Lincoln Windows & Patio Doors is one of the most well-respected manufacturers of fine windows and doors in the United States. Rocky Mountain Windows & Doors is proud to be Lincoln’s authorized Utah representative.

With more than 70 years in the window and door manufacturing industry, Lincoln’s products emphasize craftsmanship and quality. The company has a reputation for producing products that combine exceptional performance and visual appeal.

Lincoln Windows & Patio Doors Material Options

The company offers five collections, based on the design, materials and manufacturing processes that are unique to each one.

Distinction
This line includes aluminum clad products, which offer exceptional strength with very little maintenance. You can order from this collection in virtually any shape, size or color.

Harmony
These vinyl clad products provide exceptional thermal performance, and are especially appropriate for use in coastal climates.

Innovation
These products are made with a hybrid design using aluminum-clad, vinyl-clad and primed wood. These designs are ideal for achieving your architectural styling goals while keeping maintenance to a minimum

Traditions
This line consists of primed wood products and historical design elements. Because they can be painted any color you prefer, you can precisely match your home’s color palette.

Luxury
These natural wood products offer the ultimate in style and warm, natural beauty. These designs can be stained to your specification to allow the wood grain to stand out. Available in pine, mahogany and fir, they arrive sanded smooth and ready for your finish.

Lincoln Window and Door Glass Options

This well-known manufacturer offers a variety of glass options, allowing you to choose the level of energy efficiency and maintenance that meets your goals and budget.

The Lincoln energy efficiency glass options include:

• Clear I.G.
• LoĒ-180™
• LoĒ²-272®
• LoĒ³-366™/Neat®
• Dual Low-E2 (LoĒ-i89™/LoĒ²-272®)
• Dual Low-E3 (LoĒ-i89™/LoĒ³-366™/Neat®)

You can also choose from two different low-maintenance glass options, as well as wealth of specialty glass options.

Lincoln Windows & Patio Doors Finish & Color Options

If you want variety and a wealth of finish and color options, you can’t go wrong with Lincoln products.

For example, their vinyl window color options include eight standard colors, 38 feature colors and the option to have your windows and patio doors finished in a custom color of your choosing.

You can add casings and brickmould trim to most of the Lincoln products, which are factory-applied to provide a truly customized design.

Lincoln Patio Doors

Lincoln’s patio door collection is prized for its style and functionality.

The company offers four designs: slide patio doors, swinging patio doors, fold-away and slide-away models. Each style can be ordered in custom sizes. You can add custom sidelites and select from several high-performance glass options.

These products offer a wide variety of color options, hardware finishes, panel configurations and grill patterns.

Rocky Mountain Windows & Doors proudly serves customers throughout Utah, providing new construction and replacement windows and doors. Contact us today to learn more about the exceptional line of Lincoln Windows & Patio Doors.

Choosing the right patio doors for your Utah home can be a confusing prospect.

With many styles, materials and manufacturers to choose from, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Use our handy guide to make the process easier.

Choosing a Style of New or Replacement Patio Doors

The most popular styles for Utah homes are swinging and sliding patio doors.

Unlike the poor-quality sliding styles of the past, today’s sliders (sometimes called Arcadia doors) are substantial and secure. They resist virtually any type of weather and require little maintenance. You have countless options for materials, hardware and finish color. One of the most significant benefits of this design is that it works in any location where you don’t have much space.

Swinging designs – typically the French door style – feature most of the same amenities as sliding styles. The only consideration for this design is that you need enough space for the doors to swing. Whether you choose to have the doors swing in or out depends on your home design and space considerations.

Increasingly popular are folding patio or porch designs, multi-slide or lift and slide doors, and folding or bi-fold doors. These designs offer a virtually limitless selection of configurations, sizes and materials.

What Is the Best Material for Your New Patio Doors?

You can choose from aluminum, vinyl, hybrid, wood or wood-clad options. Each of these materials offers its own unique set of pros and cons. The right choice for you depends on your priorities.

