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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

These are among the most common questions we hear at the Don Young Company from our customers and their clients. Please Contact Us with any question(s) you might have, we will respond promptly. If you are interested in reviewing other window sites for frequently asked questions, here are a couple we recommend:

  1. Vinyl Window Comparison
  2. FAQ about glass

Q: I have concerns about condensation and frost buildup on my windows. What causes this, and how can I prevent it from happening?
Q: What is low-e glass?
Q: What do U-values and R-values really mean?
Q: What does argon gas filling do for me?
Q: What can you tell me about sound reduction?
Q: I am a homeowner and I want to buy my windows directly from you. Will you sell to me?

Q: I have concerns about condensation and frost buildup on my windows. What causes this, and how can I prevent it from happening?

A: Condensation happens when the humidity in your warm home attaches itself onto cold surfaces, such as a glass of iced tea. The variables include the moisture level in the air and temperature differences between the air and local surfaces. Under the same conditions, an iced tea drink in a glass container will attract condensation sooner than the same drink in containers made of other materials. No surface, however, is perfectly immune from condensation. The same is true for windows. Windows do not produce condensation, nor do they eliminate it. You can prevent – but never eliminate - condensation by removing the sources of moisture from your home, and by improving the thermal performance of your windows as you might change the container of your iced tea. There are volumes of terrific information about condensation on the internet and we encourage you to type “condensation” in your favorite search engine and learn for yourself.

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Q: What is low-e glass?

A: Low-e glass significantly improves a window’s thermal performance and fights UV degradation of furnishings. The “e” stands for emissivity. Heavy metals like tin and silver are molecularly attached to the glass or imbedded into it, and the metal coating acts like an invisible thermal curtain to control energy flow in either direction. Old-fashioned low-e is called hard-coat, where the metals were burned into the molten glass during its cooling stage to become embedded into the finished glass. Since, technology has evolved to favor soft-coats, where significantly more layers of metals and other products could be “sputtered” onto the finished glass and then sandwiched into hermetically sealed insulating glass units. Soft coats are superior to hard coats. Our primary glass supplier has an outstanding website for more details: www.cardinalcorp.com.

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Q: What do U-values and R-values really mean?

A: The same thing. U-factors are always decimals, the lower the better, and .50 is a good baseline number. R-factors are always whole numbers, the higher the better, and R-30 attic insulation would be a high-performance measurement. In fact, U- and R-values are reciprocals, so you can divide the number one by either to get the other. For example 1 divided by a .25 U-Factor equals R-4; or, 1 divided by 4 equals .25. Confused? Don’t be; just remember that these numbers represent a thermal performance measure of windows and the lower the U-value the better. Also remember that some structural tests use the letter “R” to represent “Residential” as opposed to “Commercial”, and that structural tests have nothing to do with thermal performance measures. Be wary of sales persons who try to impress you in this area, there is much bad information out there. Caveat Emptor!

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Q: What does argon gas filling do for me?

A: It saves you energy dollars, enhances your low-e glass, and helps to reduce sound transmission. Click here for more information.

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Q: What can you tell me about sound reduction?

A: Click here for information on our site or for more information from the Institute for Research in Construction.

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Q: I am a homeowner and I want to buy my windows directly from you. Will you sell me?

A: The Don Young Company manufactures windows for wholesale only. We do not sell homeowners because it would be unfair to compete with our Dealers for your business. We will be glad to help make sure you are satisfied with your contractor. Contact Us and one of our experienced staff will answer your questions.

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