Home Window Replacement Company Serving Colorado Springs, CO, With the Dry-Fit™ Installation System

Starting a home window replacement project can seem daunting for many Colorado Springs homeowners, especially when it comes to installation. Will the installation process take a long time? Will the new windows be properly installed?

When you work with Colorado Living, you can relax knowing we’ll install beautiful, high-efficiency windows using our patented Dry-Fit™ process, regardless of the style or brand of windows you choose. The Dry-Fit process combines technologically advanced products with cutting-edge window installation techniques to give you multiple layers of protection against any chance of leaking or water damage now or in the future. Guaranteed!

What Is Dry-Fit?

Our Dry-Fit process eliminates leaking problems that have plagued the home window replacement industry for decades. It combines special measuring, tear out, and installation techniques to allow for a better fitting and ultimately leak-proof system for your new windows.

Four Layers of Protection

The process starts with taking proper measurements. Our technicians take into consideration the thickness of the existing frame and determine the best way to create a “direct fit” size to the replacement window. Most companies attempt to fit the new window into the drywall opening, creating a much smaller window and setting the table for future problems to arise from the size disparity.

Layer 1

The first step is to properly remove the existing frame and then correct any existing rot or leaking issues. Typically, the existing frame is surgically split, and the lineals are “scissored” out of the opening. The process allows for the proper removal of the window without damaging either the interior or exterior of the home. Additionally, our Dry-Fit specialist can get a bird’s eye view as to what damage, if any, the existing windows may have caused. Usually, the damage is only cosmetic.

If the existing frame is thinner than our premium replacement frame, then we cut back the drywall to accommodate the proper thickness. As such, the new frame won’t protrude too far from the exterior.

Layer 2

The second and most important step utilizes a waterproof membrane made of rubberized adhesive covered by a cross-laminated polyethylene top. This is applied to the entire sill area, extending up the sides a couple of inches. This effectively creates a “pan” that prevents any water from ever entering into the wall cavity below.

Layer 3

Next, the Dry-Fit home window replacement specialist will custom manufacture a vinyl-covered metal sill plate fashioned on a hand machine called a brake. This is a vinyl-coated aluminum pan that fits over the polyurethane sill adhesive. It is hemmed over and falls below the sill edge, allowing water to flow from the sill to the outside.

Layer 4

The window is then set into the opening. Once it is perfectly positioned within the wall, it is affixed with perpendicular screws directly into the studs of the home. From the outside, a very particular type of low-expansion foam is added around the frame. This low-expansion foam (not to be confused with the high-expansion foam one might buy at a box store), gently fills all of the nooks and crannies of the existing framing. Once sealed, the foam dries as hard as a table, creating both an air and water barrier all around the window.

Colorado Living only uses 50-year caulking to then seal around the window both inside and out. The end result is one that has multiple levels of defense against any air, water, and even pollen infiltration. It is the only way that we will install any window because it ensures the highest level of satisfaction.

Why Dry-Fit?

Our Dry-Fit process offers the best protection from window leaks, period. But protecting against leaks isn’t the only superior component of our installation. Instead of the typical “rip & stick” method of installation used by most home window replacement companies today, we cut back the drywall returns before inserting the window. As a result, our windows bring in more light and feature more glass. The age-old practice of inserting the window in between the drywall panels to make it fit actually shrinks the openings. This not only looks bad, it can also lead to serious water problems in the future. The question is will your contractor be around to fix those issues?