For example, if you prefer a low-maintenance design with a more budget-friendly price, aluminum designs are ideal. Wood is prized for its natural beauty and warmth. For a lower maintenance wood option, you can choose a wood-clad design.

You can choose high-efficiency glass to reduce your heating and cooling costs and improve your home’s comfort. Colored and textured glass options are also available from most manufacturers.

Your color and finish options vary by manufacturer, depending on whether you want a factory finish and color or if you prefer to choose a custom color.

What Brand of Patio Doors Is the Best?

The first consideration when choosing a door manufacturer is quality. You can find high-quality options to fit almost any budget.

Rocky Mountain Window & Door represents Utah’s finest manufacturers.

Panda Windows makes an exceptional line of lift-and-slide and multi-slide designs. Win-Door Systems, Jeld-Wen and MiWD are just a few of the other manufacturers we represent.

To find the perfect choice for you, contact the Rocky Mountain team of professional window and door contractors. We can show you the many different options available and, based on your budget, help you select the design that best fits your needs. We serve clients throughout Utah, providing new construction and replacement door and window packages. Contact us today for a customized quote for your new patio doors.

Not all high-quality windows have the same characteristics, nor are they all equally right for you. So, how can you decide which manufacturers and models are appropriate for you?

When we talk about the quality of windows, we refer to the window’s energy efficiency but that is not the only characteristic necessary for a great window product. Choosing the best models for you requires careful consideration of all these factors.

What Are High-Quality Windows?

One of the first factors that most consumers think of when they hear this phrase is price. After all, you get what you pay for, right?

Yes, the better the quality of the product, the higher the cost is likely to be. However, when we talk about windows, higher quality truly means increased energy efficiency, exceptional durability and minimal maintenance requirements.

Some products excel at saving energy. You can evaluate the ratings provided by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC), found on a sticker affixed to the glass.

Some manufacturers focus on interior appearance and exterior curb appeal. Others boast hundreds or thousands of different finish choices, allowing you to choose exactly the look you want. Still others focus on minimizing or virtually eliminating the need for maintenance.

Some manufacturers manage to achieve some of all of these goals – and those are the products that have the highest quality of all.

Do You Need High-Quality Windows?

Whether you are building a new home or if you plan to renovate your existing home, the answer to this question depends on your goals.

If you’re building a new custom home, you will have to choose your window package. Depending on your budget and your energy savings goals, you will want to choose the best quality windows you can afford. But whether you look first for energy efficiency, low maintenance requirements or appearance is up to you.

If you purchased your home from a builder, you likely have builder-grade windows in your home (unless you paid to have them upgraded during construction). Installing new, high-quality windows can save you hundreds of dollars every year in energy costs. But, more important, you will recover a significant portion of your investment when you sell your house, through an increase in property value.

The National Association of Realtors 2017 Remodeling Impact Report lists replacement windows as the second most valuable exterior improvement, after roof replacement. The report estimates that you will recover 79 percent of your investment at sale if you install new vinyl windows, for example. Remodeling magazine estimates that, in the Mountain region of the U.S., you will recover almost 75 percent of your investment in new vinyl or wood windows.

How Do You Select Your New Windows?

You start by determining what is most important for you and your home.

Whether your priorities are keeping energy use to a minimum, improving the appearance of your home or keeping costs as low as possible, your priorities will help you identify the best products for you.

In Utah, certain types of windows qualify for incentives and rebates, which can reduce the cost of high-quality windows significantly. Incentives are available from local utility companies, and various levels of the government. You can search for all available rebates and incentives in Utah on the ENERGY STAR site.

If you let a local window contractor like Rocky Mountain Window & Door assist you, you can rest assured that you will get the products that best meet your needs, at the most affordable price possible. In Utah, contact us today to learn more about adding high-quality windows to your home.

If you’re getting new doors for your home, you have many choices to make.

For the exterior of your home, you will have the ability to choose between wood, fiberglass, aluminum clad and composite doors. You will be able to choose the style, color and finish that you like, as well as the hardware style and finish.

