“Brrr, love that draft coming in from these old windows! Can you please grab me a second blanket?” Said no-one ever!

You don’t have to constantly be grabbing extra throw blankets, readjusting draft snakes, or using your hairdryer and shrink wrap to try and seal off dated windows.

Make 2019 the year you make life better for your elderly parent or yourself by making the investment in quality replacement windows from All American Window & Door Co., Inc. Replacing those old windows will not only make you more comfortable, but is a practical home improvement project that provides you with energy savings, reduced maintenance and peace-of-mind.

How to choose replacement windows

The government may have shut down, but we haven’t! Pay a visit to energystar.gov to research energy savings you can achieve from replacing your windows and you’ll currently find an important notice:

The U.S. federal government is closed due to a lapse in appropriations. For the duration of the U.S. government shutdown, all ENERGY STAR tools, resources, and data services will not be available.

At All American Window & Door Co, Inc., our doors are open, as always, and deciding which windows to choose couldn’t be simpler. Visit our showroom to find the industry’s most energy-efficient products along with our friendly salespeople who can answer all your questions.

Would you rather sit down at your kitchen table?

We pride ourselves on being good neighbors. We started our business—at our kitchen table—in 1985 and expanded to our current location in 1992. Much construction and additions later, our state-of-the-art warehouse now holds hundreds of custom windows and doors ready for installation. We’ll be happy to come out and take a look at your potential projects, offer solutions and prepare a free estimate.

Stop by our showroom, or call us today at 262-255-7170 and say good riddance to drafty, old windows once and for all!

The post Is Your Home Naturally “Air-Conditioned” in the Winter? appeared first on All American Window and Door.

What a year it’s been at All American Window & Door! We have so much to be thankful for as we reflect back on 2018.

For all of those who stuck with us through the long summer of construction, we give you our sincere gratitude! So often in Wisconsin, we rue the end of summer, knowing that after fall, winter will be on the way. However, this year, fall meant the end was in sight for this crazy construction project, and we couldn’t have been more pleased!

Normally, in the holiday season, we look forward to holiday lights, but this year, the new traffic light signaled that Mequon Road was up and running again! It’s a beautiful site!

We’ll hit 2019 running with ideas to help you with your home project New Year’s resolutions, so keep an eye out for an email coming soon with our New Year’s specials!

In the meantime, though we don’t have a winter wonderland yet—we know it’s coming! It’s not too late to gift someone special in your life with new windows, or a storm door that fends off the winter chill!

Call us at 262-255-7170 for more information on how you can gift the warmth of home to a loved one. Call soon, as this special will end come year’s end!

We wish you and yours a happy, safe and blessed holiday full of love and laughter! Thanks so much for your support and patronage and we look forward to working with you in 2019!

The post ‘Tis the Season appeared first on All American Window and Door.

Normally, we are tucked in the heated office answering phone calls, setting up appointments and working with you in the showroom. Today, a co-worker and I played hooky from our normal jobs to cross-train. We spent the morning in the crisp fall air to learn and observe the installation transformation of a large picture window to a twin double hung unit. We want to better help you – our client and customer – and what better way than to be at the installation site.

Window terminology flies around the office…from shims to stops to squaring to leveling to trim to aluminum capping…and have been trying to wrap my brain around what it all means but having never seen an installation from start to finish, it was a bit of a challenge. Cross-training brought all those terms to light.

All American Window & Door installers really do have a “team” mentality and work well with each other. Occasionally, the installers crack jokes at each other leaving the customer laughing. The installation process was straight forward from beginning to end. The crew lead introduced himself to the homeowner and went over the specific details of the window installation. Drop cloths were laid out to protect the interior/exterior of the area where the installers are working. Measurements were taken of the opening and of the new window to make sure everything lines up correctly. Because the original replacement style window had cracked glass, the installer taped the cracks to prevent the glass breaking more or even shattering. When the picture window was set to be freed, suction cups were used to help successfully remove the large glass unit.

