Pella Door & Window Failures...
and their disappointing lack of customer care!

One of the reasons we bought this house last year was the top-notch quality of every component - from the built-in Bose Surround speaker system to the Pella windows and doors. We thought that with a relatively new house and top notch equipment we ought to be trouble free for years to come.

Imagine our surprise when we contacted Pella about some rotting wood on the fixed panel of a Pella door wall that we were told the "panel is not covered under warranty." It seems their 10 year warranty started the year after our house was built - our warranty only was for one year.

They offered to replace the fixed panel for $812 plus $102 "first hour service charge." Enclosed with this offer was a legal "Release" for me to sign that said that the new panel would have NO warranty and that I would forever release Pella from responsibility for failures of any or all of its products at this location! I thought that it would be prudent to see if this same problem developed on any of the Pella windows before signing something like this!

Sure enough, one of the windows has developed the same condition - and is falling apart. And the sliding panel of the door wall is now beginning to show wood rot. (See pictures below.)

What is so disappointing is the apparent lack of customer care by Pella and their distributor (J. F. Day & Company, Mobile). Regardless of the written warranty, should you not expect top line door and window frames to last longer than a half dozen years? How long before the other 40+ Pella window frames in this house begin to fail?

We would like you to reconsider your position before I have to start shopping somewhere else!

Bob Higgins
251-752-2274
September, 2002

Update September 2003:

Pella finally offered to replace four windows (two for wood rot, two for failed glass seals) for "labor only": Total cost to me about $150. I accepted, but returned an addendum along with their waiver saying that if more window failed in the future that I reserved the right to ask for similar treatment. Presumably they didn't object to this since they replaced the windows.

Pella only offered a small discount to replace the defective door wall: My co-pay would have been over $2000. I gave up arguing with them and bought a top-line replacement door wall from another company for about $1700 installed. I remain very disappointed.

Update May, 2005

Three more windows with wood rot last fall. Pella said, "Sorry, we only offer the deal we gave you before one time." The charge this time will be about $1000 for these windows. What choice do you have? You can't just replace three of the windows with another brand. So we order three new Pella windows. They finally tell us that they will install them Monday (six months later).

Letters from others:

Dear Bob,

I too had serious problems with my Pella Architectural series casement windows. Every window on the front of my house rotted out at the bottom where the aluminum track for the mechanism was milled into the wood work. The first window rotten just over a year after the house was built. Within 3 more years the remaining front windows rotten in the same manner. I had to get an attorney and spent nearly $5,000 in legal fees before Pella agreed to replace the windows. This company has a serious design flaw in the windows and there needs to be a class action suit brought against the company to make good on their advertising claims "Viewed to be the Best".

Sincerely, Jerry E Galloway, MD

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Hello Bob- I can understand your frustration and your situation. We have had nothing but bad windows and service from Pella. As far as I am concerned---they suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have lived in our brand new house for 5 months and doors don't seal, windows leak water and air in. Now we are dealing with Condensation which results in rotting wood. Their battle with us in not over yet. Good luck to you. Karla

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Dear Bob: I came across your information while doing a search on Pella window failures. I have a 10,000 sqaure foot home with $75,000.00 worth of Pella Architect Series Casement windows in my home that was built six years ago this month. I have 72 Pella windows/doors in my home and over 10% of them already have seal failure. Pella's distributor has stated that Pella will replace the windows, but we have to pay the labor....and that labor will be not only the window replacement but also all the costs associated with matching and re-staining and repainting these windows for each room that they are in. Obviously, I have GREAT concerns about the other 90% of the windows as to whether I will be paying for those too over the next 10 years if they all continue to fail.

Can you tell me...who did you deal with at Pella? Name, phone number, position? Did you negotiate this on your own or did you have an attorney at all? Any information you can give me about Pella as I prepare for my "battle" with them would be greatly appreciated! Thanks C. Schrier

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Hi Bob, Just wanted to let you know that Pella came through with a new door for me but I'll have to install it. I agreed to that since I can do it myself and figured it was fair. They actually did it several months ago but I misplaced your email address. I just found it while installing a new computer.

