There are six main materials that windows are made of. They include wood, vinyl, aluminum, fiberglass, wood-clad and composite.
Modern windows are now fitted with multiple layers of glass instead of a single pane. This makes them not just more energy efficient, but improves other areas like soundproofing and security. Modern glazing technology provides solutions for: Thermal Insulation.
“Annealed glass” is basic glass manufactured using the standard float glass process. All glass made for windows, doors and skylights in North America is manufactured by the annealed process. This is also known as annealed glass unless it is subsequently heat treated.
It's important to take into account what each type of window can offer in terms of function, style, features and cost savings. Here is an overview of some of the most common window materials — wood, fiberglass and vinyl — and some key considerations when determining which material is best for you.
The most recognizable features of a window are the glass (of course), and the framing. The framing material, which not only makes up the perimeter frame, but the surrounding frames of the operable parts of a window as well, is typically made of Wood, Aluminum or Vinyl.
Fiberglass windows are up to eight times stronger than vinyl, which means they generally last longer. A good quality vinyl replacement window can last up to 30 years or more, while fiberglass windows can last 50 years or more. The reason fiberglass replacement windows are stronger and more durable is due to its makeup.
All-vinyl replacement windows have window frames and sash frames are made of extruded polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The same durable plastic polymer used to manufacture countless building products, including plumbing pipes, electrical wire insulation, exterior house trim, siding, and doors.
There are several main types of material that window frames can be made out of: wood, metal and uPVC.
Vinyl windows are typically thin and hollow, while composite windows are thick, providing better insulation and durability. In fact, composite offer over 200% better insulation than vinyl. Replacing all of your current windows with composite windows can save you up 40% on your home's heating bill.
Fiberglass or Composite Windows:
Pros: Fibreglass frames are lightweight, durable and strong. They offer one of the higher insulation values, and they have the best resistance to expansion and contraction due to temperature changes.
Laminated glass is the best choice for safety and security reasons as the laminated glass technology used for windows in houses is the same as that which is used in a vehicle's windshield.
Sheet Glass is the most common type of glazing glass available in the market today. Initially, it was formed in plane form. It is typically used for transparent walls, windows, windshields and glass doors.
A material like plastic could easily get warped or wear down and you would have no idea. It could be potentially useless, and since there's no way of you knowing, you wouldn't know to replace it. Another reason is because glass is a very hard material.
A window must be tempered glass if all of the following criteria are met: more than 9 square feet in one single piece of glass that is 18 inches or less from the floor and the top of the glass is greater than 36 inches above the floor and has a 36-inch walkway on either side of the glass.
Making glass is a fairly straightforward process. In a commercial glass plant, sand is mixed with recycled glass, sodium carbonate, and calcium carbonate. These substances are then heated in a furnace. Once in a liquid state, it is poured into molds to shape, or poured on a flat surface to make sheets of glass.
Cons of Composite Windows
The first major drawback to Composite windows is that they cost far more than Vinyl Windows do. However, Composite windows don't contain PVC, the naturally insulating material utilized in Vinyl windows. This means their energy efficiency is actually comparable to that of Vinyl.
Vinyl windows cost less than composite windows and offer a high amount of energy efficiency, thanks to the naturally insulating properties of the PVC, the type of plastic used to create vinyl windows.
Vinyl Windows
Yes, replacing worn out windows with vinyl ones does boost a home's value, as long as the window installation is done the right way. When they sell, homeowners can recover as much as 71 percent of the upfront remodeling cost of new windows.
That's because when aluminium comes into contact with air, a protective layer of aluminium oxide immediately forms on the surface. This layer is extremely resistant to corrosion from anything the weather can throw at it, including acid rain, and won't be damaged by cleaning products.
Cedar, fir and pine are some of the most popular softwoods used in construction, being cheaper and more readily available.
TRUTH: Plastic degrades, whereas Wood Window Alliance-standard windows have an estimated service life of around 60 years, that's twice the life of PVC-U windows. Plastic windows can become discoloured and brittle as a result of exposure to the sun and unlike wood framed windows, they can't be repaired.
A leading complaint from homeowners is that vinyl window frames are too bulky. Because this material is not as strong and durable as fiberglass and aluminum, the manufactures have to use more of it in frame construction.
Vinyl replacement windows are very common and made using components made of polyvinyl chloride or PVC. Polyvinyl chloride is a combination of different chemicals, plasticizers and pigments. Polyvinyl chloride is also used to make plumbing pipes, electrical pipes, and many other plastic items.
Vinyl windows are toxic to the environment.
Manufacturing vinyl requires polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which forms the toxic carcinogen dioxin when PVC is manufactured and burned.