Free in-home measure and quote - PGT, CGI and CWS impact lines compared on your actual openings, style by style
Sliding glass doors
Impact garage doorsPGTCGI
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterFast, Reliable Window Replacement Across Universal City
Window replacement in Universal City runs $450 to $1,800 per opening for most homes, and full-frame jobs on 1960s to 1980s ranch houses typically land between $900 and $1,800 because the old aluminum frames hide problems you can’t see until they come out. We’ve worked the streets around Kitty Hawk, Rose Garden, and Olympia long enough to know what those problems usually are: rusted steel lintels, missing flashing tape, and rotted jambs under windows that looked fine from the living room. If you’re reading this because a window fogs between the panes or the sash rattles every time a T-6 Texan II goes overhead, call (888) 635-0804 and we’ll come measure it right.
Why TruePane Windows & Doors Is Universal City’s Preferred Window Replacement Company
We’re not the cheapest bid in Universal City, and we won’t pretend to be. What we are is the company that has spent years learning how windows fail in Texas heat, and how to install them so they don’t. Dale Kessler founded this company in 2008 on a rule he keeps on the whiteboard: if the pane is not true, the job is not done. That rule governs every measurement we take, every frame we set, and every warranty we register in writing before the truck leaves your driveway.
Our Universal City customers tend to be people who’ve owned their homes for twenty years or more. They remember the contractor who left them with a fogged seal and a door that binds in July. They call us because a neighbor off Pat Booker Road had us replace eleven windows and never had a callback, or because they saw our crew setting a ladder on a 110-degree afternoon and still taking the time to vacuum the sill before we left. We measure every opening twice. We quote manufacturer lines side by side on paper. And we answer the phone when you call, 24 hours a day. Not a voicemail tree. A person.
Our Window Replacement Services in Universal City
Full Frame Replacement
Full-frame replacement is the most common job we do in Universal City, and it’s not close. The housing stock here was built fast in the 1960s through 1980s to house Randolph AFB families, and most of those homes still carry original single-pane aluminum frames. Those frames aren’t worth retrofitting. Full-frame work means removing everything down to the rough opening, inspecting the framing and flashing, repairing what’s rotted or undersized, and setting a new fusion-welded frame with fresh waterproofing. It’s the only way to catch the hidden sill rot that insert jobs leave behind. In Universal City, full-frame replacement typically runs $900 to $1,800 per opening depending on size and glass package.
Insert Window Replacement
Insert windows fit a new sash and frame inside the existing opening without tearing out the old frame. They make sense when the original frame is still square, the sill is solid, and the waterproofing hasn’t failed. We don’t sell insert jobs on Universal City homes where the aluminum frame is pitted or the flashing tape has cracked, because we’d be putting a good window into a bad opening. If your frames are sound and you just want quieter glass and tighter seals, inserts run $450 to $1,200 per window here. But we’ll tell you straight if an insert won’t hold up in your particular opening.
Storm Window Replacement
For some Universal City homeowners, adding storm windows is the right call, especially on homes where the original windows are historically significant or where a full replacement would trigger framing repairs the homeowner isn’t ready for. Good storm windows add a second air gap that cuts noise from the JBSA-Randolph flight paths and reduces air infiltration during Bexar County’s spring storm season. A quality storm window installed in Universal City runs $250 to $650 per window. The catch is that storm windows don’t fix failed seals or rotted jambs, so we only recommend them after an inspection confirms the primary window is still doing its job.
Energy-Efficient Upgrade
The February 2021 freeze did more to change Universal City’s window market than any manufacturer rebate ever could. Homeowners who’d tolerated drafty aluminum frames for decades suddenly had ice on the inside of their glass and heating bills that made them angry. Energy upgrades here usually mean low-E coated glass, argon fill, and fusion-welded vinyl or composite frames sized correctly for the existing openings. In Universal City’s 100-degree summers, low-E glass knocks back solar heat gain by a measurable amount. Most energy-focused replacements in this area run $700 to $1,500 per window installed, and the savings show up first in the July and August electric bill. We also offer an maintenance check for homeowners who aren’t ready to replace but want us to re-seal, re-shim, and lube every sash in the house while we check for failing seals.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Trusted Brands We Service in Universal City
We’re an authorized installer for more than a dozen manufacturer lines, and we quote them side by side on paper so you can see exactly what you’re buying. Around Universal City, the names that come up most often are CGI, ES Windows, and ECO Window Systems. CGI’s laminated impact-rated glass gets specified a lot on homes near the base where hail and wind are a yearly concern. ES Windows are a go-to for full-frame jobs on concrete-block and brick ranch homes because the frames are overbuilt to match. And ECO Window Systems gives us an energy-performance line that pairs well with older Universal City houses getting their first real thermal upgrade. We keep parts for these brands in local stock, which means faster turnaround when a sash or balance needs replacement.
Common Window Replacement Problems We See in Universal City Homes
- Jet noise intrusion through failed seals. Homes north and west of JBSA-Randolph sit under the T-6 Texan II and T-38 Talon flight paths, and original single-pane aluminum windows with dried-out glazing let that rumble straight through. Laminated glass with a higher STC rating is the standard fix here.
- Thermal bridging in 100-degree heat. Aluminum frames from the 1960s through 1980s conduct heat directly into the house. On a Universal City afternoon, the interior face of an old aluminum frame can hit 100 degrees or more, forcing the air conditioner to fight heat the window itself is adding.
