Cheap Vinyl Windows: How it began
The US experienced an astonishing housing boom these last 25 years, accompanied by an equally meteoric rise in home prices. That rising cost created a demand from builders and buyers for cheaper windows—typically 5-10% of the cost of a new home. Manufacturers responded by building a low-quality, “builder grade” vinyl window utilizing a new “Intercept” spacer. Nearly every mass-built development built since 1998 has these windows. You see them every day on the shelves of your local Home Improvement store. Requesting a “standard” spacer in the windows is considered an upgrade and costs extra. 