The final choice you must make is which direction your new doors will swing: inward or outward.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Inswing Doors?

Doors that swing inward – into the home – require adequate space to operate. If the door is a 36-inch door, you need at least that much space in the room.

Although inswing designs offer some security because the hinges are on the inside; however, they are easier to force open with a shoulder or solid kick. They are also more difficult to operate, thanks to the friction of the weatherproof materials necessary to help seal out the elements.

Inswing designs are more vulnerable to wind and rain; however, they are preferable for snowy weather, when accumulation and drifting may make it impossible to open the door outward.

If you choose an inswing design, it may be preferable to avoid doors with a wood exterior, as they could be more susceptible to weather-related degradation and increased maintenance demands.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Outswing Doors?

Outward swinging doors are more weatherproof and easier to operate. They do require sufficient space on the outside to operate freely, which means your porch, patio or landing must be large enough to accommodate this need.

They are also much harder to force open. However, because the hinges are on the outside, criminals may try to access your home by removing the hinge pins. Fortunately, you can choose hinge designs that do not have removable pins or other security features to discourage would-be intruders.

Finally, although you may have a hard time opening an outswing door if snow is piled up outside, the design makes it harder for wind and rain to get inside your home.

Which Swing Should You Choose for Your New Doors?

In some cases, especially if you are adding replacement doors to your home, you may have to go with the same orientation you already have. This is especially true if you do not plan to replace the door frames or casings.

In some parts of Utah, you may also be bound by municipal building codes or the constraints imposed by your homeowners’ association.

The best way to decide on designs, materials, finishes and hardware for your new doors is to consult with a local contractor. Rocky Mountain Window & Door represents a wide variety manufacturers, to provide you with the options and choices you demand. We can visit your home, personally measure each opening, and help you select the styles and designs that fit your budget and provide you with the look and features you seek.

In Utah, contact us today to schedule your consultation and customized estimate for your new doors.

If you’re considering exterior door replacement, consider using fiberglass doors for your project.

Fiberglass exterior doors are the right choice for many homeowners, because they provide a highly desirable package of features and amenities at a strikingly affordable cost.

Before you decide to more forward with a Utah replacement door project, however, consider whether you actually need new doors at this time, as well as how they might benefit you and your family.

Do You Need Exterior Door Replacement?

If your home’s doors are tired-looking, worn, leaky or of poor quality, the chances are good that you do need to replacement them. Here’s why.

From an aesthetic perspective, faded, worn out or dated doors can degrade the curb appeal – and, hence, the value – of your home. They can even have a negative psychological effect on your and your family (and on any potential buyers, should you plan to sell your home). When exterior elements of your home are not well-maintained, it sends a subconscious message of neglect and diminished value.

From an energy perspective, replacement doors can save you significantly on heating and cooling bills, especially as compared to leaky, saggy old doors that allow all of your heating and AC to seep out of the house.

Older models also do not provide an acceptable level of security, to protect your family and possessions from would-be intruders.

Why Use Fiberglass for Your Exterior Doors?

If you decide to move forward, your next consideration will be material for your replacement doors. You can choose from wood, steel, fiberglass and a variety of composite options.

So why choose fiberglass for your door replacement project?

Fiberglass has insulating properties that are very similar to steel. And, with today’s advanced technology, they can be fabricated to replicate the beauty of natural wood. Fiberglass is the most durable materials used for door fabrication, which means they require virtually no maintenance.

The durability of this material is also striking. You can expect your new doors to withstand the elements and keep a like-new appearance for decades.

Planning Your Utah Exterior Door Replacement

At Rocky Mountain Windows & Doors, exterior doors are one of our specialties.

We represent many of the country’s best manufacturers, including JeldWen, ThermaTru and Simpson. You can choose virtually any design, finish and color, to enhance both curb appeal and the value of your home.

We are a locally owned and operated contractor, serving customers throughout Northern Utah. We also provide new construction and replacement windows, skylights and new construction doors. We take the time to help our customers make the right choices to fit their needs and cost constraints.

