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(910) 378-3835
(910) 378-3835

Composite Windows

Composite windows are built from a blend of wood fibers and polymer resins, pressed into a frame material that resists rot, swelling, and warping better than solid wood. For coastal North Carolina homes, that combination matters.

Salt air, humidity swings, and long stretches of summer heat wear down traditional wood frames faster than most homeowners expect. Composite frames hold their shape and finish through those conditions with less upkeep.

Why Composite Fits the Local Climate

New Hanover County sits in a humid subtropical zone with average summer humidity above 80% and roughly 55 inches of annual rainfall. Wood windows in older homes here often show signs of moisture damage within 10 to 15 years, especially on south and west-facing walls.

Composite material doesn’t absorb water the way wood does, so it won’t swell shut in August or crack open in a dry cold snap.

It also handles the region’s wind driven rain events better, which matters given the area’s exposure to tropical storms and hurricane remnants moving up from the coast.

Local Housing Stock and What It Means for Window Choice

A lot of the housing here was built between 1970 and 1999, and the median year of construction across the city sits around 1989. That puts a large share of homes at 35 to 55 years old, right around the point where original window seals, frames, and glazing start failing.

Homes built before 1990 rarely came with anything close to modern insulated glass, so the upgrade to composite isn’t just cosmetic. It changes how a house holds heat and resists moisture at the frame line, which is usually where older windows fail first.

Local Market Data PointFigure
Median home value (Wilmington metro)~$418,000
Median home ageBuilt circa 1989
Homes built before 2000Roughly 70% of housing stock
Homeownership rate~47.6%
Average annual rainfall~55 inches

Homeowners weighing a window upgrade often ask about return on investment. Realtor surveys on window replacement projects consistently show recoup rates in the 60% to 70% range at resale, and in a market where homes here sell in roughly a month on average, curb appeal and energy efficiency both factor into buyer interest.

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Brands We Work With

Andersen’s Fibrex line is one of the most requested composite options, largely because the material was engineered specifically to outperform vinyl and wood in freeze thaw and moisture testing. Marvin’s Ultrex fiberglass composite windows are another strong option for homeowners wanting a narrower sightline with a stiffer frame.

Pella also makes a respected fiberglass-composite product line that holds paint well over time, which matters for owners who want to match trim colors on historic or coastal style homes. We’ll walk through the differences between these lines based on your home’s style, budget, and exposure to weather.

What the Installation Process Looks Like

  • Initial measurement and inspection of existing frames and sills
  • Review of glass package options, including impact-rated glass for storm-prone areas
  • Custom order and manufacturing lead time, typically 3 to 6 weeks
  • Removal of old windows and inspection for hidden rot or water damage
  • Installation, flashing, and sealing to current building code
  • Final walkthrough and warranty paperwork

Composite windows cost more upfront than vinyl but less than solid wood, and they typically carry longer warranties on frame material. For a coastal home dealing with salt exposure and heavy seasonal rain, that trade-off tends to pay for itself over a decade or two of lower maintenance.

If you’re weighing composite against other frame materials for your specific home, we can walk through pricing, glass options, and timelines based on what you’ve got now.