Vinyl Windows are Built to Move

Vinyl windows have been around for close to 40 years. Vinyl is energy efficient durable rotproof, insectproof and weather resistant. It's made with chemicals that inhibit UV-degradation. Vinyl is colored throughout and requires no painting. The knock on vinyl is that it fades, can't be painted, becomes brittle with age and is thermally unstable. Temperature changes cause it to contract and expand more than wood, aluminum and even the glass it holds. Vinyl window frames have the potential for causing increased air leakage over time because of this movement. But Richard Walker, technical director of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) is quick to say "Vinyl windows are build with this movement in mind and failures have not been recorded to cause concern." If you choose vinyl frames, specifiy light colors and heat-welded corners. Heat-welded corners hold up best over time.

The pigments that are used in paint are almost identical to those used in vinyl, but vinyl's color goes all the way through. Walker says "a little rubdown with Soft Scrub or one of the products on the AAMA list of recommended cleaners will bring vinyl back to its original brilliance."

Fiberglass-frame windows are showing up in a few product lines. Fiberglass is extremely strong, and because it is made of glass fibers,the frames and the glass expand at the same rate. Fiberglass must be painted and is more expensive than vinyl. Owens Corning, Andersen and Marvin are three major manufacturers that produce fiberglass Windows. Owens Corning is the Only manufacturer that makes fiberglass windows with insulated frames.

Aluminum-frame windows are durable, requiring little maintenance. However, they are energy siphons and shouldn't be used where energy efficiency is consideration.

The range of window options available today is staggering. A working knowledge of the terms and these few guidelines should help you when you decide to buy your new Denver windows.

This content was from the book "The Best of Fine Homebuilding: Energy-Efficient Building"