FAQs

We've taken the questions we most often hear from home owners like you and had our engineers and experts answer them to help you learn more about windows.

A true replacement window is a window that is custom built to fit within the opening of an existing window. It can be installed without disturbing the interior and exterior areas around the window.

Numerous factors, including how the frame and sashes are engineered and built, the type of glass used (single, double or triple-pane), the weather-stripping, the type of low-emissivity coating on the glass and the presence of argon or krypton gas.

ENERGY STAR® is a U.S. government program administered by the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency with the cooperation of manufacturers. It is designed to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels through the education of consumers. Windows and doors can only carry the ENERGY STAR® label if they are tested by an independent laboratory through the NFRC program and meet specific, predetermined U-value ratings. By selecting ENERGY STAR® products, you will reduce your energy costs and help make the environment cleaner.

Low-E stands for low emissivity and is a fairly new advancement in glass technology. Basically, it's a microscopic, metallic coating—applied to a surface of glass—that reflects and re-radiates heat energy either into or out of a home depending on climate conditions. Using Low-E is an excellent way to increase the energy efficiency of a window. In fact, it's so effective that every Dixie SuperWindow™ has Low-E, and is ENERGY STAR®-compliant in every region of the U.S.

U-value (or U-factor) is the measure of the window's ability to conduct heat, in other words, the amount of heat transmitted through the window. The lower a window's U-value, the better the window is at insulating your home.

Although the U-value is actually the important number in evaluating windows and doors today, most people are more familiar with the related concept of R-value (or R-factor). The R-factor of a window is the measure of its resistance to the transfer of heat flow. The higher its R-value, the greater its insulating ability.

Vinyl is THE ideal window construction material because:

• It doesn't deteriorate or rot
• It can be extruded and shaped into brilliant window designs
• It doesn't damage or corrode when scratched
• It can be fusion-welded to eliminate air and moisture leaks at the joints
• It offers excellent insulating properties, especially when used in multiple-cavity frame designs

Absolutely. Vinyls are like any other man-made compounds. There are numerous components in vinyl compounds and there are many vinyl manufacturers that produce numerous types and grades for window manufacturing. Lesser-quality vinyls typically have problems with brittleness or impact resistance, color consistency and expansion and contraction. The best vinyls are proprietary compounds formulated specifically for manufacturing high-quality windows.

You'll be amazed at how easy the Dixie SuperWindow™ is to clean, and they require practically no maintenance. Premium-quality Dixie vinyl comes clean with any mild detergent or simply soapy water.

To clean exterior glass surfaces of your Dixie SuperWindow™, simply rinse with warm water and wipe dry with a soft cloth. Do not use cleaners containing ammonia or abrasive cleaners on products with High Performance Glass Guard.

Dixie products typically require no lubrication. In rare cases where conditions do require lubrication of metallic parts, Dixie recommends that you use light machine oil sparingly.