Contact us today to request your detailed estimate for fiberglass exterior door replacement.

If you’re considering window replacement for your Utah home, chances are you’ve thought about looking in energy-efficient windows.

Unfortunately, this topic can be confusing for Utah homeowners.

What, exactly, is an energy-efficient window? To help with your decision, we’ve assembled some basic information on the energy efficiency of windows, so that you can make an informed decision about your home’s window replacement options.

What Are Energy-Efficient Windows?

Testing and certification for window efficiency are conducted by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC). You can look for the NFRC label and use this information to compare different manufacturers and designs.

The primary metrics analyzed by the NFRC have to do with heat gain, or how much solar radiation is released as heat into the home. Testing also considers how much conditioned air (heated or cooled) can escape the home.

The most energy-efficient replacement windows minimize the direct gain and loss that occurs by conduction through the glass and frame, the radiation of heat coming in and how it affects people and possessions inside and air seepage through and around the window.

Do You Need Energy-Efficient Replacement Windows in Utah?

The Northern Utah weather runs the gamut of climate extremes, from frigid winter temperatures to the harsh heat of summer. Energy-efficient replacement windows can offer a variety of measurable benefits.

Depending on how much you increase the energy efficiency, your replacement windows may easily pay for themselves over a period of only a few years – based on the money you save on heating and cooling bills.

You will also be more comfortable inside your home and your furnishings will suffer less fading and sun damage.

Perhaps most influential, replacing your windows will significantly improve the value of your home. Remodeling Magazine reports that homeowners recover, on average, almost 75 percent of the cost of their new windows upon sale of the home. The National Association of Realtors places that figure at over 78 percent.

This means that, on average, replacing the windows of your Utah home will increase its value by about $10,000. As a bonus, it will improve the salability of your home due to the improved curb appeal. And you could easily cut your monthly heating and cooling bills by 35 percent or more, depending on the efficiency of your current windows.

Planning a Utah Window Replacement Project

Window replacement in Utah is easy when you work with a local expert like Rocky Mountain Windows & Doors.

We represent some of the most reputable and well-known manufacturers, so you will have plenty of options to choose from, depending on your objectives and budget. We personally measure every opening, so your windows will be individually fabricated for a perfect fit.

We also offer new construction and replacement interior and exterior door packages, skylights and specialty items such as interior barn doors. Contact us today to request your personalized estimate for energy-efficient replacement windows.

Wood clad windows, sometimes known as just clad windows, provide the best of all worlds for the homeowner.

These products allow you to enjoy the best aspects of wood windows while minimizing their disadvantages. Here at Rocky Mountain Windows & Doors, we are proud to represent some of the finest manufacturers, including Jeld-Wen and Lincoln.

Our extensive line of product offerings allows us to provide our Utah customers with the high-quality products they seek at a price that won’t blow your budget.

What Are Wood Clad Windows?

These versatile, affordable window designs feature frames that are constructed of the finest wood species. The outsides of the frames are then covered – clad – in another material. Options for cladding typically include vinyl, aluminum and fiberglass.

This allows you to enjoy the natural splendor of wood frames inside the home. Meanwhile, outdoors, you have no worries about weather damage, rotting, fading, warping – or any regular maintenance to speak of.

Depending on how you choose to customize your products, you can have the level of insulation and energy efficiency you prefer, the exterior and interior finish options that best meet your aesthetic needs and the low maintenance finishes you seek.

Lincoln Wood Clad Windows

Lincoln products include aluminum- and vinyl-clad designs as well as a hybrid design.

The Lincoln aluminum-clad products, including both windows and patio doors, have amazing versatility, particularly with finish options. Vinyl-clad designs have outstanding energy-efficiency and increased resistance to harsh weather conditions.

The Lincoln hybrid product features the best aspects of all the options to create a highly durable, energy-efficient, low maintenance window with exceptional style and architectural appeal.

Lincoln boasts an infinite number of options for exterior finish, including standard colors, featured colors, anodized finish options and a full palette of custom colors.

