Year-Round Window Installs and Thermal Efficiency

Residents throughout the North and Northwest Suburbs do not need to worry about waiting until spring for quality window installation. Kevin Dieball, who runs the Olson Windows and Siding showroom in Warrenville, said Barrington-based Olson not only installs windows year-round, but offers products that meet 2016 Energy Star standards.

Dieball said since government ratings went up in 2015 the Midwest was given extra time to sell off 2015 inventories.
“They gave us a little leeway in meeting those standards,” he said.

However, Dieball said Olson is already selling and installing 2016 Energy Star-rated windows, which provide for better thermal efficiency.

“It’s the technology that makes these things so much better,” he said. “They (customers) really know what it is they’re going to get when they leave.”

Dieball said this is important since windows in the Midwest must endure a wide range of temperatures and elements over the course of a year. He also said prices tend to rise between December and March, so year-round installation is key to offering individuals, families and businesses the best product and installation prices.

“Truth, honesty and being up-front with people; that’s just the way to go,” said Dieball.

Olson, a family business that has operated in the northwest suburbs since 1979, also offers advice on window maintenance that could extend the life of windows.

“The things you want to look for are large amounts of condensation on the glass,” he said.

Condensation, he explained, could attract mold and mildew.

“The window is telling you something, like you have high humidity in your home,” he said. “It can cause your windows to need to be replaced prematurely.”

Dieball said drafts and high humidity can cause ice to form on the glass which can cause shifts in the sealant, ultimately creating drafts.

If a window needs replacing, Dieball said Olson offers full-frame and pocket-frame re[placement. Pocket framing, he explained, uses the existing frame rather than replacing the entire window.

“So the new window frame is just as good as the old window frame,” he said, adding that full-frame installation, although more costly, could last longer.

“All wood window frames today are preservative-treated, which they weren’t years ago,” he said.

Dieball said Olson is very big on installation and offers both full-service or partial service to accommodate the DIY group. Because of this flexibility and quality of products, he said he has seen generations of loyal customers come back to Olson over the decades.

Some of the product lines offered by Olson include Pella, Marvin, Beechworth and Andersen windows.
“We sell several top-of-the-line products,” Dieball said.