Thank you for giving me the determination to keep pressing them, I was ready to let it go. I documented the poor design with CAD drawings, photos and a lengthy letter describing the cause of the rotten wood. I think they were worried I'd put the photos and such on the Internet.

Thanks again for your support! Rick Martin Palmyra, WI

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Have you heard of others in your area complain of Pella windows? Have been on the internet and see that Pella has had numerous complaints regarding rotting. When were the windows in your home originally installed? What product? Do you have original paperwork? Just curious with what the warranty was. Thanks.

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Dear Bob,

I've too experienced wood rot from Pella Windows. This year after 25 yrs. I've covered my house with vinyl siding. The wood on the house was in good shape. However after siding the house I discovered some of my Pella windows has wood rot on the exterior. The ones that do not have a broken seal I filled with car bondo and used a flat auto type file blade to shape them. I sanded them and sprayed them with a general all purpose primer for wood and metal and brush painted over them as I normally would do. Years ago I tried the same thing on an interior door and it worked.

I've contacted Pella and they have discontinued the window. They quoted me a price of $1000. just to replace one window. At the present time, I am trying to find a used good window that some one might have that is compatible. If you know of anyone that might have one, email and let me know. The windows have a metal frame that inserts into the wood frame to provide as a dual insulator. They are about 25 years old.

Thanks.

Don Long.

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Hi Bob; Who did you speak with at Pella? I live in texas and my Pella patio doors are 10 years old. one panel of one set has interior rot. My local Pella service center is offering to replace just that panel for 465, plus labor. The service writer said that the rot is due to moisture getting between the glass and metal cladding. They said anyone would know to put a toe bead of silicon between the glass and cladding every 2 years. No one told me.

Thanks for the information, Margaret

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I visited your website and looked at your damaged window pictures.

I have Pella windows in my home as well. The house is 11 years old and shortly after moving in, I noted a couple of the windows and sliding door were rotting from water running in behind a seal (or something). They're lookin pretty bad now and I've got to do something.

What type of response did you end up getting from Pella? Thanks.

Spencer Wayne

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I just ran across your web page regarding your Pella door problem. I also have a problem with a 10 yr old Pella Sliding Patio Door. The entire bottom sill is rotted out. Upon inspection, I can understand why it's rotted and I suspect that many more have, or will be, rotted.

The aluminum trim plate on the bottom is not made to seal against the glass. The trim plate is "L" shaped and follows the bottom of the glass. When it rains, the water runs down the glass and since they did not provide any means of egress, the water will soak into the wood sill. This area is not vented in any way so the water is trapped and rot begins.

According to the Pella technician that came out to inspect it, he said the new style door have a weep hole for water drainage. Sounds to me like they admit they had a problem.

My door also only had a 1 yr warranty and so they want to charge me $475 to replace the vent panel (not sure what that will comprise of) or $646 (plus installation labor) to replace the door.

I feel that with the inferior design, this door started rotting with the first rain fall and we just never saw the damage done until 10 years later when the trim plate feel off.

I am curious, what has Pella done for you? Did you ever get any satisfactory repair/replacements?

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Dear Bob:

I have followed the Pella wood rot problem for several years. You are not the only one with this problem, as you may have been told by Pella or agents thereof.

I am a fenestration (window and door) class action work consultant. I specialize in consumer class actions focused on the window and door industry.

I have a few questions of you, if you would be so kind:

1. Do you know others in your area with Pella wood rot problems?
2. How old are your Pella windows?
3. Do you have a copy of the applicable warranty?
4. Do you have Pella invoices?
5. Do you have any Pella sales literature?
6. Are your Pella windows metal clad exterior?
7. Are the windows/doors leaking water or do you have water infiltration from around the window/door which could be an installation problem?

My interest is in a possible consumer class action case against Pella for wood rot. You may call me if you have any questions.

