Window City Pros sells its exclusive triple-pane replacement windows for double-pane prices and homeowners are cashing in on the savings

By Ken McEntee

Because it can be so difficult to find a home improvement contractor who is reliable, transparent and does quality work, it’s only natural, when you find such a company, to ask, “What else do you do?”

That was the case for Chad Howman.

After Chad started his own successful bathroom renovation business in 2020, impressed customers began to ask whether he offered other ways to improve their homes.

It got him thinking.

Chad, who has been renovating homes for almost 30 years—since he was in his early teens—had spent 20 years in the replacement window business.

And he liked it. It was satisfying.

“It’s truly one of the only products that pays for itself inside and out,” he reasons. “So I thought about getting back into the window business. But I wasn’t about to jump in with just any product. There already were a lot of replacement windows out there. If I was going to get involved, it would have to be something special that would really make an impact on the market.”

He found it.

Chad, the owner of Window City Pros, now proudly says that he is the only replacement window company in Ohio that can offer energy saving triple-pane windows at double pane prices.

“Companies typically have a 25 to 35 percent upcharge for triple-pane,” Chad reveals. “Because of our exclusive Pro Tech product, you don’t have to overpay to achieve the energy ratings of triple-pane glass.”

The story of Pro Tech is no tall tale.

But it does involve one of the world’s loftiest buildings.

“Most of the vinyl windows on the market right now, in order to be Energy Star rated, have to have a .30 or below solar heat gain rating and a .30 or below U-factor,” Chad explained. “That describes the standard double-pane, low-E (emissivity, or emission of radiant energy) argon window that 99 percent of all replacement window companies are carrying right now.”

To be clear, the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient rating is the measurement of solar energy that passes through a window—or how well the window blocks the sun’s heat. Similarly, the U-factor measures the passage of non-solar heat.

“I was looking for a window that would provide superior energy savings without driving up the cost to the homeowner,” Chad says. “Because the glass makes up 90 percent of the window, that’s where I focused my research. And I came across a company that put windows in the Empire State Building, in New York City.”

Around 2008, Chad says, energy prices were spiraling out of control—much like they are today. The owners of the Empire State Building hired a company to replace all of the skyscraper’s windows with .30/.30 double pane, low-E argon glass.

“Unfortunately they didn’t see the energy savings they had anticipated, so they asked, ‘What do we do now?’” Chad says. “Their best option was to upgrade to triple-pane windows that were rated at .20 on both solar heat gain and U-factor. They were getting ready to make those windows when the architects and the engineers came in and called timeout. The triple-pane windows were too heavy. They said, ‘If we put all these triple-pane windows in, this building’s going to come collapsing down.’ The foundation wasn’t designed to support that extra weight.”

Another manufacturer had a solution—lighter weight triple-pane, low-E argon windows rated at .20/.20. The new windows on the Empire State Building paid for themselves—along with the earlier replacements—in four years, Chad says.

He was impressed.

“The window was only being offered for commercial-grade properties,” Chad says. “I reached out to the manufacturer and asked whether they could put the same glass into a vinyl window for houses. They said, ‘absolutely.’ I went to visit them and picked out the locks and latches and other design features and we created an exclusive residential product that nobody else is offering. Now people can get triple-pane energy savings at a double-pane price.”

Window City Pros’ Pro Tech windows are custom built to precise measurements, which ensures a tight, perfect fit, Chad promises.

With the success of the new window, Window City Pros now has Ohio locations in Medina, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo.

“It’s a true family business,” Chad says. “My wife, Stephanie, handles all of the customer service and employee relations tasks. We have employees who work here with their spouses, siblings and cousins. It’s just like one big happy family around here.”

Getting started on the path toward lower energy bills and a more comfortable home is simple by scheduling a no-obligation consultation with Window City Pros, at 440-306-5444. You can learn more by visiting WindowCityPros.com.