AZ Window Replacement
Phoenix · Scottsdale

Replacement windows are specifically designed for simple installation with minimal repair needed on the exterior walls of the home.

When windows are installed originally during construction, they include a flange around the window frame that is nailed to the studs, and covered by stucco, siding, brick or another material on the exterior wall of the home. Only the window frame shows once construction is complete. To avoid having to remove portions of the exterior wall to reveal the flange, replacement windows allow the installer to leave that flange alone, remove most of the window, and slide the new window in place without a need to repair that exterior wall. It covers up any remnant of the old window like a picture frame.

There is also a second type of replacement window that slides into the opening after a power tool cuts out any protruding parts of the old frame. This allows a slimmer window profile, since the picture frame style of flange isn’t needed on the exterior of the frame. The original frame is removed, instead of covered.

At DunRite, AZ window replacement and door replacement is all we do. Our service area includes a 20-mile radius around our Scottsdale office, including most of the Phoenix metro area. So if you have questions, just reach out to us and ask! Telephone, email or Facebook are all great options.

Single-pane windows, windows older than 25 years old, windows that are leaking or showing signs of mold or dry rot, windows that have condensation between the panes of glass, and windows with glass that feels hot on the inside of the home during summer should probably be replaced. If your windows are aluminum-clad wood or fiberglass, these have a longer lifespan, but all windows should be closely monitored with annual inspections after they pass the fifteen-year mark.

No matter what brand and material the windows are, the lifespan can be significantly shortened by a lack of maintenance. If you feel this might be an issue, or if you aren’t sure if the windows need to be replaced, it’s a good idea to contact a windows and doors company. They’ll come out to your home for a complementary evaluation.

If you’ve been wondering if your window is energy efficient, a quick touch of the glass from the inside of your home can be useful. If it’s a single-pane window, heat from the summer sun or the chill of a winter day can easily be felt on the glass. Since there are no insulating properties to the glass, temperatures easily transfer from the outdoors to inside the home. If you feel heat, then you can assume it’s entering your home, and increasing the cost of your utility bills.

A well-insulated double-pane (or triple-pane) window won’t transfer those temperatures, so when you touch the glass, it should match ambient temperature of the room.

At DunRite Windows & Doors, we include a free argon gas upgrade with every window, because we feel it should come standard. You can also improve energy efficiency of new double-pane windows by selecting low-E3 or low-E4 glass. Most windows come standard with one or two coatings of low-e film on the exterior glass, but adding another layer or two is worth the extra cost in Arizona, just to ensure heat is deflected before it has a chance to enter the home.

Wondering if your window is doing the job? One quick way to evaluate your window is simply touching the glass from the inside of the home. If it’s a single-pane window, heat from the summer sun or the chill of a winter day can easily be felt on the glass. Since there are no insulating properties to the glass, temperatures easily transfer from the outdoors to inside the home. The glass feels hot in the summer and cold in the winter. A well-insulated double-pane (or triple-pane) window won’t transfer those temperatures, so when you touch the glass, it should feel similar to the ambient temperature of the room.

If the room is set at 74 degrees, the window should feel about the same.

At DunRite Windows & Doors, we include a free argon gas upgrade with every window, because we feel it should come standard. You can also improve energy efficiency of new double-pane windows by selecting a Low- E3 or Low-E4 coating on the glass. Most windows come standard with one or two coatings of low-e film on the exterior glass, but adding another layer or two is worth the extra cost in Arizona, just to ensure that heat is deflected before it has a chance to enter the home.

Rather than creating a definitive list of top window brands, it’s important to note that all window manufacturers have certain product lines that are better than others in their lineup. For example, they might make the best aluminum window product, but not the best vinyl window, or the most architecturally correct wood window, but not the best aluminum-clad wood window.

Instead of looking exclusively at one brand and considering it universally “the best,” it’s far more important to compare products within a specific category—such as vinyl windows–and price point. Then a homeowner can make an educated decision based on those details.

Because we’ve been installing windows for more than 20 years now, there are brands we feel make the best vinyl window, the best aluminum, and so on. But there’s a caveat to even that: what we consider the best window might not be the best choice for a specific home or homeowner. Things like budget, style and color have an impact, too, along with.

Our goal is to help you find the best possible product that fits your preferences and budget, at the best possible quality.