Respectfully,

Matt Roetter Coeur d'Alene, ID

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Here's my story, please pass it on:

I have a ten year old house that had Pella Windows Designer Series installed (+$20,000 worth). We were fortunate to have a rock go through one of our windows and in the process of replacing the glass at a local hardware store and we found out that the bottom sash was rotten (you can not see this area without taking the window apart). We then called the Pella store in Sioux City and they sent a service tech out. It turns out that all of our windows and doors are rotten from water running down the outside of the window between the glass and the aluminum clad because they did not put a good seal on their windows. Two of the Pella salesmen admitted to us that Pella has had problems with this particular window built from 1993-1995. Of course the windows they sell now have an additional glazing seal at the very edge of the glass and the clad. When I asked what they are doing about the other thousands of customers that also bought these windows that are now rotting, but are not fortunate enough to know that they are; they beat around the bush and tried to make it sound like it wasn't a problem.

Supposedly the windows where sold with a ONE year warranty ( Anderson Windows have sold lifetime warranties for years). And as a good will gesture they would replace our sashes and one door for around $4500 not counting the ~$4000 in labor. We are not satisfied with this or the customer service we have received through the Pella Company.

Please pass this story on to the gentleman investigating Pella.

Justin 8-30-05

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Bob,

Read the info on your web site on your problems with Pella. I have Pella windows in my home and I have been fighting with them for 2+ years. Now the local dealer and Pella all together have quit responding. I have sent letter to the CEO of Pella 2 times and I have even called and involved the BBB, and they could not even get them to respond to an arbitration offer. They of course are not BBB members either.

I have had contact with 2 law firms one in Chicago and the other in California who submitted a class action lawsuit against Pella for rotting windows and doors and poor design and failure to service their product as a result of these issues. The suit was filed in Cook County Dist Court in Illinois. It was denied due to prejudice, but they have appealed and hope to have it re-heard again soon.

I am at wits end. My windows during the winter start having condensation on the inside any time the temp gets to 20 degrees or below. If it gets real cold like below zero I get ice instead of condensation. Pella told me that it was cause my home had too much humidity. It is well below there stated levels in their owners manuals and service guides, but yet they will not do anything to resolve the issue. I have been told that the problem is due to the aluminum band between the panes of glass in that this is a conductive metal and causes the condensation issues. I have been told that Pella is aware of this design flaw, but refuses to service those customers.

If you have any other ideas or suggestions, or contacts that I can use to help resolve my issue I would be very appreciative. Thanks for taking the time to put your site on the internet. Hopefully, others will see it and stay away from Pella.

Matt 9-12-05
Kearney, NE

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I was just about to send off a letter to Pella, then before I did I found your site.

My 13-year-old French doors, leading to my garden in Brooklyn, have the same bad seal between glass and cladding; rainwater hitting the glass goes directly down into the door, inside the cladding. The problem started soon after installation, but I didn't figure out what was going wrong until a short time ago. Now the bottoms of both doors are entirely rotted.

My brother is a contractor in Minnesota and has not been pleased with Pella's integrity. He is building a new home for himself and did not even consider using Pella.

It seems hopeless to even contact Pella, but if I may be of assistance to others, or help with a class-action lawsuit, I would like to.

Thanks,

Tom

Thomas Cox
718-965-2812 home, no voicemail
212-270-9231 Tom work and voicemail
thomas.t.cox@jpmchase.com