The installation crew was considerate, careful not to step on the bushes just outside the window and made it a point to clean up after themselves, including using what looked like an oversized soft bristled paintbrush and then a rag on the window sills and then vacuuming the ground to clear away the dust and debris that had accumulated. They brought the new window to the opening to install and double-checked themselves to make sure everything matched and lined up correctly, that every nook and cranny was sealed properly, that every window opened and closed and operated as it was supposed to.

The installers finished the installation process by using spray foam insulation and bending aluminum trim custom to the exterior of the home. The aluminum trim is applied carefully, with last minute cutting to get a plush fit to the brickmolding around the window. The aluminum trim is carefully nailed to hold it in place and caulk is used as the finishing touch to completion of the exterior.

We greatly appreciated the opportunity to see the work first-hand, and I think the installers appreciated the package of mini-muffins I’d brought along for a snack for everyone.

~Written by Kathy and Karen

The post Fun at Recent Window Installation appeared first on All American Window and Door.

Sometimes, things about your house just don’t quite look right. Maybe you have a hallway in a weird place, or a door that just doesn’t quite seem to be in the right place… or maybe you have two slider windows that are two different sizes. You’ve pondered over this for years, of course, always meaning to do something about it but given the fact that you don’t know a load bearing wall from sheetrock and don’t relish the idea of accidentally collapsing an entire section of the house – you (or more likely your wife) have decided to leave the alter opening to the experts.

That’s us.

We call this style of window an alter opening. That means any modification or change in the original opening. Whether that means making the opening larger in height or width, it’s not something you’d likely want to risk doing on your own. A lot of care and precision needs to be exercised. You don’t want to hack away at one of those load bearing walls and wind up with a ceiling where your sink should be.

Let us handle it!

We have over 30 years experience with this sort of thing. We recently did just such an alter opening in Mequon, Wisconsin – taking two separate window openings and turning it into one, beautifully symmetric quad awning. All American Window & Door Co. arrived at the jobsite and immediately got to work. The crew took out the existing windows, framed up the one opening so they were the same height, removed (and later replaced) cedar board and batten siding, installed a 16′ microlam header, installed the quad awning and finished off the exterior. Looks fantastic doesn’t it?

So please, put the sawzall down and call us to do that alter opening.

The post Recent Alter Opening! appeared first on All American Window and Door.

Or – you manage to get into the house, carrying the heavy brand new triple pane window and UGHHHH…. the opening is still covered by heavy vertical blinds. Now you have to spend precious minutes gently taking them down and hoping against hope that the twenty years of constant sun hasn’t made them extra brittle.

Or – Phew… the window opening is clear but… the walls nearby have pictures of all the customers’ puppies all over them which you just know are going to be affected by the pounding, scraping, and sawing necessary to get the window in.

Or – The window opening is nice and clear, the walls are clear BUT… there’s a vintage 1973 couch in the way that looks like it might weigh as much as a Sherman Tank.

All of these are things that our professional window installers want to avoid, not just because it opens them up to risk of liability but also because it slows down the entire process and if there’s one thing our guys like to be, it’s efficient.

In any season, you want your doors and windows to be installed as quickly as possible so, as our valued customer, please help us help you. Here are a few things you can do to make your new window install go as smoothly and painlessly as possible:

1) Remove any shades, drapes, blinds, or other window coverings. This allows our installers full access to the opening so they can get to work removing your old window and putting the new one in before the winter wind has a chance to turn your living room into a refrigerator.

2) Move any sort of heavy pieces of furniture two to three feet away from the opening. Window installation is not often a delicate or dainty process, and this gives our guys the necessary space they need to maneuver.

3) Pictures of your family, pets, and grandchildren are wonderful mementos to display, as is your grandmothers Hummel collection. We would hate for anything to happen to them due to the vibrations caused by pounding, sawing, and such. Please remove them for their safety.

4) Disconnect any alarm system that might be triggered by your window or door removal.  The last thing anyone needs is to suddenly be faced with private security or a blaring alarm going off while carrying heavy windows.

5) The safety and health of our installers is very important to us, as is the safety and integrity of your windows. Please prepare exterior work spaces with salt where ice has developed – this includes roof areas where they may have to work.

