Will new windows lower my energy bill?
Usually yes, but be careful with anyone who gives you a precise number for your house.
ENERGY STAR reports that replacing single-pane windows with ENERGY STAR certified windows lowers household energy bills by an average of up to 13% nationwide. That's a national average across every climate and every kind of house. Your actual result depends on what you're replacing, how your home is built, your climate zone, and your utility rates.
Here's the honest version. If you have single-pane or failed, foggy double-pane windows, you'll notice a difference in both your bill and your comfort. If your current windows are sound double-panes, the bill savings will be modest, and the real case for replacing them is comfort, noise, appearance, and operation rather than payback math.
We won't quote you a savings percentage for your house. Nobody can honestly do that, and the companies that do are guessing.
Source: ENERGY STAR, U.S. EPA.
Do new windows add value to my home?
They do, though not dollar for dollar.
The most-cited independent source is the annual Cost vs. Value Report from Remodeling. Its recent editions put vinyl window replacement at roughly 67% to 72% of project cost recouped at resale, with wood somewhat lower on a higher base cost.
Two things worth knowing. First, the return is strongest when the existing windows are visibly failing. Replacing 30-year-old drafty units moves a buyer far more than swapping 10-year-old ones. Second, if you see a window company advertising a 90% or 100%-plus return, check the source. It won't be an independent one.
Source: Remodeling, Cost vs. Value Report.
What does window replacement cost in Denver?
It depends on four things, and any company that gives you a number before knowing them is making it up: how many windows, what size and style, what material and brand line, and whether the job is a retrofit insert or a full-frame replacement.
That last one is the biggest swing. See the question further down.
What we'll do differently is show you the range honestly at the consultation, priced per window, so you can see where the money is going and adjust. If the number is higher than you want, we'll show you what the same house looks like on a different manufacturer instead of just handing you a payment plan.
What windows hold up best in Colorado's climate?
Altitude and sun are the two things people underestimate here.
Denver sits around 5,280 feet, which matters because sealed insulating glass units are built and filled at the elevation where they're manufactured. Units shipped up from lower elevations can bow or stress from the pressure difference, which is why manufacturers use capillary or breather tubes on high-altitude orders. Not every company specs them correctly.
The Colorado sun is the other one. Our UV load is high, our temperature swing between a sunny afternoon and a clear night is large, and the freeze-thaw cycle works every seal and joint in the assembly. Low-E coatings, appropriate solar heat gain numbers for the orientation of each wall, and quality spacer material do more here than they do in a milder climate.
This is exactly the kind of thing we'd rather explain than sell around. Ask us about it at the consultation.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. We'll happily provide our certificate of insurance, and you're welcome to call the carrier and confirm it yourself. We'd rather you check.
Will I get itemized pricing, or just one big number?
Itemized, always.
We provide detailed, individual pricing for every window in the quote. That protects you and it protects us. It means we're both looking at the same thing, and there's no room for a misunderstanding about what's included. It also means you can adjust scope intelligently. If the number is higher than you want, you can see exactly where it's coming from instead of guessing.
You take the quote home. It'll be the same price next week.
Do your installers move furniture and take down blinds?
Yes, that's on us. Our crews handle blinds, window treatments, and moving furniture away from the work area, and we clean up when we're done.
One exception. If you have collectibles, artwork, heirlooms, or anything irreplaceable near the windows we're working on, we'd much rather you move those yourself. No offense taken. We just don't want to be the reason something like that gets damaged.
What brands do you carry?
We can source dozens of manufacturers. The five we work with most are Sierra Pacific, ProVia, Milgard, Pella, and Amsco, spanning solid value options through premium lines in vinyl, fiberglass, and wood-clad.
If you already know what you want and it isn't on that list, tell us. We'll source it.
Do you repair windows, or only replace them?
Both. We repair foggy glass, failed seals, broken sashes and balances, cracked panes, bad hardware, drafts, and frame rot.
