Window Replacement — The Glass Matters Less Than the Install.

A good window in a bad install is a bad window

The window industry has gotten very good at selling the glass — U-factor, SHGC, low-E coatings, argon fills. All of that matters, but it matters dramatically less than how the window gets installed. A premium triple-pane window installed with foam-and-pray will perform worse than a mid-grade double-pane window with proper flashing, sill pan, and air sealing.

Our window installs aren’t dramatic. They’re slow. We do them the way the manufacturer’s installation manual actually says to do them, which most window installers skip because it takes longer and the homeowner won’t see it.

What that actually looks like

A proper window install:

1. Pull the existing window completely — sash, frame, the works
2. Inspect and repair the rough opening — water damage at the sill is common; we replace before installing new
3. Sill pan — a flashing membrane that wraps the rough sill so any water that gets in has somewhere to drain
4. Set the new window plumb, level, and square — checked with shims and a level
5. Flash the head and jambs with peel-and-stick membrane lapped over the integrated nail fin
6. Tape and seal to the house wrap so water that runs down the wall sheet behind the siding flows around the window, not into it
7. Low-expansion foam in the gap between window and rough opening — full-perimeter air seal
8. Interior trim or stool work as needed
9. Caulk the exterior at the trim-to-siding joints

That’s what every install gets. Not just the model home; every install.

Windows we install

Vinyl (most common)

Premium vinyl from manufacturers like Pella, Andersen 100 Series, and Marvin Elevate. Maintenance-free frames, energy-efficient glass packages, and a price point that works for most full-house replacements.

• Lifespan: 25-40 years
• Best for: mainstream residential replacement
• Warranty: lifetime on the frame, 20+ on the glass seal

Wood-clad

Wood interior, aluminum or fiberglass exterior cladding. The premium option for older homes (Buena Vista, West End, downtown Greensboro) where the look of painted interior wood matches the home’s character.

• Lifespan: 40-50+ years
• Best for: historic and high-end homes
• Maintenance: interior wood needs occasional refinishing

Fiberglass

The longest-lasting frame material. Doesn’t expand or contract with temperature, doesn’t warp, doesn’t rot. Marvin Essential and Andersen 400 Series are common picks.

• Lifespan: 50+ years
• Best for: homeowners planning to stay 20+ years

Skylights and sun tunnels

Skylights are the most-leaked-around component on most older roofs. The good news is that modern skylights — installed correctly — are excellent, with double-pane glass, proper flashing kits, and 20-year warranties.

We install Velux skylights almost exclusively. The flashing kit is the most important part of a skylight install — more than the unit itself — and Velux’s kits are the industry standard.

Sun tunnels (also called solar tubes) are different. A 10-14” tube routes daylight from your roof down through the attic into a ceiling diffuser. They’re far less likely to leak than a traditional skylight because the opening is much smaller and the flashing is much simpler. We install them in bathrooms, closets, hallways, and kitchen islands where a traditional skylight would be overkill.

Window-related repairs

• Failed window seals (foggy glass between panes) — usually we replace just the glass insert, not the whole window
• Rotted sills and jambs — common on older wood windows; we assess whether repair or replacement makes more sense
• Air infiltration — drafty windows, often a failed seal or improper original install; we can re-flash and re-foam, or replace
• Storm damage — branch impact, hail, broken glass — typically an insurance claim

Common questions

Do I have to replace all windows at once? No. Whole-house replacement is the most cost-efficient (one mobilization, one trim crew, one cleanup) but plenty of homeowners do it in phases — north and west walls first (the hardest-hit by weather), south and east later.

Should I do new construction or insert windows? Insert (pocket) windows fit inside your existing window frame. Faster install, less interior trim damage, but you lose some glass area. Full-frame replacement removes the entire window including the frame — more work, more original look, more flexibility on size.

What about energy ratings? Triad climate is moderate (Climate Zone 4). We recommend U-factor of 0.30 or better, SHGC of 0.40 or lower on west and south exposures. The Energy Star spec for our climate zone is a reasonable baseline.

Why Mid Atlantic for windows

• Proper flashing and air sealing on every install — the boring stuff that determines whether the window actually performs as rated
• Manufacturer-trained installation for major brands (Pella, Andersen, Marvin)
• Velux skylights and sun tunnels — the only roof-penetration product line we install
• In-house carpentry for trim, sills, and interior finish
• 3-year workmanship warranty on the installation; manufacturer warranties on the units themselves

Schedule a window estimate

Call (336) 671-5208 or request an estimate online. Window estimates take about an hour for a typical whole-house walk and we bring samples to your house.