“Wind’s Eye”
Long ago, two Scandinavian words, “vindr” and “auga”, were linked together to describe a hole cut in the roof of early Norse homes. Original construction didn’t consider ventilation which had to be rather unpleasant being closed up all the time. A hole or “eye” was cut in the roof to alleviate the stale, smoky air and inevitable wind whistling through the open hole lead to the combination of “wind’s eye”. Wind’s Eye evolved to Window and the changes haven’t stopped since!

Nearly A Century of Mass Production…
In 1915, Andersen Lumber Company began mass production of both residential and commercial use windows. Primarily designed for use by the United States military during the war effort of World War l, the “Victory” window was highly successful and made its way into the civilian marketplace.

Materials for construction of the windows became scarce when World War ll was entered into forcing Andersen to develop another type of window—pressure-seal double hung windows. These windows were the first to feature weather stripping on the outside of the window.

The realization of heat loss and gain through old, drafty windows created a focus on the actual glass used in a window. Specialty glass was introduced into the market in 1951 in the form of the Flexivent Window. This model could be opened a number of ways—inward, outward and vertically. Insulating Glass was soon to follow and targeted reduction of higher home heating.

1966 saw the beginning use of vinyl cladding on the external frame of windows to extend the life of the window and again, deter cold weather from entering a home. The Perma-Shield Cladding System is a process that hasn’t changed much since its introduction over 40 years ago.

The 1980’s heralded the age of the first true replacement windows. Frames and glass could be purchased in a fully assembled window unit and installed in a single process. Energy-conscious, Low-E glass panes were created and widely used with ever evolving improvements over the next few decades.

Today, replacement windows come in a variety of models made with a range of materials. All are geared toward beautifying homes and offices while making them more energy-efficient. Selecting the right window and having it professionally installed is a long-lasting investment that, without question, pays for itself over time.