Jeld-Wen Wood Clad Windows

The Jeld-Wen line of clad windows also offers a virtually limitless range of choice and options.

The EpicVue series provides expansive sight lines, thanks to a low-profile frame. This series features aluminum cladding over Jeld-Wen’s patented AuraLast wood. The Siteline series is also fabricated with AuraLast, and designed for durability and low maintenance.

Jeld-Wen also offers custom wood windows with your choice of cladding options. This provides you with the opportunity to design a new or replacement window and door package that meets your every need for function as well as design.

And, with countless exterior finish and hardware choices, you can rest assured that these products will mesh perfectly with your home’s exterior design and color palette.

Rocky Mountain Windows & Doors, serving customers throughout Utah, is proud to offer a full line of new and replacement residential doors and windows, as well as skylights. We personally measure for your project by hand, and every door and window is fabricated specifically for your home.

Contact our office today to learn more, or to schedule a personal consultation and estimate for wood clad windows.

If your home was built recently, replacement windows are probably not on your list for potential home renovation projects.

The idea of replacing newer windows isn’t as crazy as it sounds, however. Production home builders often use inexpensive builder-grade windows, doors and skylights to increase their profit margin. If you’re battling with energy costs and comfort issues in your newer home, you may want to consider replacing those low-quality windows sooner rather than later.

What Are Builder-Grade Windows?

This term typically refers to the lower-quality products that home builders include as the standard (included in the price) in their new home communities.

In most cases, production builders use a stripped-down, inexpensive window line. This helps reduce building costs by thousands of dollars for every home, but it costs the homeowner easily that much – or more – in heating and cooling costs over the life of the home.

Cutting costs in this way helps builders remain competitive in the industry. And, since most buyers can’t tell the difference between a high-quality window and a poor one, this practice is likely to continue.

If your new home included granite countertops or a backyard landscaping allowance, that money had to come from somewhere. Chances are, it came from your window and door quality.

When Should You Consider Replacement Windows?

If you purchased your home from the builder, you were likely given the option to upgrade your windows at that time. But, because new home buyers tend to focus on upgrading their flooring, cabinetry and other interior finishes, you may have declined the window upgrade option.

If you bought a newer home on the resale market, it’s a safe bet that the original owner declined the window upgrade as well. If your heating and cooling bills are higher than they should be, or if you struggle to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature, this is a likely culprit.

If you have low-quality windows, consider replacing them as soon as possible. Experts recommend that you replace the original builder-grade products in the first ten years of the home’s life.

Why You Should Choose Professional-Grade Replacement Windows

Professional-grade replacement windows offer a variety of advantages over the bare-bones, builder-grade alternatives. High-quality windows offer many desirable features, including easy-clean options and a myriad of operational choices. Improved aesthetics will increase your home’s curb appeal and architectural integrity. And, perhaps most important, higher quality windows provide exceptional comfort and energy efficiency.

Financially, you almost can’t help but benefit by replacing builder-grade windows with energy-efficient replacement windows.

Upon selling your home, you will recoup a significant portion of the investment and increase your home’s appeal to potential buyers. In the meantime, you can cut your energy consumption (and bills) significantly while improving the comfort level of your home.

Rocky Mountain Windows & Doors is Utah’s locally owned window and door expert. We provide sales, installation and service for the finest window and door lines available today. Contact us to schedule your complimentary consultation to learn more about all of your cost-saving replacement window options.

In a world intent on becoming more energy-efficient, windows are often the subject of confusion.

Windows are one of the most effective ways to improve your home’s insulation. Choosing energy-efficient windows will help reduce your energy use, both heating and cooling. And, as a result, they can help reduce your electric bill significantly.

Understanding the insulating properties of different types of glass and frame materials will help you select the best energy-efficient windows for your home.

Energy-Efficient Windows and the U-Factor

The u-factor rating addresses thermal conductivity, which is the window’s ability to retain heat during the colder months of the year. This rating ranges from 0.20 to 1.20. The lower the number, the better the product is at keeping heat inside your home.

