Every home needs reliable windows to prevent damage from storms, wayward objects and potential intruders. If your home does not yet have impact windows installed, now is the time to add them. However, there is some debate as to whether vinyl or aluminum impact windows are optimal. Let’s take a look at the merits of each type of impact window.
Choosing Between Vinyl and Aluminum Impact Windows
Vinyl and aluminum windows require minimal maintenance and prove quite durable. Your decision between vinyl and aluminum windows will hinge on your unique preferences. If you are looking for a more traditional look, vinyl is the better option. Vinyl window frames have more of a traditional aesthetic than those of the aluminum variety. Both vinyl and aluminum windows are available with multi-pane, single pane, single hung our double hung styles.
Opt for vinyl and you will have a plethora of color choices, greater protection against elements and intruders and they provide the most energy efficient results.
If you want a more modern aesthetic, aluminum is a better option. Aluminum window frames are the perfect complement for contemporary home architecture. This type of frame has a powder-coated texture enamel that brings the window’s aesthetic appeal to the next level.
Are There any Downsides to Aluminum Frames?
Though aluminum frames have a modern look, they are not as durable as vinyl. Aluminum frames are that much more likely to endure fading, corrosion and denting as time progresses. In comparison, vinyl impact windows are built to endure considerable force, greatly reducing the chances of chipping and denting. A vinyl window that ends up damaged won’t display that damage as clearly as aluminum windows. Even if your vinyl window frame gets scratched, it won’t be nearly as noticeable as it would be on aluminum windows in which the flaws will reveal the material below the exterior.
Aluminum windows are also more likely to change in color and become corroded when compared to their vinyl counterparts. There is also the potential for the zinc and steel fasteners used on aluminum windows to pit and corrode. Aluminum windows’ finish is also more likely to end up fading in hue when exposed to direct sunlight as compared with windows of the vinyl variety.
Strengthening the Case for Vinyl Windows
Vinyl windows require minimal maintenance compared to those of other varieties. If you don’t want to perform window maintenance beyond caulking that stops air from moving into and around the inside of the window, opt for vinyl and you’ll find they hold strong across posterity.
Though aluminum windows do not require a considerable amount of maintenance, they are that much more likely to end up with mold or rust as a result of condensation. If you end up with such problems, use an aluminum cleaning solution, rinse the windows and dry them. It will help to lubricate the window’s moving parts to minimize the toll taken on the internal metal components.
Aluminum windows can potentially separate allowing air and element infiltration at corners that is not a factor with vinyl windows.
Contact ARMORVUE Window & Door Today
Our window and door specialists are a call away. Reach out to ARMORVUE today to find out more about our windows and doors. Call us today to schedule an in-person estimate or a showroom appointment, and get a free, no-obligation consultation and estimate.
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