When doing the literal ‘window shopping’ for your home, there are countless brands out there to compare and consider: Simonton, PGT windows, CWS, Pella, EWS… the list goes on and on. But, which windows are the best for your home?
Let’s do a quick comparison between PGT windows and CWS windows to start with. In this comparison, we’ll compare the windows on a variety of metrics such as price, selection, curb appeal, durability, and more.
Read on to see how these two brands stack up!
CWS vs PGT Windows: Price
When it comes to buying windows on a budget, CWS is the typical ‘go-to’ brand, with an average price range between $800 and $1,200 per window according to Modernize. Meanwhile, the price range for PGT Windows varies a bit more, going from $750 per window to up to $1,500 per window on average.
PGT has a lower minimum cost, but a higher cost for its higher-end offerings that have added features such as energy-efficient glazing or specialized Low-E coatings applied to them.
Winner: CWS has the lower average cost for its Stormstrong and Hurricane Guard window product lines compared to PGT’s WinGuard line of impact windows.
CWS vs PGT Windows: Curb Appeal
With any exterior window, the aesthetics will be a key part of your purchase decision. After all, you want a window that looks good so you can be proud of your home. However, beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder.
It’s also a matter of how well the window will mesh with your home.
PGT offers a variety of impact window options to help ensure that your window matches with your house (and, if you’re in an HOA-controlled area, the rules of your homeowner’s association).
For their StormStrong vinyl windows, CWS offers three finishes for their window frames: White, bronze, and bronze/white. They also offer three different grille types between the glass panes and a choice of four basic grille patterns and custom grille patterns.
PGT offers four different frame colors: Bronze, white, clear anodize, and black. They also offer seven different glass tints: clear, bronze, gray, green, azure blue, solarcool bronze, and Graylite II. They primarily offer two types of grille patterns: Brittany/Prairie and Colonial.
PGT even offers “Turtle Glass” for those living near the coast who need to meet strict home light emission standards designed to protect marine life.
Winner: PGT. While CWS has more grille styles and will even do custom grilles, PGT has a wider variety of glass color tints which have a bigger impact on the curb appeal of your home.
CWS vs PGT Windows: Functionality
A window’s functionality varies depending on the type of window you’re installing. So, when looking at window functionality as a criteria for choosing the best impact window for your needs, it’s important to consider how broad a selection of window types the manufacturer offers.
When it comes to impact resistant windows, CWS offers two different product lines: StormStrong and Hurricane Guard. The StormStrong line consists of two window types: Vinyl picture windows and vinyl single-hung windows. Meanwhile, the StormStrong line has:
- Vinyl or Aluminum Single-Hung Windows
- Vinyl or Aluminum Picture Windows
- Vinyl Awning Windows
- Vinyl & Aluminum Casement Windows
- Vinyl & Aluminum Sliding Windows
Just in its line of impact-rated windows, PGT offers:
- Casement Picture Windows
- Casement Windows
- Casement architectural Windows
- Architectural Windows
- Awning Windows
- Double Hung Windows
- Picture Windows
- Horizontal Roller Windows
- Single Hung Windows
Winner: PGT offers a wider range of impact-resistant window types, which makes them more likely to have the specific functionality you’re looking for.
CWS vs PGT Windows: Hardware (Locks, Etc.)
For most window manufacturers, the hardware on a window, such as the locks, will be (almost quite literally) the same, as they outsource the manufacturing of these components.
However, CWS designs and manufactures the locks they use for their windows themselves, according to their ‘about us’ page.
PGT, meanwhile, outsources the manufacture of their locks and lock components to third parties. For example, their pivot lock shoe model 88-5073 is manufactured by Caldwell. On the other hand, they offer black hardware for their impact windows, a rarity for window makers in Florida.
Winner: PGT has the edge on ease of replacement since you can get replacement parts through a third party manufacturer, but CWS making all of their components in-house may be more appealing to some. The winner here might depend on what you’re looking for in your impact window’s hardware.
CWS vs PGT Windows: Durability/Impact Resistance
PGT windows are the industry leader in impact resistance. PGT was the first manufacturer to “offer a full suite of impact-resistant windows & doors.” Their windows are consistently the best-rated for impact resistance, easily surpassing Large Missile Impact D standards and bearing the “Miami-Dade County Approved” seal.
