Vinyl – Material of Choice
Vinyl windows date back to 1959. Replacing wood windows with vinyl was a great step forward in reducing window cost and maintenance, however early versions of vinyl frames had a tendency to warp over time.
What makes vinyl the material of choice? Windows made with vinyl frames today are an entirely different animal. One of the main reasons for the difference was the great need that arose decades later for energy efficient products. The gas crisis of the 1970s helped fuel the desire to reduce all energy costs across the nation. Turn your thermostats down in the winter was the mantra. Out of that grew the need to reduce all energy expenditures.
An impetus for this “energy efficient product” era was the beginning of the government’s Energy Star program. Through Energy Star, homeowners can apply for tax credits. Also available in some areas, power companies may have rebate programs for homeowners who install Energy Star products. The program covers not just windows, but a host of household products such as HVAC units, refrigerators and electric dryers.
Vinyl – The Best Window Frame Material
In today’s manufacturing world, vinyl is the material of choice for a variety of products. It’s use in construction is well-known providing vinyl flooring, siding and wall coverings. Among the varied uses of vinyl, we find electrical components, medical furnishings, auto and appliance parts as just some of the applications for vinyl material.
What makes vinyl windows so popular? Certainly, affordable cost is at the top of the list. More importantly, in the medical industry vinyl is the material of choice for keeping a sanitary environment allowing for ease of cleaning between patients and a reduction in the spread of bacteria. Also, a popular material in the aerospace industry, vinyl is used extensively because of its ability to withstand extreme conditions.
Vinyl Windows – The Material of Choice for Homeowners
When choosing replacement windows, homeowners most often prefer vinyl over composite and fiberglass. Why is vinyl so popular for windows? Once again, affordable cost is at the top of the list. Most importantly, along with lower cost comes durability. A window manufactured with virgin vinyl, not recycled vinyl, will last more than 20 years. In fact, most window manufacturers who specialize in virgin vinyl will offer a lifetime warranty on windows sold in their company’s standard colors.
Vinyl’s resistance to fading is well known in the construction industry. As an example, vinyl siding is most popular with builders in the medium to lighter colors because of its ability to stay fresh looking for over 25 years without noticeable changes in color. The same is true with windows. Customers who choose a manufacturer’s standard vinyl colors for their replacement windows find that color fading is not an issue in general weathering conditions.
Recycled vinyl detracts from the durability of a window, yet we find homes that have original windows in recycled vinyl. Why is this? Unfortunately, a builder can cut costs by using cheaper, less durable recycled vinyl products. In the case of recycled windows, the frames can actually bend and warp allowing air and moisture penetration which causes condensation between the glass panes. In some situations, the warping frame may cause the glass to crack. When these situations occur, the only solution is to replace the window unit with newer energy-efficient, virgin vinyl windows.
Ease of Installation and Maintenance
Vinyl windows can be installed in your home easily and in a matter of about 30 minutes per window. Removal of the old window takes about that long as well. Of course, once in a while, issues arise after removal of the old window due to conditions of the original construction of the home or due to rotten surfaces inside the frame area from previous moisture penetration.
Cleaning your new vinyl windows will be a breeze. Double hung windows offer top and bottom sashes that rotate in for ease of cleaning. The vinyl frames can be gently wiped with a damp cloth once a year for the best look.
Energy Efficiency
Most people today are extremely concerned about reducing their energy bills. One way to help reduce costs is to install energy-efficient products. Customers have the choice of different levels of energy efficiency. As a way to further control cost, customers can also mix different energy-efficient windows in areas of the home that need the best protection against the penetrating rays of the sun.
Vinyl window frames today are the top of energy efficiency. Vinyl can be fabricated into most any shape. From this pliable material, window frames are made with multiple chambers inside the frame as a way to prevent outside temperature changes from entering the home through the frame material. Spacers that hold the glass panes at a certain distance from one another, to prevent moisture and mold formation, complete the energy efficient ability of vinyl window frames.
Vinyl Low E Argon gas windows may protect the north and east sides of the home very effectively. On the south and west sides of the home customers may choose to use Low E3 Argon gas windows which offer a higher level of energy efficiency, thereby helping to reduce energy costs. Low E3 Argon is a very efficient window in that the extra glass coatings preserve the warmth in a room in the winter months and preserve the coolness in a room when desired in the warmer months.
Variety of Color and Style
America’s Best Choice Siding and Windows installs a variety of window shapes from single and double hung to casement to awning and architectural windows. Colors range from very dark to white. The versatility of vinyl products is evident in the numerous color samples of vinyl. The Vinyl Siding Institute certifies hundreds of vinyl colors can be produced.
Mulled window units also offer a different style for homeowners. A popular combination is a double hung window on each side of a picture window joined together by “mulls” which hold the three windows as a single unit. Some customers enjoy the look of a casement window on each side of a picture window. Single hung or double hung windows can also be mulled together to make a three or four window unit. With this configuration, homeowners have the size of a picture window and enjoy good air circulation.
Explore the many choices that vinyl windows give us today. America’s Best Choice Siding and Windows offers energy efficient vinyl windows with double strength glass for extra durability.
