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‘Very frustrating’ Defective windows on Loudon County couple’s new house fixed months after moving in

LOUDON, Tenn. (WATE) — When you buy a new home, you would expect the windows to work properly, but a couple in Loudon County has had nothing but trouble with theirs.

John and Jan Krusick arranged a meeting with their realtor and home contractor and even contacted the window manufacturer who promised to visit the home two months ago, but never set a date. The windows in the new home were challenging to put up and they don’t go very high.

“That is as high as I can get it,” said John. “And they replaced the mechanism in this one already.”

“That, that should not fall out. That just fell out,” said Jan. “Yes. That’s the mechanism, that’s what is breaking all these windows.”

“This is the part that has fallen out of at least nine windows. As you can see it just fell out of this one,” said Jan.

“For what we paid for this home, those windows should operate freely and just function normally,” said John.

The couple paid $550,000 for their home in Loudon. There are 14 windows throughout the house. John and Jan have been dealing with the troublesome windows since moving in 14 months ago.

“We noticed it right away when we moved it. We have been here a year from March 31st. We brought it to the builder’s attention, right away,” said Jan.

The couple’s builder purchased Atrium vinyl windows from Lowe’s. Their contractor notified the home improvement store about the loose wires and mechanisms last summer. Then without notice, Atrium sent a box of window parts to the couple last fall.

“We had to contact the builder and let him know that we had them, like ‘what are we supposed to do with them?’ So, he sent one of his workers out to try to install them,” said Jan.

Three times, their builder sent a repairman out under the couple’s 1-year warranty. However, he told us he just couldn’t fix some of the windows. The contractor suggested the Krusicks contact Atrium windows again.

“I went online and filled out their warranty and request for help,” said Jan.

“We have been trying our darndest to get somebody to come out here and look at them. We said, send us a rep. Sent us somebody to look at these,” said John.

“We received a call from Angela from Atrium Windows on April 15 who said there would be a representative out here in four weeks,” said Jan.

However, that was more than six weeks ago.

“And to date, we have not heard from anybody,” said Jan. John added, “Very frustrating, very frustrating. We make a lot of phone calls, do a lot of text messages.”

WATE got in touch with Atrium’s corporate office, Cornerstone Building Brands, on May 23. Their Communications Vice President said they were contacting customer service to do some research. One week later, on May 30, a repairman came from Georgia and fixed the windows.

“As of today, they’re working … they’re working okay. This one is a little on the tight side, but it does function,” said John.

All 14 widows were repaired. However, Jan worries about the warranty explained by the technician.

“He did say that parts would be covered for maybe 10 years, but if he had to come again we would have to pay a service call and labor. He comes all the way from Dallas, Georgia,” said Jan.

Their hope is the windows remain trouble-free. John and Jan were told to continue lubricating the window runners to keep them sliding smoothly. The repairman replaced the mechanism on each side of the windows. Two windows had to be repaired twice.