Being a homeowner is an amazing thing that brings certain concerns. First of all, cleaning the house is the most challenging task homeowners have. There are many details you will have to take care of and that can be a time-consuming task. Despite that, you will always want/need to fix, change, or improve something.
Checking the overall condition of your home is an important thing for many reasons. Despite your comfort, your safety should be the main priority. That is the reason why doors and windows are the first two things they check.
Many people are not quite familiar with doors and windows. Unfortunately, you will have to visit some other articles to get familiar with types of the doors. In this article, we will talk about the types and technologies of the windows. Continue reading below for more insights into windows, especially the one used here.
Types of Different Windows Frames
There are many ways of how we can divide the types of windows. The first division is associated with the frames that they use. You will manage to find a few types of frames and they can all be good for different purposes. Let’s explain one by one.
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Vinyl Frames
We will start with one type of window that is a popular choice among homeowners. In most cases, these windows are made of UV light stabilizers and polyvinyl chloride. As you can guess, the UV stabilizer keeps the sunlight from breaking down the material. If you pick the right supplier, you can be sure that vinyl frames will not require regular painting. They will keep their color and freshness for a long period. The ability to resist moisture is one of the reasons why they are durable.
There is one piece of advice that we would like to add here. Some people fill the hollow cavities with insulation. If you decide on that move, your windows will become thermally superior.
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Aluminum/Metal Frames
There are a couple of reasons why aluminum/metal frames are the good and bad choices at the same moment. First of all, these frames are quite strong and their durability is at the highest level. Despite that, in most cases, people won’t need to spend a lot of time and energy to maintain metal frames. You may need to do that once in 5 or 10 years.
Still, because of the metal and aluminum properties, these frames heat quickly. Because of that, you can be sure that metal is a bad quality insulating material. That is the reason why you should be careful when deciding on purchasing windows with metal or aluminum frames. You should pick those that have a thermal break that usually comes in form of an insulating plastic strip. If the window truly is good, you can find it between the outside and the inside of the frame and sash. That is the only way to use this type of window to the fullest.
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Wood Frames
When you compare wood windows with the previous two types, you will see they are completely different. When we talk about insulation, these windows are relatively good. Yet, you will need to prepare yourself for the additional costs that these windows may cause. They require regular maintenance because of the characteristics that wood has.
Type of Glass Windows Have
The frame type is not the only thing that you should worry about. You also need to pick the type of glass/glazing that will meet your requirements and expectations. There are many factors you should put into consideration before purchasing a window. For instance, window orientation, building design, and climate are the main ones. We will highlight a couple of them that will probably grab your attention.
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Low-Emissivity Coatings
When a window glass has a low-emissivity coating, it can easily control the heat transfer. We do not want to say you will manage to find them for a low price. They all cost more compared to the regular windows you can find in each store. However, they can easily reduce energy loss by up to 50%. We assume that investing your money in that type of item will not be a bad move.
Anyway, there are certain features of Low-E coating that you should know about. First of all, they are virtually invisible and microscopically thin. Despite that, they come with a metallic oxide layer. The layer is placed directly on the surface of the panes of glass. Because of that, it lowers the U-factor and protects you and your beloved ones.
Still, that doesn’t mean that you can’t use them to improve the comfort of your life. Different models will allow you to use them in different ways. For instance, you will manage to gain solar, moderate solar gain, or simply lower the solar gain. Depending on your expectations and requirements, you should pick the window that suits you the most.
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Insulated Glass
We need to explain what it means when someone says “insulated window glazing”. Some people get confused because they have never heard about that type of glass. In short terms, it is a window that contains two (or more) panes of the glass. These glass panes are divided and hermetically sealed at the same time. Manufacturers want to leave insulating air space in that way which can bring many benefits to the users. Their main goal is to lower the U-factor, but that is not the only thing they can do. You can use them also to lower the SHGC.
Different Operating Types
Despite glazing and frames, you also need to put different operating types into consideration. We will not explain each one that exists because the list would be a lot longer. It is recommendable you research all the types separately before deciding to purchase a window. However, there is one thing you should know. Some of them will allow you to lower the air leakage rates more effectively. If you manage to do that successfully, you will directly influence the home’s energy efficiency. We are sure that is something all people would want to achieve.
In short terms, some of the operating types are single and double sliding, hopper, casement, fixed, etc. All of them are characteristical because of different reasons. We recommend you choose the one that perfectly matches your needs.