FRAME windows aluminum for a long time was the most popular type of window frame used in the United States and the developing countries such as Nigeria. It is only in the last 30 years that vinyl windows have supplanted aluminum as the preferred choice of window frame.UPVC or rigid vinyl windows are big sellers in the UK and the USA primarily because they are the most energy efficient type of window frame available. UPVC is composed of a plastic that has a high thermal resistance. In other words uPVC provides an effective barrier with outside. So in the winter UPVC windows keep the heat in and the cold out, and in the summer they keep the cool air in and the hot weather out. Aluminum, in contrast, is a metal and a good conductor, which readily transfers heat between the inside and the outside of a building. It is estimated that having one uPVC window with double glazing will save a house owner some money.Also uPVC windows are available in all styles of window including stable doors, patio windows and bow windows. They can also be manufactured in a variety of colors and patterns, including a wood look. In contrast aluminum normally just comes in a silver color that dulls over time.Aluminum windows are not without benefits however. Aluminum is a tough, light metal that although it can be dented easily will last for longer than uPVC. Also aluminum also provides better security to a home. It is easier to cut through uPVC than it is to cut through metal.Another factor to think about is that there have been some innovations in aluminum frame windows. They are now often sold with thermal breaks. Thermal breaks are insulating gaps in the window that increase the thermal resistance of the windows. Still aluminum frame windows with thermal breaks are not as effective at insulating a house as uPVC windows. However, this new technology offers an improvement in the thermal efficiency of aluminum windowsIn terms of looks, some householders are happy with the appearance of UPVC windows while others tend to prefer aluminum windows because they occupy less space. uPVC windows tend to have bigger frames that block out more sunlight than timber or aluminum frame windows.Finally, there is the environmental concern with uPVC. Of all the plastics those composed of PVC are some of the hardest to safely dispose of after use. The manufacture of uPVC produces dangerous dioxin gases and the same pollutants are released when uPVC is burned. Because it is difficult and expensive to recycle rigid vinyl windows they mostly end up in land fill sites where fires often occur. For this reason aluminum can be considered more environmentally friendly than uPVC.So in terms of insulating efficiency UPVC is superior but in terms of the environment aluminum window frames are better.Courtesy: www. pikibook.com
Click here to read full news..