We know you want your windows to go in as quickly and smoothly as possible. So do we. Please help us to help you make this the best remodel experience you’ve ever had!

Written by Josh Cejka and Kathy Nichols

The post Ways to Prepare For Your Installation appeared first on All American Window and Door.

12-point fusion welded joints No fasteners! No construction! This means no pesky seams for weather to exploit.

Cove moulding with a handcrafted bevel instead of a boring, flat box that looks like it’s been glued into the opening. This gives great ‘curb appeal’.

An exterior glazing bead around the perimeter of the sash. The more the weather works against you, the more this window works FOR you.

Standard extruded screen – no more cheap, rolled aluminum that bends to the whims of overly curious cats as they try to escape. Extruded screens mean your cat will have to be the Hulk of the kitten world to break through.

A locking system that insures the screen will stay up when you raise it.

Standard BetterVue screen See the outside. Enjoy the view, not just the view of your screen. Bettervue screens also cut down on pollen infiltration to STOP THE SNEEZING.

4 choices of woodgrains for the inside and multiple exterior PVC coatings: Naturally, this means you can match the window to your house rather than trying to do it the other way around.

ILTIS lock and tilt hardware is internal: Your tilt/cleaning latch is INTERNAL to the lock; leaving a nice, clean profile.

Keeper system – Horizontal fasteners, as opposed to the more conventional vertical variety, mean a much stronger attachment to your window. Much stronger attachment means a much more effective lock.

Dual vent latches – Hoping to prevent another escape of the Hulk Kitty? Just engage the vent lock and pull both sashes down. Might not be completely feline-proof (seriously… cats are escape artists), but it’s better than the normal way.

Lift rails are extruded right into the sash (many others are screwed or snapped in), meaning they won’t break off; and their ergonomic design allows you to get your fingertips under the lift rail to lift the window up.

Full-length innerlock –When the ILTIS system is locked, the innerlock is drawn close together, making a nice, tight seal to prevent air infiltration. Meaning – you guessed it – higher efficiency!

Center meeting rail is filled with K-Beam, featuring Kevlar, an exceedingly strong and durable non-conductive material. Whereas other windows might be reinforced with metals that readily transfer heat or cold, our reinforcement is both tough and non-conductive because the last thing you need is for your windows to transfer outside temperatures for you.

Comfort foam insulation – Other windows may have plastic insulation, rod insulation, or even none at all, but ours all have main channels filled with wonderful comfort foam insulation, which expands to fill whatever opening it’s put inside of. Keep the Wisconsin winter OUTSIDE, where it belongs.

Straddle gasket – Take a quick gander at the system. Really. Our windows are Fort Knox combined with a Supermax. You think air is getting through that? Our gasket and weatherstripping system is designed to keep warmth in and cold January winds out. The only thing it’s missing is a guard tower and searchlights. We’ve made sure that air needs to stop and ask for directions before it gets in. First it has to get past the bulb seal. Then it must take a left then a right then another right around the gasket, THEN get around the three fins of our weatherstripping THEN take another left AND a right before it gets in. Last I checked, air isn’t that smart.

These features, combined, are what give the Elements window line a .01 cfm/sq ft air infiltration rating, which is the best in the industry and 30 times better than the standard for a gold rating from the American Architectural Manufacturers Association. We are very proud to offer such a superior product!

~Written by Josh Cejka and Kathy Nichols

The post Why Elements Windows!! appeared first on All American Window and Door.

Well it should be.

How are you going to gaze out upon the freshly fallen snow through old, drafty windows? Where are you going to hang your Christmas wreath if not on a nice, new steel door? However are you going to be blinded by your neighbor’s light display if not through brand new, high-efficiency windows?

We here at All American Window and Door LOVE the holidays. Some of us, maybe, just a little too much as we tend to start singing Christmas tunes in the office about mid-June. And we want you to appreciate the holidays and all the binge eating, present unwrapping, and numerous other family traditions you can enjoy from the comfort of a home that knows how to keep the weather out and the Christmas spirit in.

