Window Replacement in Yakima, WA

Picture windows, sliders and casements in Yakima are often as old as the houses around them. The median home in the city was built in 1972, which means half of Yakima’s housing went up before that year and still may have windows from that era. Builders Service Company replaces them with Preservation 9000 vinyl replacement windows, and we are the exclusive provider of Preservation 9000 windows in Washington. This page covers what is in Yakima’s window openings today, how heating costs factor into the decision, and how to pick a style for each room.

Windows in Yakima homes today

Census data counts 37,467 housing units in Yakima. The year a house was built is the best guide to what is in its window openings:

• Built before 1950 (26% of homes): likely single-pane or early windows. Paint on frames this old may contain lead and should be tested before the old units come out.
• Built 1950–79 (37%, the largest group): aluminum or early vinyl frames.
• Built 1980–99 (20%): first-generation vinyl windows, often with insulated glass whose seals are now giving out.
• Built 2000 or later (18%): builder-grade windows reaching the age where owners start looking at upgrades.

Detached single-family houses make up 59% of Yakima’s housing, attached homes 18% and mobile homes 5%. A detached house usually means a full set of windows on every side, from the large living room picture window to small bath and basement openings, and each of those may come from a different decade if earlier owners replaced a few along the way.

Owners live in 54% of Yakima homes. Many of them are deciding whether to replace every window at once or start with the rooms that bother them most, and we can plan it either way.

Heating costs, comfort and efficiency in Yakima

Electricity is the main heating fuel in Yakima. Census figures put electric heat in 62% of the city’s homes and natural gas in 35%, with propane, oil and wood at 1% each.

That fuel mix shapes the case for new windows. Where most homes heat with electricity, the payback from efficient windows is larger, because heat that escapes through old glass and frames has to be replaced with electric heat.

The climate works your windows from both directions. Yakima sits in the East Cascades valley, with hot, dry summers and cold winters. In January, old single-pane glass lets warmth out of the house. In July, the same openings let heat in, and the rooms with the most glass are usually the hardest to keep comfortable. Wind adds drafts around sashes that no longer close tight.

High UV is the other local factor. Strong sun fades whatever sits close to large glass, so it is worth thinking about which rooms get a new picture window and what will sit in front of it.

Pacific Power supplies electricity in Yakima. Utility programs change, so check with Pacific Power for any current efficiency offers before you place a window order.

Choosing replacement windows for Yakima

Every Preservation 9000 style is available here, including custom shapes. These are the choices we discuss most often for Yakima homes:

• Picture windows for the view wall. A picture window is a large, fixed pane that does not open. With no opening mechanism, the frame can stay slim, so more of the wall is glass than with a standard window of the same size. In a detached house, this is usually the living room wall facing the yard. Since a fixed unit lets in no air, we often pair it with a casement or double-hung window on each side.
• Bay and bow windows for more light and space. A bay window projects out from the wall, with a fixed center sash flanked by casement or double-hung windows. It adds a deep sill and brings in light from three angles. Read more in What is a Bay Window?
• Casement, awning or hopper windows for airflow. Casements hinge at the side and swing outward with a turn of the handle, which suits kitchens and baths. Hoppers work well in basements and other small openings.
• Double-hung windows for older houses. In homes built before 1950, double-hung units keep the up-and-down sash look of the original windows.
• Garden windows for kitchens. A garden window extends outward and gives you a shelf for potted plants or herbs.

Signs your windows need replacing

Look for the problems that match your home’s age and Yakima’s weather:

• Fog or haze between the panes. This is a failed seal in an insulated glass unit. It cannot be wiped off, and it is the typical failure of first-generation vinyl windows from the 1980s and 1990s.
• Frost or water droplets on the frames in winter. Moisture collecting on the frame or glass on cold days means the window is losing heat.
• Drafts and rattling on windy days. Sashes that no longer seal let outside air in and heated air out.
• Rooms that are hard to keep comfortable near the glass. Single-pane glass offers little resistance to heat moving in or out.
• Sashes that stick, won’t stay open or won’t lock. Worn hardware on older windows is a safety issue as well as a comfort one.

Get a free window consultation in Yakima

Schedule a free in-home consultation and we will measure each opening and go through your options room by room. Call toll free at 888-980-8580 or contact us online. Ask about our lifetime warranty, our discounts for seniors, active military, veterans and first responders, and financing. For siding, roofing and decks, see our Yakima home exterior services.