Whether you’re looking into a full home renovation, you’re in need of new windows or you’d
like to up your homes curb appeal, finding the right windows can be a long and tedious
journey. Deciding what kind of window will be right for your home, whether you want to stay
in keeping with your surrounding areas or even the colour, it can all add up. Hopefully, this
will give you a little insight into whether you should be looking at aluminium windows or not.
Window Durability
Something that most people are going to be looking for is a window that offers a great deal
of durability. Replacing your windows can be an expensive endeavour, so you’d like to think
that the products your buying are worth the money that you’re paying. Although some
windows will come with a warranty, you don’t want to have to go back and forth with a
company to organise dates to fix issues.
uPVC has been the go-to material for windows for years now and it does make sense. Since
the 1980s it’s been the best material for a window thanks to its resilient nature. Being rot
resistant is an attractive quality for a window. Moving away from a wooden frame was a
great way to lengthen the lifespan of a window. uPVC windows will usually need to be
replaced after 20 to 30 years of hot, cold and sometimes extreme weather.
However, with the introduction of high-quality aluminium window frames, the lifespan has
increased dramatically. Lasting up to 45 years, aluminium windows are a great long-term
investment. Similarly, aluminium windows won’t rust over time so you won’t have to worry
about the aesthetic of your home being ruined by an ugly patch of rust.
Window Energy efficiency
One of the reasons that uPVC has been a favourable material over aluminium in the past is
that it had a higher thermal efficiency. Aluminium is a conductive metal and that means it’s
more likely to allow heat to escape. This would have resulted in a costly heating bill and an
upset homeowner. But this has all changed!
Our ever-developing world of technology, science and innovation produced a better way to
construct a window, whether that’s for a commercial or domestic setting. The aluminium
windows and doors now feature thermal breaks within the frames. This means that the heat
that previously would escape quickly doesn’t anymore, making your windows more efficient.
This is usually done by using a layer of Aerogel in an aluminium window frame. Aerogel is an
efficient insulator that’s even used on space shuttles for thermal efficiency. But this will
usually vary depending on the quality of materials that the manufacturer uses.
Window Security
When it comes to your home and the people in it, security should be a top priority. Windows
can be one of the most vulnerable parts of a home and so securing them as much as
possible is going to not only give you peace of mind but might also save you from the trauma
of being broken into.
Due to the nature of both uPVC and aluminium windows, they do really well on the security
side. This comes as a relief after wooden window frames. These frames could degrade over
time and could be forced out of their original position. One of the best parts of an aluminium
and uPVC windows is their use of multi-point locks. These offer a little more security and
make it hard to force a window open. These are often introduced on round/ porthole
windows too.
Naturally, aluminium will be stronger than uPVC due to the fact that it’s a metal. It’s going to
be harder to move, break and damage which is something that most people will be looking
for.
Window Aesthetic
If you’re wanting to better your homes curb appeal the right style of windows means a lot.
Finding the right colour, frame glass and even handles can be tricky, but in the end, it’ll be
worth it.
Aluminium windows are on trend at the moment and seem to be here to stay. For years,
most have dealt with white uPVC windows that have a bit of a cheap feel and look to them.
While this is an unfortunate turn of even, aluminium windows seemed to have seized this
opportunity and created a sleek uPVC window alternative.
Aluminium windows accommodate offer a slimmer design which, in turn, creates a larger
surface area for a glass pane. This means that you’re able to produce a minimalist style and
improve the sight lines from your home. The one downside to this is that your glass is likely
to be the most thermally inefficient part of a window so, having more of it won’t help.
However, the effect is nominal so it isn’t as much of a concern. One of the main benefits of a
larger pane of glass, however, is that you’ll be getting more sunlight. Having the ability to
house larger panes of glass will allow for fewer obstructions in the form of gridlines. So,
you’ll have an unobstructed view and better access to natural light.
You can also customise the colour of your aluminium windows to suit the area and your
home. One of the most popular colours at the moment is an anthracite grey with a RAL
colour code of 7016. This means that you can create a modern, sleek look that can only
increase the value of your home. uPVC windows also offer the ability to choose a colour
from the RAL colour system which means you can customise these too.
So, there’s an argument for both uPVC and aluminium windows. They’re ideal for different
people, those that are able to spend a little more money on a higher quality product that will
last longer are more likely to purchase a set of aluminium windows. However, if you don’t
really have the means to purchase these or you’d just like to save some money, uPVC
windows would be the more likely product.
Rob Gavin, Director, Aluminium Bending Specialists – https://www.absltd.co.uk/
