by My father uses my blog to stay connected to the project. He calls me everyday asking to see pictures of what I’ve accomplished that day. He’s asked several times to see the windows and I had avoided this post because I don’t like them. My budget dominated my decision to go with vinyl windows and the lowest price to install. My two floors have two different window manufactures although both Earthwise Windows. To the novice eye from outside you’d never know; thankfully they look the same. I covered the downstairs windows in my She’s Got 1st Floor Windows blog.
The 2nd floor windows came from Tri-State Building Supply. Tri-State’s larger windows have only one lock, the 1st floor windows have two. I prefer the single lock. It’s made of metal vs. plastic, so in my opinion sturdier. The 1st floor windows have security levers that limits how far the windows can be opened when employed. I like it as I can crack windows and leave the room without worrying about someone pushing them open further and climbing in. Hopefully no one will scale the roof when I have the second floor windows open as the cross breeze is awesome. With the ceiling fan on I am hoping for much lower utility bills as I minimize the use of the AC.
Hopefully this is an anomaly, but the seal in one of the windows has already failed. Fortunately it’s covered under warranty, but that window hasn’t been in a full two months. Several years ago I replaced the rear windows on my current house with Renewal by Anderson. About six years later the seal failed and all I had to do was call them, give them the number of the sticker on the window and they sent me a whole new window sash. With Tri-State I have to remove the damaged sash, take it to them and they will replace the glass.
The second floor only has 10 windows, 1st 14, but Mr. Jackson, my installer, definitely had the harder install due to the 4 dormer windows. It’s speculated that a fire at some point in the house impacted the inside walls and led someone to frame new walls inside the original outer walls. When I bought the house all the original, weighted windows, had been replaced with aluminum windows and the four curved windows in the dormers had been frame from the inside for rectangle windows. A piece of metal was screwed to the curve to create the look you see below. 
Unfortunately it also blocked 1/3 of the light, so I removed it. What I didn’t realize is that the piece of metal also hid gaps created when you place a square shape in a curved space. The frames of the vinyl windows is thicker than the aluminum, so without that piece of metal the sides and tops of the windows are very obvious. I hate it.
I really wish I had bit the bullet and ordered curved windows, but it would have meant 
ripping out the drywall to frame inside for the curve and then find curved molding. The inside view from these windows isn’t any better. I will definitely need to come up with some type of blind or valance to hide the framing that I can see. I cringe every time I see it.
Fortunately it only impacts the two windows in the master bedroom area. I put obscure panes in the lower part of all the functioning windows in the master bath. While painting I realized that at my height my chest area on up is exposed in the upper part of the dormer windows which is at the same level of the second story of my neighbor’s windows. I can’t see myself remembering to close curtains or blinds every time I go in the bathroom, so I’ve decided to make the upper sash of the dormer windows obscure also. It’s only a $150 expense, but I think worth it. I probably won’t put any type of window coverings in the bathroom and the obscure pane will minimize the unsightly framing I can see.
I still love the trio windows in the “wet” area of the bathroom. The window on the left will actually be inside the shower, which unfortunately can’t be completed until I sell my house. Funds are getting too tight and I don’t want to compromise. Only the bottom sash of the center window is 
obscure, but only my head is seen in the upper sash. No neighbor’s windows on that side, just a parking lot for a business. Plus I plan on steeling an idea I saw at my friend Joan’s house. She has a stained glass hanging in front of her window in her bathroom. I want to do the same.
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