Comments on: The Cure For Rotting Pella Windows

By: dick

dick — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:04:55 +0000

I have 15 Pella aluminun-clad casement windows. 13 were installed about 10 years ago, the othe 2 were installed about 4 years ago. Have already had two panes replaced and others are showing signs of rot. I called Freed & Weiss this AM and got their answering machine. I also noted that OHIO was NOT in the list of States that are a part of the Class-action law suit. Guess I’m probably TOL. dick

By: Theresa Thompson

Theresa Thompson — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 19:29:44 +0000

I so understand this situation. A neighbor of mine had the same problem. They went back and forth with Pella. They even considered hiring an attorney. But in the end, it would have cost lots more than replacing the rotted windows. You’d think an expensive window like Pella would own up to the defective product and make it good. I like to think stuff like this never happens, but it does.

By: L Zaremba

L Zaremba — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 16:15:15 +0000

Our home was built in 1993 and we chose Pella thinking we were getting a superior product. Within 5 years we found wood rot and some windows are so bad we are afraid to open them, should the glass fall out. We went to the local dealer and he basically said sorry about your luck. We spent several months dealing with Pella directly, had the windows inspected and they acknowledged that, yes, they were in bad shape and a defective problem. On that note it was left that we could replace them at a slight discount – not good enough. Needless to say, Pella and their clainm to service and bakcing of their product is lip service only.

By: Sharron McKee

Sharron McKee — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 18:02:46 +0000

Please do your homework before you purchase windows from Pella. We would like to be the last family that Pella was able to push their faulty window on. Our family has been homeless because of the water/mold damage since our window purchase. You can see our 2 minute video of the water flowing into our home. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu0JdDY8rnI Pella can post all the inaccurate comments that they wish about the customer service. Even small children are taught that “Actions Speak Louder Than Words”. If Pella did have any type of customer service, it would be impossible to find the thousands of unhappy customer complaints that are so easy to locate.

By: edwin

edwin — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:01:38 +0000

I have a house full of Pella Proline Casement Windows. About half of them are rotten.

I called and wrote Pella, and they basically said tough luck because they were beyond the warranty period.

We’ll I paid twice the price to get the Pella brand, only to learn that they were worthless. I expected these to be essentially lifetime windows, regardless of the warranty, but instead they were rotten in 10 years.

I’ve found that Pella management is negotiable, but hides behind a very hard shell. They denied my claim about 6 different times. Only after I told them that I knew of other similar cases where Pella either gave the homeowner free windows or windows at 70% off did we start making some progress.

They started at 30% off, then 50%, then 70%. I said ok to 70% and in the end they ended up GIVING THEM TO ME.

It took a year and perhaps 40 phone calls and emails but that was the result.

To win this game you have to ultimately get the name of a high level manager, and I mean a really high level manager. All of the low level folks are told to deny, deny, deny. You can have the low level person to give you the name of their manager and work up the line persistently this way.

In the end, it was access to a top level manager in PELLA IOWA (outside of customer service), and my pictures showing the bottom of the sashes rotted completely through that won this for me. If you are not unusually persistent you will fail. Ultimately I had the names and email addresses of possibly 4 top level managers.

Good luck to all who try. I did my own installation, and with some good help, you can replace one in about 20 minutes)

If Pella Windows were free I would decline them. They are junk through and through, in my opinion, and the Pella folks will try every trick in the world to make you go away.

By: Jerry Edwards

Jerry Edwards — Tue, 03 May 2011 09:32:41 +0000

We just had a tornado go over our home. We are safe and our home only sustained minor damages. However, the minor damages exposed that all of our Pella architect casement windows are rotted out. We didn’t even notice untill the cladding was blown off of ne window and we started looking at the rest of our windows. Best estimate so far to replace all windows is 48,000 dollars. Also we have 9 french doors made by Pella showing problems as well.

By: Lodzia

Lodzia — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 15:28:17 +0000

Stay away from Pella – they are a beautifuly product but from our experience with wood rot an inferior product. This many be an anomoly but their lack of interest and support, having admitted to defective goods leaves much to be desired. Your basically on your own to deal with the problem

By: Em

Em — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:05:47 +0000

We have a completely new unit in the bow window style. However, their is no cladding on the underside.
After reading the various posts, we wonder if their is moisture damage going on there — much as others have described in their postings.
I heard that Pella still makes this unit and wonder if they have remedied any kind of sealing/moisture protection on the underside of the window.

By: Ellen LoChiano

Ellen LoChiano — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 00:51:07 +0000

Cause for pause–reading these comments. I had a Pella and Andersen rep here today to give me estimates. The Andersen rep slammed Pella. But the Pella rep was much more responsive to my concerns and seemed more “customer friendly”. Probably will go with Pella. Used Champion a year ago and had a terrible experience.

By: Gus Poulos

Gus Poulos — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 16:20:07 +0000

As far as Pella vs. Anderson windows, Anderson wins by a knockout! My previous home was about 20 years old as is my present home. My previous home had Anderson windows installed when the home was built. The windows opened and closed without any problems and had air and water tight seals on them without having any rotting wood issues. I would definetly choose Anderson windows for any replacements.