Aluminum Replacement Windows

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 window frames cause conductive heat loss (i.e., they have low R-values) and produce some amounts of condensation around the window frames. They are rarely used for residential purposes anymore but are common in commercial applications.

On the other hand, aluminum windows can be painted, unlike their vinyl counterparts. But the paint job will not be as good as one applied to a window frame made of wood.

Of course, everyone wants his or her home to be beautiful. But the more energy-efficient windows are often not your most visually pleasing option, and their initial cost is higher than the aluminum windows.

However, overall savings over the lifetime of these windows in energy costs will more than return your investment. Remember that you will only pay the price of the windows once, but it is possible for energy prices to keep rising and costing you more each year.

Aluminum Replacement Windows are an ideal window type for mild-climate, southwest-climate, and desert-climate homes. Thermally-improved aluminum windows can endure more extreme weather conditions.

Aluminum windows have long been available for window replacement due to their light-weight construction, durable framing, and low-maintenance. For colder climates, you can consider using aluminum storm windows.

Moreover, aluminum replacement windows are very durable and can provide years of good operation and hassle free use. Aluminum also gives you the ability to choose from many colors and designs.

If you are looking for style and design flexibility, then think about aluminum replacement windows. They offer a good look, and they require very little maintenance.

Here's a story that illustrates a potential danger of wood replacement windows. If you're sensitive to surface chemicals, be aware of this and ask about them when buying.

In 1989, Jan Fenhaus of Eugene, Oregon added an extension to her ranch-style home that used all wood-framed windows. "Since then," she writes, "I developed multiple chemical sensitivities. I became very sick and was unable to work; my life was miserable. After many months of suffering, while doing some research, I discovered that the wood frames of the new windows had been treated with water repellants and fungicidal chemicals which some people react to.

I took out a home equity loan and had all the wood windows in the house removed. They were replaced with new aluminum windows, which I was told are the best for sensitive people. Within days of moving back in, the headaches and nausea cleared up and now I am 100% recovered"

When you compare vinyl and aluminum windows, you should recognize that both have their advantages and disadvantages. Aluminum windows are preferred in commercial buildings because they have a greater strength to weight ratio. Aluminum can occupy larger spaces, be thinner and stronger than their vinyl or wood counterparts.

However, aluminum is also the preferred material used in high performance engine blocks. Why? Because aluminum dissipates heat very effeciently. This is an application where you want to transfer heat through the metal.

When it comes to windows, that's an attribute you DON'T want. Heating and cooling costs can quickly justify the cost of installing replacement windows, and this is where vinyl replacement windows shine over aluminum.

The biggest disadvantage of aluminum as a window is that it readily conducts heat, greatly raising the overall U-factor of a window unit. In cold climates, a simple aluminum frame can easily become cold enough to condense moisture or frost on the inside surfaces of window frames.

Even more than the problem of heat loss, the condensation problem has spurred the development of better insulation for aluminum frames. In hot climates, where solar gain is often more important than conductive heat transfer, improving the insulating value of the frame can be much less important than using a higher-performance glazing system.

Aluminum window frames are light, strong, durable, and easily extruded into the complex shapes required for window parts. Aluminum frames are available in anodized and factory-baked enamel finishes that are extremely durable and low-maintenance.

Okay, those are the pros and cons. Now you decide whether or not aluminum replacement windows are right for you.

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