CWS windows also meet Large Missile Impact D standards. In one case study, they highlighted a story about the “Sand Palace,” a home in Mexico Beach that withstood Hurricane Micheal in 2018 when the structures around it were leveled by the Category 5 hurricane.
However, while this specific case study turned out well, our install team has concerns with how well CWS windows hold up over time. CWS adds extra chemicals to their PVC (Polyvinyl Carbonate) resin for their windows, such as lubricant, calcium carbonate, and titanium dioxide, among other things. Putting additives in PVC plasticize it and may cause it to decay over time or become brittle and crack.
This adulterates the PVC, which can compromise its functionality and durability over time. In one Dunedin installation job, Karoly’s window installation team had to replace every window in a home because the CWS windows all failed.
Winner: PGT, by a landslide. Both companies boast excellent impact resistance. However, PGT has a longer track record of success and the testing data to back it up. Their testing team is one of the best of any company offering windows in Florida.
CWS vs PGT Windows: Noise Cancellation
PGT impact windows offer up to a 65% reduction in noise from outside sources like barking dogs, traffic, sirens, etc.
Custom Window Systems does not make a specific claim about their windows’ noise reduction capabilities, but they do state that: “The laminated glass layers also offer excellent sound insulation, creating a quieter and more peaceful indoor environment.”
Winner: PGT. They have the testing data to back up their specific noise cancellation claims.
CWS vs PGT Windows: Insulation Quality (U Factor & SHGC)
One of the most important window performance statistics for any Florida homeowner, after impact resistance, is the insulation strength of the window. The insulation quality of your windows can have a huge impact on your electricity bills for years to come, so you want to make sure that your windows provide the best insulation against the hot Florida sun and humid breeze.
There are two critical measurements that help you see just how good a window is at insulating your home against Florida’s hot weather: U factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC).
U factor measures how well the window insulates your home and SHGC measures how much of the sun’s heat the window lets into your home. The lower each of these numbers is, the better they’ll be for your energy efficiency.
CWS’ Hurricane Guard vinyl impact windows and doors have u-factor ratings ranging from as low as 0.23 to as high as 0.73, according to their product spec sheet. Their SHGC values range from as low as 0.10 to as high as 0.68.
Note that Florida Building Codes require a window in an exterior wall to have a u-factor of no more than 0.40.
Why is there such a difference between the lows and the highs? It’s because the u-factor and SHGC values of a window will vary greatly depending on the type of glass used, the grille, the frame materials, the glazing, and the film/coating.
PGT, meanwhile, has an energy performance chart detailing the energy efficiency of their vinyl impact resistance windows when they have laminated insulated glass with Low-E coating and argon gas fills.
According to PGT’s chart, their vinyl impact windows and doors, when given the Low-E coating and argon gas fill, have u-factor ratings between 0.24 and 0.33. Their SHGC ratings vary between 0.15 and 0.33.
However, what about the performance of the window over time? PGT over-engineers their windows, adding far more butyl to seal in the argon gas to prevent leaks. CWS tends to skimp on the butyl sealant, which makes it more likely for argon gas to leak out of the window, compromising its insulative qualities over time.
Winner: PGT. Both manufacturers have excellent ratings for energy efficiency, and both have some windows that are Energy Star v7.0 rated for climate zone 1—which covers southern states like Florida. However, PGT windows tend to hold up better over time because they’re slightly over-engineered for reliability and durability.
Why We Use PGT Windows
PGT is one of the biggest players in the impact window industry and a premium-grade manufacturer in the space. They were the first company to make hurricane-resistant windows that could withstand severe storms and help Florida homeowners weather the worst of hurricane season.
If you’re looking for a high-quality impact window from a proven manufacturer, PGT is the clear go-to company.
CWS is the brand for price-conscious customers… but it could end up costing more in the long run as you’ll need to replace your windows much sooner than you would with PGT.
PGT windows have a proven track record of stability and consistency as a window manufacturer in Florida. Instead, they’re treated more like an opportunity for other companies to expand into Florida more easily by acquiring an existing window manufacturer.