Most Denver window companies only sell new windows, which means "you need new windows" is the only answer they can give you. We'll tell you when repair is the right fix and when it's money down the drain. See our window repair page for the full list of what we fix.
How long does the whole process take?
Typically two to three weeks from order to installation, and four to six weeks on specialty or custom units.
The install itself is usually one day for most homes, sometimes two on larger whole-house projects. We'll give you a real timeline at the consultation, not a placeholder.
What's covered by your warranty?
Two things, separately.
Your product warranty comes from the manufacturer and varies by brand and line. We'll walk you through exactly what yours covers before you buy.
Your installation is covered by our two-year workmanship warranty, which is transferable once if you sell the home within 30 days of the sale. A great window installed badly is just an expensive window, and no product warranty covers a bad install. Ours does. Full terms are on our warranty page.
Do you offer financing?
Yes, and you have three different paths. They work differently, and which one is right for you depends on how long you plan to stay in the house and what you're trying to accomplish. We'll walk through all three at the consultation rather than steering you to one.
Standard financing. Estimate a monthly payment or apply online in a few minutes through our lending partner on our financing page. Simple, fast, and the obligation belongs to you rather than to your house. Rates, terms, and approval are handled directly by the lender.
On-Bill Repayment through your utility. Fort Comfort Windows is an authorized contractor for the On-Bill Repayment program administered by the Colorado Clean Energy Fund. Rather than taking out a separate loan, the cost of qualifying energy upgrades is repaid as a voluntary line item on your monthly electric bill. CCEF funds the project up front and pays us directly, so there is no separate account to open and no second bill to track. Xcel Energy participates, along with a number of Colorado electric cooperatives.
The Colorado RENU Loan. Also administered by the Colorado Clean Energy Fund, RENU is a statewide program that lends through Colorado-based credit unions rather than through your utility. It covers a broader set of energy upgrades and is a conventional loan, so the obligation stays with you rather than with the property.
Energy-efficient windows and doors are eligible measures under both CCEF programs. Terms, rates, fees, and approval decisions are set by the participating lenders and utilities, not by us. Current program details are published by CCEF at cocleanenergyfund.com, with specifics for On-Bill Repayment and the RENU Loan.
What should I know before choosing On-Bill Repayment?
We like this program, and we'd rather you hear the fine print from us than find it later.
The obligation attaches to the property, not to you. If you sell before it's paid off, the remaining repayment stays with the electric meter and transfers to the next owner when service transfers. You are required to disclose it to buyers. A notice is filed in county land records, though it is not a lien on your home. Some homeowners choose to pay the balance off before listing to keep the sale simple. You can pay it off early at any time without a penalty.
The charge rides on your utility bill. That's the convenience of the program and also the thing to understand. Because it's part of your electric bill, a missed payment is handled under your utility's standard collection policies, the same as any other unpaid balance.
You own the windows from day one. Even though CCEF funds the work up front, the improvement is yours at installation.
There's an eligibility screen. You need to own the home, be named on the utility account, receive service from a participating utility, and have a clean recent bill-pay history with that utility. CCEF publishes the specific requirements. There's also a minimum amount of account history required, so a homeowner who just moved in may not qualify yet.
Every project needs approval before work starts, and the window package has to be on the program's eligible measures list. We handle the application through CCEF's contractor portal, and we'll tell you at the consultation whether what you're considering is likely to qualify.
If the property-attachment piece doesn't sit right with you, say so. Standard financing or the RENU Loan both keep the obligation with you instead, and we're not paid more for one path than another.
What's the difference between a full-frame replacement and an insert?
An insert, sometimes called a retrofit, fits a new window into your existing frame. It's less invasive, faster, and less expensive, and it's the right call when the existing frame is structurally sound.
A full-frame replacement removes everything down to the rough opening. It costs more and takes longer, but it's the only honest option when the frame is rotted, out of square, or when there's hidden water damage you'd otherwise be sealing back up.
We'll tell you which one your house actually needs. Some companies quote every job as full-frame because it's a bigger ticket. We don't.