If someone wants a black vinyl window, for instance, we have a preferred brand we recommend, and it’s not the same brand we’d consider the best overall for vinyl windows. They simply make the best black vinyl product available from within that color category. We might provide that information to the homeowner, but also have a conversation about what makes that particular black vinyl window the best, why, and how it compares to non-black vinyl windows.

This way, they’ll be aware of the price difference they’re paying for that color, and any benefits or compromise they’re making in quality, warranty and style or features for that black window. This isn’t to talk a homeowner out of black windows, but to help them make an educated decision that fits their budget and creativity.

Here’s another example for how it’s important to compare by window material, not brand, since there are varying levels of quality at different price points. Pella and Andersen are considered high-end brands, and the two top competitors for wood window windows and aluminum-clad wood. However, their fiberglass brand is very comparable to Milgard fiberglass product. And while the Andersen Fibrex window is a step above vinyl, since it’s a vinyl-wood fiber composite material, there are multiple brands of vinyl windows that are very similar in quality despite big price differences.

If you’re shopping for window replacement, it’s important to talk to a window and door company with ample experience, so they can accurately compare pros and cons of various brands, tell you which brands and product lines they don’t care for and why, and help you decide which features and style choices are most important to you. After all, that impacts the product selection just as much as a budget.

There are homeowners loyal to specific brands, and we can certainly accommodate that; but at DunRite Windows & Doors, we prefer to talk about materials, color and style first, then match up the right brand to the price you’d like to spend. It helps ensure our customers are happy with their purchase for the long-term.

And if you’ve noticed we don’t carry all brands, it’s because we carefully monitor them for a robust warranty, a high level of customer service, and quality of their product. If they aren’t meeting our standards, we replace or remove that manufacturer from our line-up.

Replacement windows come in many styles, colors, materials and price points, but there’s one thing that’s universally true: there are differences between a replacement window versus the type of window used for new home construction. Each has a different style of installation.

For example, replacement windows are designed for all (or most) of the original window frame to be left in the window opening, with the new replacement window simply covering it up. Also called a jump frame installation, this is the simplest install, but requires a replacement window that is thicker in depth to accommodate double paned glass. Not all homeowners like thick window frames.

Next, there is a full-frame removal, also called a tear-out, which removes the entire window frame using power tools. It’s a great way to minimize damage to the stucco, drywall and window trim, since the nail fin for the original window is left embedded in the wall. The most common type of installation that DunRite uses, it requires a drywall cutback but accommodates the thinnest style of frame. If the nail fin must be removed, it becomes a full tear-out with a stucco cutback.

Windows used for new construction typically include a nail fin, a flange nailed to exposed studs before stucco, siding or other materials are used to cover the home’s exterior walls.

Please note that most window and door companies have a minimum purchase requirement. If you need just one or two windows replaced, a handyman can do that for you. If your windows are newer, they may be able to exactly match the product, color and style from the same manufacturer.

Wondering if you call a window replacement company for broken glass? Don’t. Even if you have double- or triple-pane windows, mullions or argon gas insulation, a glass repair company is your best bet. They’ll swap out the entire glass unit, leaving the window frame intact.

The least expensive place to purchase new windows screens is typically Ace Hardware, Lowe’s or Home Depot. There’s no need to go through the window manufacturer, or contact a windows and doors company. You can also easily repair a ripped or damaged screen in the existing frame easily, with just a pair of scissors and a roll of screen from one of the above sources. Not a DIY kind of homeowner? There are window screen specialists in the Valley that can do it for you. It’s not something a window and door company would do, however.

There’s no need to measure your own windows if you’ll be obtaining quotes from window and door companies for your AZ replacement windows, but here are a few quick tips and a simple measurement spreadsheet to download if you’re measuring for a DIY installation. In a nutshell, you’ll take measurements on the interior and exterior of the window, and check that the opening is both square and true. Measure both height and width in three places on each window, write down the smallest, then subtract 1/2-3/8 of an inch from both height and width. This allows you a bit of wiggle room so that the new window isn’t an overly tight fit, but with gaps that are small enough to easily fill with foam or sealant.

Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and the Residential Clean Energy Credit, Arizona homeowners may be eligible for a tax credit that’s up to 30% of the cost. Learn more about it in our blog post, “Can energy efficient windows be claimed on taxes?”

You also might check out this rebate finder tool from EnergyStar®.

No, the only component of Arizona’s weatherization program that impacts windows is related to providing shade to reduce the amount of heat coming through the glass from direct sun. It doesn’t involve replacing them, and it’s limited to low income homeowners.