If you are looking for
window and door information the "Knowledge
Center" is the best place to start.
We have created topic specific sections
to help you understand the many aspects
of Replacement Windows and Doors.
Window
frames are available in
a variety of materials including
aluminum, wood, vinyl, and
fiberglass. Frames may be
primarily composed of one
material, or they may be
a combination of different
materials such as wood and
vinyl. Each frame material
has its advantages and disadvantages.
Aluminum
replacement windows were introduced
into the marketplace prior
to vinyl replacement windows.
They were really the first
material that replacement
windows were made of. Though
ideal for customized replacement
window design, aluminum replacement
window frames cause conductive
heat loss (i.e., they have
low R-values) and produce
some amounts of condensation
around the window frames.
However, thermal breaks made
of insulating plastic strips
placed between the inside
and outside of the frame and
sash greatly improve the thermal
resistance of aluminum replacement
window frames.
Aluminum
windows can be painted,
unlike their vinyl window
counterparts. However, the
paint job will not be as
good as one from a window
frame made from wood.
Vinyl
replacement windows represent
the largest market share in
the Replacement Window business.
Vinyl windows are made primarily
from polyvinyl chloride (pvc),
which offers many advantages.
Windows made from vinyl are
strong and provide very good
energy savings. They are available
in a wide range of styles
and shapes, have moderate
to high R-values and vinyl
windows can be easily customized.
Another great advantage of
looking at vinyl windows is
that they come in a wide range
of prices. There really is
a vinyl replacement window
available for every budget.
When looking into pricing
for Replacement windows, vinyl
products will have the biggest
assortment to choose from.
Vinyl
replacement windows also
are available in a wide
range of standard sizes.
This makes the installation
of vinyl windows process
fairly quick thus reducing
the cost of installing new
windows in your home.
In
addition, with these vinyl
replacement windows you
can choose from many different
vinyl colors. The color
is actually part of the
vinyl which makes them essentially
scratch resistant. The only
down side to vinyl windows
is that once you choose
the color, you cannot change
it. Vinyl Replacement Windows
are not made of a material
that can be painted.
Best
of all Vinyl Replacement
windows will never need
any maintenance!
Wood
replacement windows are primarily
used when the home owner wishes
to retain the exact look of
the original wood windows
on the home. Wood replacement
windows do have many modern
features that will make them
superior to the original wood
windows. However, they will
degrade over time and the
exterior window sills and
window casements will need
periodic painting.
Wood Windows produce higher
R-values, are unaffected by
temperature extremes, and
are less prone to condensation,
but they require considerable
maintenance in the form of
periodic painting. If wood
frames are not properly protected
from moisture, they can warp,
crack, and stick.
Another
factor regarding replacing
your windows with wood windows
is that they are generally
more expensive than other
types of replacement windows.
In fact, high end wood replacement
windows will be fairly expensive.
Fiberglass
Replacement windows are relatively
new and not yet widely available.
They have the highest R-values
of all frames; thus, they
are excellent for insulating
and will not warp, shrink,
swell, rot, or corrode. Fiberglass
replacement window frames
can be made in a variety of
colors and can hold large
expanses of glass. Some fiberglass
window frames are hollow;
others are filled with various
forms of insulation.
Fiberglass
replacement windows can
also be painted which provides
some flexibility if you
wish to change the color
of your new replacement
windows in the future.
Windows
made of fiberglass however
will be more expensive than
replacement windows made
of aluminum or vinyl. In
addition, as they are not
yet widely available on
the market the array of
sizes will be limited.
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