Protect Your Home from Window Rot - Pella Wood Windows are Now Backed by a limited lifetime warranty

[averymaples]

We installed a beautiful Designer Series sliding door over 10 years ago. We loved it and even though it was more expensive than others we looked at, we were satisfied with the results. I am now listening to this video that touts the wonderful quality of the door and the exceptional customer service of Pella. My expensive, clad wood slider, was heavy, slid like a dream, had an inside (I liked that) retractable screen, and looked fabulous. Until it ROTTED, I loved it and was certain it would be here long after we were gone. Pella did come out and acted so very puzzled about the bottom of our doors being rotten and our now inability to remove the glass panels to clean them, due to the swollen wood. The man just scratched his head and was so very sorry that there was nothing Pella could do. Well, we now must replace this rotten mess. Cha ching!!! I will NEVER buy another Pella product and will advise that no one else make that mistake. Such a disappointment. I had always had such faith in them.

[andersmr]

We just bought an otherwise great home with Pella Proline aluminum clad windows. These are the worst windows we've ever. Like others here, we found rot, termites, and half the windows leak into the house or into the walls, causing damage below. Now we are facing huge bill to replace, or forced to sell the house to another sucker. I'll never buy a house with Pella windows again and we're warning everyone we know.

[kevinpezzi]

Buying Pella windows was a mistake I deeply regret because all of my home windows quickly rotted. Some were repaired but soon exhibited the same problem, so the cause appears to be poor engineering, not occasional defects. Judging by the condensation around window perimeters during wintertime, the flaw is likely very poor thermal performance. With my home at the usual 68 degrees F, sometimes the condensate FREEZES. Trying to mitigate the problem, I run a dehumidifier during the winter until the air is literally nosebleed-dry but I still get condensation—just less of it. Pella gives excuses but here are the facts:

(1) I've lived in at least 17 homes (some old, some new), and been in hundreds of others, and this is the only one with similar problems. The oldest was a farmhouse well over 100 years old with original wood single-pane windows: no problems. I repainted its windows, scraping down to bare wood, which was in perfect condition without even a trace of mold or rot.

(2) I gave Pella money with zero defects; they sold me windows that gave me endless nightmares. Today is Christmas, but instead of having a good time, I spent hours wiping condensation off my windows and TRYING to wipe off what appears to be black mold growing on the rotted wood. I can wipe dozens of times and it still comes off black.

(3) During some weather conditions I see round, icon-like faint marks INSIDE the windows that cannot be washed off; I assume these are marks left by manufacturing suction cups.

(4) Some window latches are fine; some frequently fall apart just opening a window.

(5) Reputable companies stand behind their products. When they screw up, they fix it so THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED. Pella evidently wants me to pay for problems they created.

By trying to evade responsibility, Pella burned bridges with customers when it could have cemented relationships. As Bill Gates said, “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” I thought of a way to control the condensation/mold/rot problem too late to save my windows but in time to please other customers.

[dallasball]

When they say limited, I mean limited. They try to make up for costs by jacking labor through the roof

[tc]

I have a house full of pella proline windows and they are absolutely the worst windows. Constant condensation, rotting sashes total junk!!! Horrible customer service, piss poor engineering and lots of excuses why it's your fault they have failed. Stay away from pella windows at all costs. Viewed to be the worst!!!!

[MsMaryR]

Pella windows and doors are not a good choice! The "limited lifetime warranty" is a joke! There are issues will ALL our windows and 4 of the 7 doors. Had their repair service out and they wanted to charge me to fix their poor quality work. we cannot open our windows on the upper floor because to close them someone has to push from the outside while someone on the inside locks the handle. the solid non opening windows leak water and air. I am so disappointed in the quality of this expensive product!