If ever a company deserved a bad rating, this is the one. The Window Guys of Corona, CA installed three slider patio doors at our house. The resulting smell of organic vapors inside the house was immediate, overwhelming and impossible to stop. We called the company and begged them to tell us what they used for sealant. It took a week for them to respond. The official documents they eventually sent stated the sealant is designed for "Exterior use only" and contains "chemicals that are known to the State of California to cause cancer." It also stated "Do not use inside occupied dwellings" We contacted the manufacturer of the sealant. They told us it may never dry and should not have been used under a patio door track because that is an interior use. They said the sealant contains chemicals that should not be breathed and should be removed. After 30 days, we had the sealant removed.
The removal and replacement with the proper sealant cost us over $10,000.
But, that's not all. One of the slider doors the Window Guys installed did not lock properly and had to be lifted onto the latch. This was impossible for my wife as it was too heavy. Also, the stucco work around the sliders was done with a 4-inch putty knife not a stucco trowel and did not match the existing stucco. What's worse, when the slider patio doors were being removed, the new contractor pointed out that screws were non-existent on one side of the slider frame that didn't latch.
It's only fair to say, we took the Window Guys to small claims court and lost. The official documents from the manufacturer were not enough evidence for the judge. The owner presented himself as an expert who "follows industry standards." But, the judge could not verify that claim in the courtroom. So I checked later.
Milgard, the window manufacturer stated there are no industry standards for sealant and contractors should follow sealant manufacturer guidelines. The American Architectural Manufacturers Association says exactly the same thing, "Use sealant recommended and approved by the sealant/flashing manufacturer."
It should be noted that this sealant was designed and patented by chemical engineers with PhD degrees in chemistry. They are the true experts.
You don't have to believe me. You can go to Home Depot and buy this sealant and smell it for yourself. It's called OSI Quad. You'll notice the tube is clearly marked "Exterior use only."
Incidentally, I polled the top 10 window replacement companies listed on Google. None of them use OSI Quad as a sealant for patio slider doors.
If I could give The Window Guys the rating that they actually earned, it would be a negative 5 stars. My mistake was hiring them in the first place. That mistake cost us $10,000. read more