also seen some Pella’s in amazing condition for being 20+ years old. A thorough inspection concentrating on the wood behind the aluminum , especially the bottom rail would be well advised before ordering glass. If this is done in the name of saving energy there are other things worth looking at as well. Sometimes when you do one thing and dont look at the project as a whole the results can be less than desired.

Good points... might even be worth taking one of them apart to see what is going on behind the scenes. I do have some windows on the north side that are probably close to the power state you describe. I've also already replaced a few. The wall of fixed pane windows faces mostly east and is protected by a nice sized overhang. It doesn't see as much weather and late day sun as the north side - so are generally in better shape.

My thought is to keep the existing windows in place and apply the VIG panes on the inside - sealing them to the wooden sash. This approach (assuming the existing windows remain in decent shape) would be fairly simple compared to a full on replacement (or rebuild).