- Hidden sill rot from failed waterproofing. Cracked flashing tape and missing sill pans let water run down behind the stucco or siding for years. By the time the homeowner sees a stain, the sill and sometimes the jamb are rotted. We find this on the majority of full-frame jobs in older Universal City tract homes.
- Rusted steel lintels and undersized framing. Rapid construction during the base housing boom means many openings were framed to code minimums with steel lintels that have since corroded. Opening the wall for a full-frame replacement exposes this, and the permit process may require upgrades. We inspect before we quote, so those numbers are in the contract, not sprung on you mid-job.
Pricing for Window Replacement in Universal City, TX
Here’s where the money actually goes in Universal City. A standard insert window runs $450 to $1,200 installed. Full-frame replacement on a typical 1970s ranch runs $900 to $1,800 per opening, with laminated glass packages adding $150 to $400 per window depending on STC rating and impact certification. Storm windows run $250 to $650 each. Full-home jobs on a three-bedroom Universal City house generally land between $8,000 and $22,000 depending on window count, framing condition, and glass specification. The things that move your price are framing repairs, lintel replacement, stucco or brick patching around the new frames, and any code upgrades the permit triggers. We put every one of those line items in writing before we start, and we offer a permanent 5% discount for seniors and veterans, plus a free written repair estimate. Call (888) 635-0804 for a free estimate on your specific house. The quote is free, and we’ll walk you through every line.
We Also Serve Cities Near Universal City
While this page is written for Universal City homeowners, our crews work the surrounding communities as well: Schertz on the north side, Converse to the west, Cibolo out past the newer developments, and Saint Hedwig on the east. If you’re in one of those areas, the same Window Replacement team serves your neighborhood too, and the same inspection-first process applies. Or see more about how we work specifically in Universal City right here.
Serving Universal City, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Universal City area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs - Window Replacement in Universal City
Standard double-pane glass adds one air gap, which helps with thermal insulation but does little to block the low-frequency rumble of a T-38 Talon or T-6 Texan II taking off a mile away. Laminated glass uses a plastic interlayer between two panes that physically dampens sound vibration and adds meaningful impact resistance against hail. For homes in Universal City’s northern and western neighborhoods under the flight paths, laminated glass with an STC rating of 34 to 40 drops indoor jet noise by roughly half compared to standard double-pane. The cost difference is real, typically $150 to $400 more per window. For a bedroom facing the base, it’s the single most noticeable upgrade you can make. Call (888) 635-0804 and we’ll quote both options side by side so you can decide with numbers in hand.
Yes, full-frame window replacement in Universal City requires a permit because you’re modifying the rough opening and the building envelope, not just swapping a sash. What the permit triggers depends on what we find when the old frame comes out. If the opening was originally framed to 1960s or 1970s code minimums, which is common in this housing stock, the inspector may require structural upgrades like a properly sized header or new king studs if the existing framing is undersized. If there’s corroded steel lintel over a brick opening, that’s a replacement item. If the home has outdated electrical near the opening, which we’ve found on full-frame jobs in older Universal City tract homes, a code upgrade can pull in an electrician. This is the single biggest reason a window quote moves after walls are open, and it’s why we inspect framing during the estimate, not after the contract is signed. Any surprise gets priced and approved by you in writing before we touch it.
You’ll see it before you feel it. Fog or condensation between the two panes of glass means the seal has failed and the insulating gas has escaped; that window is now a single-pane window with extra steps. You may also notice a haze that won’t wipe off, which is mineral deposit left behind as moisture moved through the failed seal. In Universal City’s heat, seal failure shows up faster because the thermal expansion cycles are extreme. We see it constantly on original aluminum windows from the 1970s and 1980s. The fix is replacement, not repair. A failed seal cannot be resealed in place. Call (888) 635-0804 and we’ll come check every window in the house during the free estimate, even the ones you’re not sure about.
Yes, and the difference is easiest to measure in Universal City because the summers are so hot. Single-pane aluminum windows have an estimated U-factor around 1.0 or worse, meaning they conduct heat directly into your house. A modern low-E double-pane window with argon fill runs a U-factor around 0.25 to 0.30. That’s a real reduction in heat gain, which means your air conditioner cycles less. Homeowners we’ve replaced for in Universal City report noticeable drops in July and August electric usage, usually 10 to 20 percent depending on how many windows we replaced and how well the rest of the house is insulated. The other savings is comfort: the room next to an old aluminum window stops feeling 10 degrees hotter than the hallway. For an exact quote on your house, call (888) 635-0804.
They’re a cheaper stopgap, but they’re rarely the better long-term fix. A good storm window adds a second air gap that cuts noise and air infiltration, and at $250 to $650 per window it’s a lot less than full replacement. But storm windows don’t fix failed seals, don’t address rotted jambs or missing flashing tape, and don’t change the fact that the primary window is still a single-pane aluminum frame conducting heat. Under the JBSA-Randolph flight path, a storm window over a failing primary window is like putting a bandage on a cracked foundation. For homeowners on a tight budget, we’ll quote storm windows honestly and tell you which openings can wait. But if the goal is quieter bedrooms and lower cooling bills that last, full-frame replacement with laminated glass is the job that actually solves it. Call (888) 635-0804 and we’ll inspect your specific openings and give you both numbers.
Ready to get a straight answer on your windows? Call (888) 635-0804 and schedule your free estimate. We’ll measure every opening twice, quote your options side by side on paper, and register both warranty layers in writing before we leave your driveway. No pressure. No fine print. A square deal, done right.
Written by Dale Kessler, Owner at TruePane Windows & Doors, serving Universal City and the surrounding Bexar County communities with window and door replacement done to the Keystone Standard.