508 1/2 Sixth Avenue (at 13th Street)
Brooklyn, NY 11215

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10-5-2005

I have the same problem as so many other unfortunate Pella customers: Rotting Wood. We built our home in 1995 and decided to use Pella products because we thought they were a quality product. We used Pella Proline casement and fixed frame windows along with Architect Series patio doors. Since that time, we have had nothing but problems with them. In 1998, we had two window sashes replaced. In 2000, we had another two replaced. In 2001, we had every sash in the home replaced as well as two fixed frame units and the four that had been previously replaced, all showing signs of decay. Yes, even the replacement sashes were rotting. Now, I have discovered that three of the replaced sashes, one of the fixed frames, and the patio doors are again rotting away. During our last rain storm, Hurricane Rita, I had water leaking in from the bad fixed frame at the rate of about a quart an hour and I live 250 miles from the coast! I put so much silicone on it that it looks like it belongs in a makeshift hunting camp and not an expensive home. I have contacted Pella about this and they have told me that they will not replace them this time around and that the only reason they were replaced at no charge before was because of a generous Pella distributor, not the company itself. I have also been told that this is a problem brought on by the fact that the windows were not properly sealed as part of regular maintenance by the owner. This is not the problem. I have inspected and maintained the serviceable seal on my windows each year since my home was constructed. The problem is the non-serviceable seal between the glazing and the sash's aluminum cladding. This seal fails over time and water is then allowed into the wood beneath. If the windows are painted or sealed on the interior side, as they should be, this will trap the moisture in the wood and it will decay. If the wood is left unfinished, decay does not occur as fast or perhaps not at all. I know this because I did not finish two of my replacement sashes in any way as part of an experiment. They are not rotted at all. They look brand new. In my opinion, the lack of finish on the interior side of the sash allows moisture to evaporate into the relatively dry interior of the home. Pella also stated that there may be an installation error associated with the problem. This is also untrue. All of the window frames, the part that actually attaches to the house, show no signs of decay. Only the sashes which are installed into the frames by the factory are rotting. Also, the fixed frame windows that were replaced were installed by Pella contractors. Therefore, if Pella were correct about faulty installation, then their contractors were incompetent and Pella should be liable for damages.

I work for an architectural firm and I know how buildings of most types, including houses are built and the products that they are constructed from. The problem is a defective product design or the materials used to construct the product. The seal between the glazing and cladding fails. I believe that this problem occurs most often on windows and doors that are exposed to temperature extremes such as morning shade and then direct sunlight in the afternoon. Thermal expansion is the increase in physical dimensions of a material when it is heated. The thermal expansion rates of wood and aluminum are different. The movement between construction materials as a result of different thermal expansion rates is called differential movement. When these two materials are combined and exposed to temperature fluctuations, over time, this difference in movement causes the seal to fail which allows water to infiltrate the assembly and become trapped by the wood finish resulting in wood decay. This failure could be due to either a design flaw in the product itself or the seal materials lack of flexibility and failure to adhere. This is only my opinion, of course.

I would appreciate it if you would keep me informed of your experience with this situation and I will do the same. I am just beginning this newest battle. I am considering informing the AIA (Architects Institute of America), the AGC (Association of General Contractors), and Lowe's home improvement centers to start.

Sincerely,

Lyn Kenley

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Bob,
I have been running thru the internet trying to find some info re Pella products that were rotting and came across your web page. I am doing this as part of a Condominium group with 2 three story buildings totaling 18 condo units. Our buildings were built in the 1988-89 time frame as luxury units exclusively with Pella products. That included: Clad French Doors, Clad Casement wds, Angle Bays, Box Bay projecting garden windows with slope glazing, and Sun Rooms with enormous slope glazing units as the ceiling. We started replacing some of the Casement windows in 1996. But now, we have had problems with all of them, replacing all of the rotting Casement windows at a cost to us, as well as installation expenses. The most inexpensive way to resolve our problem in the Sun Rooms was to build a false roof over the top of them. We are currently dealing with the Box Bay garden windows because of continued leaking, rotting and general deterioration. All of these luxury Pella window groups and combinations have been discontinued. Discontinued obviously, because the products have all failed. We are now on the market trying to find a replacement Box Bay garden window. We too have been disappointed in Pella's lack of interest and in taking responsibility for putting defective products on the market. We've gone about as far as we can with their distributor.

I would very much appreciate knowing if there are any lawsuits or class action lawsuits against Pella at the present time?

Any comments or advice that you would care to share, would be appreciated.
Thank you.

