Page 5 - Hawaii Renovation - March 14, 2021

DIAMOND HEAD WINDOWS
COVER STORY
MARCH 14, 2021
HAWAII RENOVATION 5
Our family has been installing windows for over 35 years in
both California and Hawaii. While over 90% of the windows installed are man- ufactured on the mainland, there are a few key points to consider when choosing a company to do your instal-
lation.
CLIMATE
Hawaii is a unique environ- ment for building materials. We have some of the highest salt content and ultraviolet light in the world. Both of these elements are corro- sive to windows. Ultraviolet light will make vinyl fade or powder over time. Run a fin- ger along your vinyl fence or older vinyl windows and you get a white residue on your finger, as the ultraviolet light is destroying it.
Similarly, the ultraviolet
light that streams through your windows will cause your furniture, flooring and photos to fade. So, what’s the solution?
Our Amerimax windows will cut 95% of harmful UV light (as well as radiant heat), which keeps items from fading. The Amerimax vinyl frames include titanium dioxide. It’s an expensive additive that’s not part of most window brands, but it’s also key in helping win- dows maintaining their ap- pearance through the years. They are also backed by a double-lifetime replacement warranty should they ever crack, fade, powder or peel.
SCREENS AND HARDWARE
The elements most sus- ceptible to corrosion are screens and hardware. How do we combat that?
The rollers on our sliding doors, screen doors and win- dows are stainless steel, as are the balances in double- hung windows and opera- tors in awning and casement windows. The latter gets the most corrosion because we normally keep awning win- dows open, which exposes the hardware to the elements.
The good news is that Amerimax once again offers a double-lifetime warranty (meaning it can be trans- ferred if you sell your home or pass it along to family). We will replace the screens and hardware at not cost to you.
While other window manufacturers offer warran- ties in Hawaii, most will not cover replacement if you live within 2 miles of salt water. Read the actual manufac- turer’s warranty carefully to find these disclaimers. Some
manufacturers consider the entire state of Hawaii a “cor- rosive environment.”
Some dealers with a lim- ited warranty will offer to compensate at the dealer level. Unfortunately, dealers change hands much more often than manufacturers. Also, quality manufacturers set aside funds to cover war- ranty issues, even if they go out of business.
BUY NOW
Purchasing windows for your home can be a substan- tial investment. We suggest you do your homework and read the actual warranties for the brand of windows you are considering. If a salesperson is offering you a discount to “buy now,” is it worth accepting this “dis- count” in lieu of doing your homework or getting anoth- er estimate? Is this incentive
trying to prevent you from studying the proposal? Is this person trying to prevent you from comparing?
At Diamond Head Win- dows, we are confident that the more you review the quality of materials, warran- ties and reviews, that we will come out on top.
To help you, we have com- piled a buyer’s guide with a checklist from which you can compare different com- panies’ product features, warranties, installation pro-
cedures and energy ratings. The guide will also help you to define some of the ter- minology. You can get this guide for free as part of our initial estimate, or download it from our website at dia- mondheadwindows.com
Call us to set up a free estimate and consultation. We will take the time to ad- dress your questions and concerns.
We feel the more you know about windows, the better we look.
COVER STORY
DIAMOND HEAD WINDOWS CONTACT 419-7500 • 799-8979