Renewal by Andersen Vs. Pella Windows - Side by Side of Price and Energy Ratings
- The Wacky Window Woman
- Oct 2
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 3
Are you considering Renewal by Andersen and/or Pella Windows for your replacement window project? I’ve had both companies into my home to present their window, discuss energy ratings and to quote my window project of 12 windows.
Be sure to see the Wacky Window Woman Price Comparison chart to see how larger well-known window companies stack up when we compare price and multiple energy ratings.
Renewal by Andersen Vs. Pella Windows - Side by Side of Price and Energy Ratings
Pella and Renewal by Andersen are more expensive than most windows and I had to wonder when I started shopping, are they worth the additional cost?
So far, we've had ten different replacement window companies out to our home to give us a quote on our window project of twelve windows. We asked for all of them to quote, double-hung, double pane, white vinyl windows. The quotes ranged from almost $10,000 to over $34,000.
How much do Replacement Windows Cost?
Renewal by Andersen’s quote was $34,376. They don’t offer Vinyl, but rather they could only offer me their Fibrex frame. Which is 40% wood and 60% composite material.
Pella’s quote for Vinyl Windows came in at $ $21,261 – so about 30% less than Andersen, but keep in mind that Pella’s price is double the number one window on the list and Renewal by Andersen’s price is three times the number one company on the list. Out of ten companies on my Wacky Window Woman Chart, Pella is ranked number seven and Renewal by Andersen is number ten and comes in at last place when we look at pricing alone.
Warranty
On Glass, both Pella and Renewal by Andersen give a 20-year warranty, but Pella’s warranty only includes non-laminated glass.
Pella offers a lifetime warranty on Defects in base products and Andersen offers a 20-year warranty on their Fibrex Frame. I’m not even sure those two things are the same?
As far as working parts are concerned, Pella offers lifetime and Renewal by Andersen offers ten years.
Andersen specifically mentions that they warrant installation for two years, Pella doesn’t mention installation.
Both offer 10-year warranty on exterior finishes.
All of Andersen’s warranties transfer to future homeowners for the time noted, whereas Pella’s brochure states that warranty is “replaced with 10 years from original purchase date. Glass transfers as well. ” I take it that new owners get 10 years from original date of purchase.
Warranties are confusing, at least for me as they all do it in a different way. If you have any corrections to what I've stated, feel free to email me at the email address noted on my Wacky Window Woman website.
Energy Ratings
When it comes to Energy Ratings, the first thing we should consider is Energy Star 7.0, and not just regular Energy Star, but Energy Star 7.0. Neither Pella’s 250 series or Renewal by Andersen’s Acclaim Replacement Series meet the new 2023 Energy Star 7.0. You can likely get this if you upgrade to a triple pane window with either one.
When it comes to Solar Heat Gain co-efficient, they are very similar .23 and .24 respectively. The higher heat zones need the lower number to keep solar heat out.
Air Infiltration, which is how much air transfers should be as low as possible, Renewal by Andersen is .02 which meets minimum energy requirements and Pella is .14 which doesn’t meet energy standards.
The final rating is the U-Factor, you want to strive for .030 or lower. Pella publishes that theirs ranges from .19 to .49, so at the top end they don’t meet the minimum. Whereas, Renewal by Andersen is .26 and does meet the minimum.
So, all in all, I’d say Renewal by Andersen appears to be a better window based on energy ratings and warranty. But, it comes with a hefty price.
Replacement Window Prices
For me, there really wasn't anything all that special about the Pella Window. Renewal by Andersen has a great reputation and a good warranty, but I wasn't willing to pay as much as three-times the cost of a more traditional vinyl replacement window.
Ultimately, my husband and I choose Virtual View Windows. They offer the entire sales process, from quote to contract virtually. You don't have to let a weird sales guy into your home for a two or three hour sales pitch.
Take pictures, provide number of windows and their sizes along with the year your home was built. They'll use your information to get you an electronic quote. They even offer virtual zoom meetings or a demo if you have questions about the Alside Mezzo Window that they offer. We chose to upgrade to triple pane, which meant it met the Energy Star 7.0 requirements and gives us the option to file for the $600 Energy Tax credit on next year's taxes.