R. Copeland
913-768-0294
10-17-05

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Dear Mr. Higgins:

I am a Paralegal for a class action firm conducting factual research on Pella Windows for a possible suit, and would like to know if you would be willing to share your list of emails of contacts in the last few years? How long has your site been up and running? If there is any reason you are unwilling to share your list of emails of contacts, would you be willing to pass along this email to the complainants?"

Michelle R. Carter
Litigation Paralegal
Lawrence Walner & Associates, Ltd. 150 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 2150 Chicago, IL 60606
T: (312)201-1616 F: (312)201-1538
mcarter@walnerclassaction.com
12/22/05

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Hi Bob.

Wow! Thank you for letting me know that I'm not the only one with Pella garbage windows!!!
I have started posting my problems here: http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=247598
and here: http://www.passatworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201416
about the various issues with Pella. Take a look at this forum I quickly set up on one of my little forums (that doesn't get much traffic...)...
http://www.propertytaxtalk.com/talk/viewforum.php?f=4

Perhaps if we unite we can finally rid ourselves of the junk in our houses?

Peter M. Turso
1/9/06

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I just read your message on the web and would like to know if a class action law suit is in progress. I too thought I was doing the right thing when I agreed to up-grade to Pella windows. After paying an additional $10,000.00 for what was thought to be a fantastic product, I discovered that condensation appeared between the panels and ran down to the window sills. Water damage appeared and air leaks occurred. Also the double doors that were guaranteed for life by Pella are weathered beyond belief. I guess life time to Pella means the period of time it takes to install the doors. Please let me know if any legal action is in progress. Thank you, Kirk L. Bristol-(315) 682-7707.
4/12/07

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Mar 7  2008
Hi bob    There is a class action  suit against Pella windows started Feb 20,2008 Contact  Freed and Weiss  Law firm Illinois,  1-312-220-0000 and register in their data base  It is for Proline windows but I believe they are taking names for other series also. If you go on line,  type in class action law suit against Pella windows or you will also find it at http://www.freedweiss.com   Look under cases I am in Canada with leaky icy windows and mold after 2 years designer series built in blind windows. Windows INSTALLED BY PELLA I have been told it is a humidity issue and Pella refuses to visit any more. (after 11 visits and 28 months of intimidation) A class action law firm in Toronto, Ontario, Canada  is looking into my case. Carol         1-780-437-6062

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Jun 30, 2008
Hi Bob,   I have just found out about the class action suits against Pella from another homeowner in the Boston area.  We also have a Pella Designer Series patio door (installed in the 1993-1995 timeframe that people in your discussion thread mentioned)  that has completely rotted out on the bottom.  It's not a door that we use, so we didn't notice it until the entire bottom was hollowed out.   Thank you for posting all the letters you've received.  I will be contacting Freed & Weiss first thing tomorrow morning.  We've had the same experiences/responses that the other people had, so Pella must be instructing all their sales offices to use the same playbook.   Regards, Boston customer...

....I spoke to the lead attorney from Freed & Weiss this morning.  He was very helpful.  They are in the discovery phase now, and will likely go to trial in Sept.  They are hoping others with Pella issues will get in touch with them over the summer.  The motion by Pella to have the case dismissed was denied by the judge, so the class action will go forward.   Some specific info:  While the initial suit is for owners of Pella's ProLine products, it is possible/likely that they will extend it to the Designer and Architect series as well.  The key for all homeowners is to keep as much documentation as possible.  Take lots of photos of the defects.  Finally, if you have to replace the door or window to protect your home (as I do), then keep the original part after it's replaced.  It might be needed down the line after the class action is settled.   Hope this helps your other readers.  Again, thanks for keeping that discussion thread.

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October 13, 2008
Thanks for putting up your web page.  You can add me to the list of those who purchased Pella windows in the past and experienced a seal failure and rotting wood.  Pella service has been out.  They agree that the window seal has failed, but they've taken no action to correct it or to help me get it corrected.  The service department apparently contacted the sales department to tell them I needed a price on a new window.

 

I've set up a web site that describes our problem in detail.  Feel free to add this to your list of complaints.

 

http://www.pellasealfailure.com

 

Thank you,

Greg