Page 16 - Hawaii Renovation - Dec 8, 2019

16 HAWAII RENOVATION
DEC. 8, 2019
BACK PAGE STORY TROPICAL WHOLESALE
When the time comes to pick a company to in-
stall new windows and doors at home, Hawaii homeown- ers should remember that in- stallation is key. Anyone can buy the best window prod- uct, but if it is not installed correctly, then you might as well have just kept the old windows.
Hawaii has very unique weather conditions, such as strong trade winds, hu- midity, and even hurricanes. The trades keep the islands cool and comfortable but blow salt air on homes. And the islands are surrounded
by heavy salt air from the Pacific Ocean. The salt air constantly blows on homes, rusting and corroding al- most everything in sight. The humidity and UV rays are here daily in Hawaii to remind residents that they live in paradise, but the UV rays and humidity deterio- rate homes as well.
Be ready for any hurricane by having the best installed, impact-resistant windows and doors that will make a real difference during a storm. So when protecting your home with newly in- stalled windows and doors, installation is key.
When researching the is- sues of window installation in Hawaii, go with the fore- most expert in Hawaii, Mat- thew Houar, owner of Tropi- cal Wholesale. He owned the first vinyl window factory on island and has been install- ing windows and doors for more than 30 years.
When asked what is key to having the best window in- stallations in Hawaii, he said:
• Use the best materials. There are a lot of logistical issues getting materials to Hawaii, but always start with the best materials available; do your research.
• Most of the time sales- men who sell windows
in Hawaii will tell you anything to make a sale. Talk to the contractor or the owner of the company directly. Be sure to ask about installation techniques.
• There are a lot of shortcut installation techniques that save money on labor and materials, but it’s a recipe for failure. Be careful be- cause Hawaii only requires a one-year workmanship warranty. If you received a shortcut job, the work may last only a year. But nine out of 10 times after that, you will
TROPICAL WHOLESALE CONTACT 263-1252 (Windward)
• 456-4892 (Leeward)
• 593-2000 and 396-0971 (Honolulu) ADDRESS 1351 S. Beretania St. (showroom) WEB twoahu.com
be sorry. Having to redo your windows five years later can get real expensive.
• Find a company that takes pride in its work and will do the job right. Do your research on different installation techniques. To- day with the internet, there is YouTube and a lot of oth- er easy ways to figure out the right way to install your new windows and doors. Do the research because installing any product to-
day is a big investment.
The tip of the day from Houar is to “buy local” and call Tropical Wholesale, the oldest window and siding company in Hawaii. Visit its showroom at 1351 S. Bereta- nia St., which is open Mon- day-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. With more than 10,000 Hawaii customers and hundreds of thousands of windows in- stalled, trust your home to Tropical Wholesale.