Blomberg Windows to Reopen With New Owners, New Products

blog |
Blomberg Windows
Photo by D.S. Wilson Associates, courtesy of Blomberg Window Systems.

Eichler owners commiserate on a number of common issues, such as radiant heat, poorly draining roofs, and high heating bills. That's why we have the Chatterbox Lounge! But one area in which things might soon be getting a little easier will be with those large, troublesome windows. That's because Sacramento's Blomberg Window Systems—the brand that originally outfitted all of Sacramento's MCM Streng homes and is Eichler-friendly, too—plans not only to reopen, but to expand its offerings, including a new line of energy-efficient aluminum windows.

The company had been slated to close last fall, as owners Ralph Blomberg and Phil Collier both wanted to retire. But it now plans to reopen this spring under new ownership, expanding its operation in the process.

"We will keep all the product lines that we have historically had, including the three-and-five-eighths block frame door," says Jeremy Drucker, one of the new owners. "We're going to bring out new product lines that may or may not be appropriate for Eichlers, but will be good for contemporary construction," he said.

Drucker seemed to be managing expectations, but he did describe one new product that most certainly will be appropriate for Eichlers and Strengs: It's an aluminum window that uses aluminum framing but includes a strip of insulation between the interior and exterior frames, "so the cold can't penetrate inside as easily," Drucker said.

That may seem minor, but it solves a frustrating problem for many owners who find aluminum windows, which tend to conduct heat more easily than, say, vinyl ones, don't comply with California's Title 24.

"For the larger remodels, it's a requirement, it's not an elective decision that the home should perform to a certain standard. The window package is an important part of that threshold," Drucker said.

Fortunately, for Eichler, Streng, and other mid-century modern owners, one trusted source for that package—and the manufacturer of a nifty MCM-friendly sliding-glass door to boot—will soon be back on the scene.