Window Replacement in Wenatchee, WA

More Wenatchee homes were built between 1950 and 1979 than in any other era: 35% of the total, Census data shows. If your house is one of them and still has its original windows, those windows have been through decades of hot, dry valley summers and cold winters. Window replacement in Wenatchee often starts with these houses. Below we cover what is in local homes now, why heating matters so much here, which Preservation 9000 styles fit, and the signs that a window is done.

Windows in Wenatchee homes today

Wenatchee has 14,682 housing units, and the median one was built in 1977. The window you are likely to find depends on which decade your house comes from:

• Before 1950 (20% of homes): original wood windows, often single-pane. Older paint on the sash and trim may contain lead.
• 1950 to 1979 (35%): aluminum frames or early vinyl, the largest group in town.
• 1980 to 1999 (25%): first-generation vinyl windows, now old enough that the seals around the glass start to give out.
• 2000 and later (21%): builder-grade windows. They are the newest in town, but they were chosen to meet a budget at the time of construction.

Detached houses make up 58% of Wenatchee’s housing. For most owners, that means a window project covers a whole single-family home with very different rooms: a living room facing the street, bedrooms upstairs or down the hall, and a kitchen and bath that need fresh air. Each of those openings can take a different style, and it pays to plan them together rather than one at a time.

Heating costs, comfort and efficiency in Wenatchee

Electricity heats 93% of Wenatchee homes, according to Census data. Gas heats 4% and wood 1%, while oil and propane barely register. That makes the windows part of the electric bill in a very direct way: warm air that slips out through a failed seal or a loose aluminum frame is replaced by electric heat. Where heating runs on electricity, the payback from efficient windows is larger.

The East Cascades valley climate puts windows to work in both directions. Winters are cold with snow, summers are hot and dry, and the sun is strong for much of the year. A well-sealed window keeps the warmth you paid for inside in January and helps hold the heat outside in July, so rooms stay more even from season to season.

Chelan County PUD supplies electricity in Wenatchee. Before you commit, check with the PUD for any current programs that apply to windows.

The same logic applies to walls. If new siding is also on your list, the Evergreen Shield Siding System includes an insulating graphite membrane rated R-2.0, compared with R-0.61 for standard vinyl siding.

Choosing replacement windows for Wenatchee

We install Preservation 9000 vinyl replacement windows, and in Washington we are the exclusive provider of that line. Here is how the options line up with Wenatchee homes:

• Aluminum frames in 1950s to 1970s houses: vinyl replaces both the aluminum frame and the old glass. Sliders and double-hung units suit the wide and tall openings common in houses of this period.
• Wind and summer heat: wind is part of the valley climate. Casement and awning windows press tighter against the frame when the wind pushes on them, and they swing fully open to catch a cross breeze on a hot evening. A casement’s crank handle also makes it easy to reach behind a kitchen sink.
• Pre-1950 homes: double-hung windows keep the up-and-down look of the original sash.
• Value for money: the median home value here is about $435,000, roughly 10% below the Chelan County median. Durable, low-upkeep vinyl fits that well, since it needs no painting or staining.

Picture, garden, bay and bow windows and custom shapes are available too. A bay window pairs a fixed center sash with casement or double-hung windows on each side.

Signs your windows need replacing

In Wenatchee, the warning signs follow the age of the house and the extremes of the weather:

• Fog or haze between the panes. The seal has failed. This is typical of the first-generation vinyl in houses from 1980 to 1999.
• Frost or water on the frame on cold mornings. Aluminum frames from the 1950s to 1970s often show this first.
• Chalky, warped or brittle frames on the sunny side. High UV exposure here wears on older vinyl and finishes.
• Soft or stained wood sills. Snow that sits against a window and melts again and again will work into old wood.
• Sashes that stick or rattle in the wind. Worn hardware leaves gaps that let air through.

Get a free window consultation in Wenatchee

Schedule a free in-home consultation by calling toll free at 888-980-8580 or through our contact page. We’ll measure each opening and talk through style, color and glass. Financing is available, our work comes with a lifetime warranty, and we offer discounts for seniors, active military, veterans and first responders. For siding, roofing and decks, see our Wenatchee home exterior services.