Products with the best (lowest) u-factor include wood and vinyl frames with multiple panes of Low-E coated reflective glass.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient Ratings

The solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) rating refers to how much heat an energy-efficient window allows in. This rating applies to the summer months and how much excessive heat is allowed to penetrate the interior of your home.

The SHGC rating ranges from 0.0 to 1.0. The lower the rating, the better the product is at keeping heat out of your home.

Logic tells us that you want to minimize the heat coming into your home during the summer, so that your cooling bills can be reduced. Keep in mind, however, that this will prevent the sun from warming your home during the winter months, resulting in higher heating costs.

Visible Transmittance and Air Leakage Ratings

Visible transmittance (VT) ratings tell you how much light can permeate the glass to light your home, a process known as daylighting. Visible sunlight is rated on a scale of 0.0 to 1.0.

Air leakage (AL) refers to how much air can move around (not through) the window under a specific level of pressure. The most energy-conscious windows allow the least amount of AL. This rating spans from 0.1 to 0.3. The lower the rating, the better the window is at reducing air leakage. Not all manufacturers list this rating on their products, however.

Look for the Energy-Efficiency Label

The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC), a non-profit agency that provides performance labeling for new windows, doors and skylights, lists the u-factor, SHGC and air-leakage ratings on their labels. The NFRC also provides fact sheets to manufacturers and industry professionals to help them educate their customers.

Keep in mind the best energy efficiency values for a Utah home are different than those in other geographic locations. The best way to determine which factors are best for you is to talk with a local professional window contractor.

In Utah, the experienced team at Rocky Mountain Windows & Doors understands all the important details. We can assist you in selecting the most energy-efficient windows for your home and budget.

If glass block windows remind you of the worst design trends of the 1980s, you’re not alone.

Today, however, this versatile material is back and it can add a stunning design element to any home. Manufacturing methods and technology have advanced significantly over the last three decades, making this striking design element much more durable, reliable and easy to work with.

Here are three of the hottest design trends we’re seeing today, that incorporate glass and acrylic block windows.

Glass Block Window Backsplash

If you have exterior kitchen walls, consider using glass or acrylic block for your backsplash.

This design trend is incredibly popular with professional designers today. It is not only cost effective but incredibly low maintenance. It also allows a striking level of filtered light to infuse your kitchen, creating a soft, ethereal atmosphere.

If you’re planning a new home, this design element is simple to incorporate. If you plan to remodel your existing home, adding these unique windows is as simple as adding any type of window or door opening.

Interior Glass Block Accent Walls

Inside the home, glass block has finally stepped out of the bath and into the main living areas.

Glass block interior walls are perfect for creating separation between living areas without closing off the space too much. You can choose from a variety of patterns, each allowing a different degree of light to flow through.

Architects are also incorporating glass and acrylic block as creative accents in wall openings and pass-throughs. Adding block insets high on a wall provides a contemporary look while visually expanding the space.

Operable Glass Block Windows

Imagine being able to open your glass or acrylic block windows. Today, this functionality is not only possible but easy to achieve.

Operable windows with this design use acrylic block rather than traditional heavy glass. However, the manufacturing process is so effective today that you’ll never know the difference unless you tap on the blocks.

First-generation designs had to be installed block-by-block, anchored in place with materials similar to brick mortar. Today, windows are pre-fabricated at the factory, already contained in a frame. This allows the windows to be mounted in a fixed or an operable configuration.

One last advantage of today’s designs, as compared to the older styles, concerns their stability. Because older designs were installed directly into a wall opening – without benefit of a frame – the blocks often cracked or broke if the house experienced settling. Today, however, high-tech frames carry this load, removing the majority of risk for future structural issues.

Rocky Mountain Windows & Doors is the designated Utah representative for both Hy-Lite and Pacific Windows, the premier manufacturers in the United States today. Contact us today to learn more, and to request a complimentary quote for your glass block windows.