Pella

Our story is similar to the one from Lee of Kingwood, TX Verified Reviewer. Original review: Jan. 25, 2022, currently about the 5th one down on page 1. We had some interior painting to do so we didn't get around to wanting our raw wood inside painted for a few years.. In that time Pella said they had no one to recommend any longer. So I had to do the danish oil finish myself. I'm pretty good at handyman skills and painting but this is quite a big job. No telling how much a painter would have charged me. Why didn't pella have a list of painters willing to do this job with recommendations??? Red flag! Well this last year I decided the wind noise was too much so I looked into new weather stripping.

I ordered it and a couple months later received this rather expensive and custom door seal product along with the expensive screen door slider spring assembly that I needed because of a poorly designed plastic part that is not available separately. I could live with these high parts prices as it seems the new American quality standard and business model for parts sales and service to be a big part of profits. But when doing the seal job and also replacing the rollers on the door bottom I found that the wood interior under the cladding was really rotted. So far my inside wood has not caved in like Lee's.

I also notice that there are corrosion looking holes on the outside surface of the aluminum cladding on the bottom stile. 3-4 1/8" to 1/4" that let the rain in. Maybe there was dissimilar metal staples or something that corroded the thin aluminum cladding that was supposed to last a lifetime and a big pella selling point!! In contact. I have tried to put some caulking on these holes to keep the rotted wood at bay. This is the master bedroom deck door... If it was the main floor door it would look really bad and I would need to seek a better solution... This pair of doors cost 5000$ in 2000 and I think they are well over 5000 each now. I would never buy pella again and tell everyone to research other manufactures.

We then received this notice from Pella: "Pella is not responsible for or makes not warranty as to: Product failure, loss or damage due to normal wear, fading or discoloration of finish from product usage, age or exposure to direct sunlight." Wow. We live in Phoenix Arizona. Someone should have mentioned the fact that they do not cover the windows yellowing in direct sunlight within 2 years of installation. This is not 10 or even 5 years down the road. 2 years later. This is obviously a manufacturer's defect. Our neighbors replaced their windows with a local Phoenix vinyl window manufacturer years ago and their windows are not yellow.

No show for Pella now, and I am looking at a FULL REPLACEMENT of their KNOWN defective products. I even filed a BBB complaint and they STILL refuse to finish the job they started. Pella is an Iowa company, and I do my best to buy local, but never again will I buy a house with their products installed, nor will I ever buy anything from them again. Shame on you pella.

This year we replaced 2 frames (since Jan) & my sliding doors aren't sliding anymore. Btw the frames don't come painted, they don't even offer that service. A technician came, made adjustments & said he'd have to come back & shave the door slightly on top to get it sliding again. They send me the contract ($800 1/2 due now) then call me to say they're actually not able to fix it, advising me to contact my builder & they'll give him the door info he needs to fix it. I can't use the tech that actually works on the door that recommended how he'd fix it! WHY NOT?! They "can't alter their product" even though it's 20+yrs old. RIDICULOUS but I expected nothing less. So if you're lucky enough to get through to make an appt, it comes in a month (minimum), & that's just the evaluation....another month after that to schedule the service.

No exaggeration, been doing this over a decade now. I advise you to GO SOMEWHERE ELSE, DO NOT USE PELLA! Their own contractors have told me to use Anderson, what does THAT say abt the company?! I'm too far in now but I beseech anyone looking for a window/door to use anyone BUT Pella. You will absolutely, without a doubt, regret your decision!

In early March we called him to confirm our installation and he said it was a go for February 25. On February an employee called to say the installation could not be done until "sometime in March" but would not give me a reason. I called the Corp office again and was given little information. We have no idea when we will have window installation??? Very Poor customer service. Will not ever order windows again from Pella.

Finally we got a person from Pella Green Bay to come look at them. He said that they can add some weather stripping. Why do new windows need weather stripping added? We didn’t purchase reconditioned windows. The guy from Pella told us that the windows are not made for a submarine!!! What an ignorant comment to make to someone who spent $14,000.00 on junk Pella windows. I have contacted the Better Business Bureau. That is the only way that I could get Lowe's to call me back. Pella themselves will not contact me. What a spineless organization. Absolutely no customer service.