The Castle Difference › Installation
How Castle installs
Most companies don’t go into detail about installation. We do, because a careful install is what lets a window perform the way it should, and it’s why we can back every job with the Castle Lifetime Guarantee.
The steps
| Step | What we do | Why it matters | What a quick install may skip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Free in-home estimate and measuring | We look at every opening, check the frames and measure. | Each window and door is made to your opening, so a good measurement is the start of a good fit. | A quick job may rely on rough sizes and fill the gaps later. |
| 2. Permit pulled for you | We pull the building permit for window and door installs (storm-door-only jobs don’t need one). | The local building department gets a look at the work, and you don’t have to handle the paperwork. | Some contractors ask the homeowner to pull it. |
| 3. Work area protected | We protect the work area and broom-clean every day. We practice lead-safe installations, and our installer is EPA Lead-Safe certified (RRP) for work on homes built before 1978. | Your home stays clean and safe while we work. | Little or no protection; cleanup left for you. |
| 4. Old window out, frame checked | We remove the old sashes and check the frame. If we find rot on the frame where the new window sits, we fix it free of charge. | A new window is only as solid as what it’s fastened to. | Rot gets covered up or billed as an extra. |
| 5. Insert or full-frame | Most jobs are inserts that keep your trim. Full-frame only when the old frame is damaged. | Keeping sound trim saves your interior finish; replacing a damaged frame avoids hiding problems. | One method for every opening, whatever its condition. |
| 6. Set perfectly level and square | We set the new window perfectly level and square before anything else. | Window openings are usually a little bigger than the window so it can be shimmed exactly level. A frame that is pushed out of shape can cause problems with how the window opens and closes. | Setting the window without checking it. |
| 7. Insulate the gap with spray foam | Once the window is level, we fill the gap around it with spray foam insulation. | Unsealed gaps around a window let air and water through, causing drafts, cold spots and moisture problems. Fiberglass stuffed in the gap alone doesn’t stop air. | Stuffing the gap with fiberglass, or leaving it open. |
| 8. High-quality silicone caulk, inside and out | We seal the window with high-quality silicone caulk on the inside and the outside. | Silicone sealant shrinks less than acrylic products as it cures, so the seal stays tighter. | A quick bead of cheap caulk on one side. |
| 9. Exterior trim capped | We normally cap the exterior trim, unless you ask us not to. Capping is a protective cover formed over the exterior trim so it never needs painting. | Capped trim is shielded from the weather and doesn’t need repainting. Any rot on the frame where the window sits is fixed first, so the cover protects sound wood. | Leaving bare or peeling trim to paint later. |
| 10. Installed to the manufacturer’s instructions | Our install crew follows the manufacturer’s instructions. | That’s how the product is designed to perform. | Shortcuts that can void product coverage. |
| 11. Test, clean up and walk through | We check that everything opens, closes and locks. You look over the work, we haul the old units away and you sign off. | You see it working before we leave. | Leave once the window is in. |
Industry install standards such as ASTM E2112 cover how windows and doors should be installed, flashed and sealed. Ask any installer how they handle each step. Sources: Building America Solution Center · ENERGY STAR · DOE Building Science Education · trim coil.
We bring samples to your free in-home estimate and give you a written price. No pressure.
Installation
A window is only as good as its install. A window that isn’t set level, square and sealed can stick, leak air or let water in, no matter how good the glass is. That’s why we go the extra mile on every opening, and why we can back the job with the Castle Lifetime Guarantee.
Most of our work is insert replacement: the new window goes into your existing frame and your trim stays. We only recommend full-frame replacement when the old frame is damaged.
Each window or door is made to the size of your opening.
We pull the building permit for window and door installs.
We protect the area and broom-clean every day.
If we find rot on the frame where the new window will sit, we fix it free.
Set perfectly level and square, insulated with spray foam and sealed with silicone caulk inside and out.
You look over the work and we haul the old units away.
Guarantee vs. warranty
They sound alike, but they are different promises. Here’s the plain-English difference.
| A typical product warranty | The Castle Lifetime Guarantee | |
|---|---|---|
| Who makes the promise | Usually the product manufacturer | Castle, the company that sold and installed it |
| What it covers | Often the product only, as limited by the fine print | The whole job: anything that goes wrong with the window or door, install-related or a manufacturing defect or failure |
| Labor to fix it | Many warranties leave labor out or limit it to a short period | Included |
| Accidental glass breakage | Often excluded or limited | Included |
| When you sell your home | Some transfer only with paperwork or a fee; some don’t transfer | Transfers to the new owner |
| Who you call | The manufacturer, then whoever will do the repair | Castle |
Warranty terms vary a lot from company to company, so always read the written document. ENERGY STAR’s buying tips point out that the product, the glass seal and the installation are often covered by separate warranties with different time periods, and that installation coverage is typically the shortest.[source]
No. We practice lead-safe installations, and our installer is EPA Lead-Safe certified (RRP) for work on homes built before 1978. Older homes may have lead paint, and lead-safe work practices help keep dust contained.
Most jobs finish in one day. Larger homes can take longer.
Most of our installs are inserts that keep your existing trim. We only go full-frame when the old frame is damaged.
If we find rot on the frame where the new window sits, we fix it free of charge.
Our dedicated install crew. One crew does every Castle job.
Yes, for window and door installs. Storm-door-only jobs don’t need one.
Start your project
Someone from our team will reach out by text, email, or phone by the next business day.
Call us (508) 425-4977
Email customerservice@setrocllc.com
No cost · No pressure
Free in-home estimate
Takes 30 seconds. Someone from our team will reach out by text, email, or phone to set a time.
We never share your info. Licensed & insured, MA HIC #200323.
