Why Homeowners switch Window Companies?

Reason 1: The Warranty Didn’t Say What They Thought It Said

The most common trigger is a failed sealed unit fog between the panes followed by the discovery that the “25-year warranty” is prorated: by year 12 it covers a fraction of replacement cost, and labour is often billed separately. The homeowner pays most of the bill for a product still “under warranty.”

What to verify next time: get the warranty document itself, not the brochure line. Check three clauses: proration, labour inclusion, and transferability. Norden Seal’s warranty is 25 years, non-prorated, and fully transferable across frame, sealed unit, and hardware a year-20 failure is covered on the same terms as a year-2 failure.

Reason 2: The Seller and the Installer Were Different Companies

When installation is subcontracted, a draft or a leak after install becomes a routing problem: the sales company calls it an installation issue, the installer calls it a product issue, and the homeowner waits between them. Several winters of that produces a switch.

What to verify: ask whether installers are employees, and who returns at whose cost when a deficiency appears six months later. Norden Seal’s installation team is in-house; the company that sold and warranties the window is the one that installed it.

Reason 3: The Window That Arrived Wasn’t the Window That Was Quoted

“Energy-efficient vinyl with Low-E and argon” can describe both a premium triple-pane unit with a warm-edge spacer and a budget double-pane unit with an aluminum spacer. Homeowners who discover the frost ring in their first January often learn the specification was never in writing.

What to verify: five items on the contract pane count, spacer brand, vinyl compound (100% lead-free uPVC or not), chamber count, and the Energy Rating (ER) of the exact configuration. ENERGY STAR Canada certification requires ER 34+; ER 40+ is Most Efficient. If it’s not written down, it’s not specified.

Reason 4: Timelines Slipped Without Communication

Manufacturing and installation delays happen in every industry; what breaks trust is silence. Homeowners who switch frequently describe not the delay itself but weeks of unanswered calls while a wall opening sat covered in poly. What to verify: ask how the company communicates production status and what happens if dates move. Norden Seal provides order tracking so customers see status without chasing anyone.

Reason 5: Service Ended at Final Payment

The pattern: responsive sales process, smooth install, then nothing no response to the small deficiency list, no return visit for the adjustment a new window sometimes needs. The relationship was structured to end at payment. What to verify: ask for the deficiency process in writing and check recent reviews specifically for post-install service, not just install-day praise.

The Questions That Prevent the Whole Cycle

Five questions, asked before signing anything: Is the warranty prorated, and does it transfer? Are installers employees? What are the pane count, spacer, and ER in writing? How do you communicate delays? What is the deficiency process after final payment? Any company that answers all five clearly is unlikely to send you searching for a replacement.

Norden Seal Windows Winnipeg 1174 Sanford St, 1-204-202-7140. In-house installers, 25-year non-prorated transferable warranty, specifications in writing on every quote.