Call now to set up a free estimate. Our gift to you for Christmas. Then you can start looking forward to your brand new windows to hang the lights from NEXT Christmas. Just imagine how your tree will look standing next to one of our wonderful bay windows, or how your lights will look reflecting off the glass of one of our quad casements. Let our high efficiency windows put a little more presents money in your pocket over the next year and every year after.

After all, ‘tis the season to think about windows and doors!

Written by Josh Cjeka

The post Merry Christmas! appeared first on All American Window and Door.

We had a great time at our product demonstration shows in recent months.  We had the opportunity to meet and chat with numerous wonderful people and learn how we can best help them beautify and increase the energy efficiency of their homes, giving them abodes they can be proud to call their own.  Our All American Window and Door Company family and friends appreciate the chances we’ve been given to help improve upon what is most peoples’ biggest investment.

 Next up, we’d like to get your living quarters prepared for winter’s seasonal chill.  Our goal is to help keep the white Christmas we’re all dreaming of outside in the yard so we can sincerely sing along with “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow” while enjoying our hot chocolates next to the fireplace (such a classic Americana image)!

Our vinyl windows are made expressly to increase your home’s energy efficiency while enhancing its beauty.  Foam-filled vinyl frames resist temperature transfer better than other materials and our super spacers, made of a non-metal substance that is positioned between panes of glass, improve the windows’ insulating quality while preventing condensation.

We hope to be your choice of a partner to help prepare for Wisconsin’s changing seasons!

~Written by Kathy N.

The post Fall Beauty appeared first on All American Window and Door.

To that end, I was able to stop by during a few installations and talk to a few of the wonderful folks who’ve welcomed us into their homes and entrusted us with their business and hard-earned cash.

Karen K. and Sandra P. reported being, overall, pleased with their experiences. They are repeat customers, perhaps in part due to our installers being “considerate and polite…I was concerned it would be dirty and that we’d have dust and dirt in the house, but so far, so good,” according to the ladies. Ken and Rita H., also previous customers, claimed that they returned because they’ve had all of their windows done by us, as well as their desire to stay with a local company and, so far, seem to be glad they did. “The installers are very polite, knowledgeable, and fast workers. The quality of their workmanship resulted in virtually no problems with anything,” stated Mr. H.
As far as the Soft-Lite windows, Mr. and Mrs. H. seemed to be most enamored with the ease with which they are able to clean their (windows). “The double hungs just pop open!,” exclaimed Mrs. H., delightedly.
While Mr. and Mrs. H. summed up their overall opinion with simply “We’re very pleased with our purchases!”, Karen and Sandra went into a bit more detail. “One of the things I liked was negotiating the deal and having the option that by paying up front, we were able to get a discount,” Sandra reported. “I think it was very straight-forward. While Daniel was here, we had him price out the deck door and the two bathroom windows. As soon as we let him know we were ready, he scheduled a time, came out here, and did another contract, so the whole process was very easy, efficient, and painless. Actually, the second time, he had all the paperwork filled out in advance, so we literally just walked in and signed on the dotted line. We’re anxious to have windows now that we can open, come spring and summer.” We’re glad to know they’re so pleased!

Written by Kathy Nichols

The post Our Raving Customers appeared first on All American Window and Door.

We have patio doors with numerous options so you can welcome mother nature into your home while customizing to fit your style and keep you comfortable along with offering extra protection from the elements when desired. Options include size, color, handle style, and glass…all so you can get exactly what YOU want! Our patio doors come standard with a 2-point Mortise locking, stainless steel system that insures your door will be secured into the jamb. You also have the option of a ToeBolt, which are stops that, when engaged, prevent your door from sliding more than 3 inches, allowing you to enjoy the outdoors while maintaining your peace of mind!

Now is also a great time to consider window replacement so you can keep the inside of your home comfortable regardless of the extreme conditions that will be upon us in a few months (have to be prepared!).

We’ll be doing an open house in May. Please stop back for details!

Written by our very own staff, Josh and Kathy

The post Hello, Spring!! appeared first on All American Window and Door.