WINDOWS DOORS

Aluminum windows V Vinyl V Wooden
Silvery looking aluminum windows are at this point old school, archaic, and outdated but easy to make, easy to install and unfortunately even easier to break into. People with plain old aluminum windows may experience a pool of water inside their windows every morning while people with thermally broken windows will not. This is caused when the cold from outside hits the heat from inside the room and condensation forms on the glass dripping down and onto the sill. Small weep holes allow the water to drain through to outside but usually fail due to the tininess of those weep holes and how easily they get blocked from dust and dirt.

Powder coated aluminum
Powder coated aluminum however is much more modern and comes with sophisticated locking mechanisms making life harder for burglars. They can be thermally broken too which separates the inside from the outside with a hard plastic strip resulting in the temperatures you want inside without the mess.

Powder coated aluminum comes in every color you can imagine and now also comes in woodgrain finishes such as pine, oak and mahogany giving you the beauty of wood without the maintenance.

Vinyl, or uPVC windows
Vinyl, or uPVC windows, are already thermally broken by the number of hollow chambers within the frame and is much better at controlling temperatures as uPVC is not a conductor of heat or cold. uPVC windows come in a myriad of colors and finishes to suit any home, new or old. uPVC windows come in many styles too depending on climate and surroundings from casement to tilt ‘n' turns to vertical and horizontal sliders.

Most also have sophisticated locking mechanisms so ask your contractor about espagnolet rather than cockspur handles. uPVC, like powder coated aluminum is maintenance free and a quick wipe with a dry or damp cloth can have them looking brand new again.

uPVC windows can also be bent to any shape unique to your home relatively economically and without fuss. Your contractor will take a template and come back with the perfect window for you.

For those who prefer the more traditional wooden windows you’ll be happy to know that they don’t expand or contract resulting in fewer seal breaks unlike aluminum. Experts say wood is 400 times better at insulating than metal and up to 1800 times better than uPVC (Vinyl) but that really depends on the glass you use. Wooden windows with single pane glass is relatively useless compared to uPVC with dual pane or aluminum with triple glazing so take stats with a pinch of salt.

Wood lovers would tell you it’s relatively maintenance free but does need to be painted or varnished frequently depending on the climate in your particul;ar part of the country as harsh weather beit sun or storm will take it's toll on painted or varnished wood – hardly maintenance free! Well preserved and cared for authentic wood though is timeless and will appeal aesthetically to everybody. Wood is also easily shaped to suit arches and lends itself nicely to a variety of locking systems as well as styles including bays, bows and stand alones.

Types of glass
Annealed single 4mm glass is standard throughout the industry for single, dual and triple glazed units and is used as a base for every other type of glass on the  market.

Heat strengthened glass is really a poor man’s toughened or tempered glass. Annealed glass is heated to around 700 degrees celsius and then cooled dramatically leaving a sheet that is very hard to break. The front and back surfaces of toughened glass is very durable but when it does break it shatters into a million tiny pieces that would cause minimal damage to skin unlike standard glass which shards and could kill you.

Laminated glass is basically 2 sheets of 3.2mm glass ‘glued’ together leaving it almost impossible to penetrate. Even if you hit one side as hard as possible with a sledge hammer, you will not break the other side leaving laminated the safest, most secure glass out there. However it is heavy on doors and can be expensive.

For controlling the temperatures of your room, talk to your contractor as there are many more types of insulation from desiccant within the spacer bar to actual gasses pumped into the unit. Dual pane units can have glass outside that reflects the sun back out keeping your house cooler during Summer while attracting heat in the Winter keeping your house warmer.

When posting your project take pictures of your home, include the sizes of your windows and the style you’d like. Also include the finished color you’d like and even if you want different colors inside and out. Maybe you want that traditional wood look outside but inside you’d like a modern yet humble brilliant white finish.

If you do send rough sizes to your contractor, make sure to tell him/her that they are rough sizes and they need to be measured by a professional.

Include your address so your contractor can see your home on google street views and get a vibe for your home and surroundings.

Upload photos of windows you’ve seen and liked or links to windows you’ve seen or liked online.

Include the type of glass you like and for safety and security ask about locking systems.

Hiring anyone to carry work in your home can be daunting. Letting strangers into your home is even more scary. While many homeowners may go into detail about pricing and materials and quality of work – they rarely ask their contractor for their license details and never ask about their possible criminal background or if their staff are felons.

For your peace of mind, all contractors featured on 23HourBids.com have been background checked for your safety and security. Don't let anyone into your home without the 23HourBids.com seal of safety and security.

Watch this short video below to see how we protect you, your family and your belongings.