Article by:
Amelia Grant
In modern everyday life, aluminum windows cause heated debate regarding the rationality of their installation and use. The contradictions are caused by diverse judgments about the positive and negative points in operation. However, disputes arise more from understatement and insufficient awareness of people in this matter.
In order to create a correct opinion on the preference of materials, let’s trace in detail the entire logical chain.
How Did Aluminum Sliding Windows Come About?
Such profile systems were first used in entertainment and shopping centers, hotels, and offices.
Lightweight aluminum sliding windows were great for where large areas of glazing were required. Convenient and practical in care, they did not cause difficulties in operation and over time began to be successfully used in residential buildings and country cottages with the following purposes:
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As cold glazing on balconies;
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In loggias and terraces;
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For the arrangement of winter gardens;
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As room dividers.
Before the invention of aluminum structures, humanity preferred exclusively wooden, and a little later - metal-plastic solutions.
Aluminum can be molded into all kinds of shapes and sizes. The profile bends to create arches and connects in all kinds of architectural solutions. The use of advanced manufacturing technologies makes it possible to design and create window structures with various opening methods, in a wide range of overall dimensions, shapes, and configurations.
Aluminum window manufacturers are always ready to develop designs according to individual projects of customers, taking into account all the features of the structure and choosing the best option.
Flexible and Universal Designing Options
Aluminum, due to its natural properties, retains its aesthetic appearance for a long time.
Manufacturers paint an aluminum profile in various colors in three ways:
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Anodized way. It is mainly golden, dark brown, or natural color. The oxide layer on the metal surface completely eliminates the ingress of air, while providing reliable protection against corrosion;
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Powder coating. This method is based on the painted coating dries at high temperatures. Thanks to this technology, a profile painted in this way is more resistant to mechanical damage and corrosion than an anodized one;
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Profile lamination with plain and decorative films. This method is a very beneficial design move. Films for lamination have the same properties as PVC profiles. In this way, not only the window is painted, but also the doors. Thanks to this, it is possible to design windows and doors in the same color scheme, which means maintaining harmony between the interior and exterior of the house.
The Pros and Cons of Different Window Materials
Today, anyone can purchase window and door structures from a variety of materials and in various combinations. There is practically nothing impossible in this market. But many clients regret the money spent and the wrong choice afterwards, due to little awareness in this area or the low competence of the companies whose services they used.
Both aluminum sliding windows, the price of which remains quite high, and window-door systems made of other materials are still in demand. Along with the obvious advantages, they also have disadvantages.
Let’s observe the pros and cons of different window materials.
Wood
Advantages:
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The material is solid, environmentally friendly, able to let air in through natural micropores;
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High thermal insulation (up to 1.1 m2*C/W);
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You can perform configurations of any complexity, including any acute angle;
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Allows to make wide and high sashes.
Disadvantages:
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Low operational terms;
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Costly care;
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High cost;
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It is difficult to replace double-glazed windows;
PVC
Advantages:
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High tightness, sound insulation, reliable protection from weather upheavals;
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Durability (serve, on average, 40 years);
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Thermal insulation can reach 1.1 m2 * C / W;
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Affordable price;
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Easy in care and use, quick and affordable repairs.
Disadvantages:
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No natural ventilation;
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Relatively cheap look;
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Limits on size, design of openings, and color.
Why Choose Aluminum Windows and Doors?
Compared to wood and PVC, aluminum profile windows and doors have more advantages.
They have undoubted benefits:
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High protection against damage, resistance to corrosion;
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Longevity (50-80 years)
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Lightness of the material and ease of care.
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No expensive maintenance.
And they also have some features characteristic of their wooden opponents, such as:
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Expensive and classy look;
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Environmental friendliness and safety;
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The strength of the frame is a supporting element, which allows you to create large sizes.
A special feature is all-glass facade systems that connect the interior of the house with the outside world and contribute to maximum light transmission. Therefore, such systems provide the highest protection with maximum integration with the environment.
Types of Profiles in Aluminum Windows
To create a window product, the basis is an aluminum profile. It is divided into several varieties - cold one and warm one. Now let’s dive into more details. For private households, apartments, and offices, a warm profile would be the best option. Its cost will be much higher, but due to its design, the possibility of drafts completely disappears, heat loss will be the most minimal, and sound insulation is provided. This feature of the warm profile is done using a sealant that fills the chambers.
The cold one has low noise reduction and thermal insulation, so it is not good for residential complexes. It is best used in commercial areas for installation in warehouses, terraces, and other places that do not have a heating system and do not need 100% energy saving.
Technological Properties of Aluminium Systems, Their Advantages and Disadvantages
If you decide to install aluminum windows, you should be aware of the pros and cons of their operation, because it is awareness that will make the result successful.
Aluminum window systems will first of all delight you with the following features:
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Variety of ways to open;
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A wide choice of shades according to RAL classification, imitation wood or PVC;
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A real range of all shapes and sizes.
Among their disadvantages are:
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High thermal conductivity is a drawback that lowers the heat-shielding properties of aluminum systems. remember that aluminum is a metal, and like all metals conducts heat well. However, there are innovative solutions that have heat-saving parameters. For these purposes, a thermal bridge made of modern materials with an extremely low heat transfer coefficient is used in the profile design;
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This is not a budget version, the cost of aluminum solutions is higher than of wooden ones but the return on investment of aluminum windows is the highest due to their durability. Judge for yourself. Anti-corrosion aluminum is practically eternal, glass has a service life of about 500 years, and the weakest point in the window structure is rubber seals. Their service life is from 20 to 50 years. After that, they are simply service ally replaced by simple manipulations;
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Lower availability in the market - not every company is ready to provide the consumer with such a high-quality product.
How to Choose a Brand You Can Rely On
It is difficult to decide on the choice of a combination of a profile and a double-glazed window. To make the planned interior impeccable, choose the material whose benefits meet your expectations of utility, durability, quality, aesthetics, and cost.
Building structures made of aluminum from trusted manufacturers is the rating of modernity, the achievements of high technologies, this is the highest comfort, which is worth thinking about!
As a rule, in the modern construction industry, aluminum and PVC profile windows are combined. There is a wonderful possibility of painting windows and doors in the same color scheme. Using these properties, designers create truly amazing facades with visually similar windows. Aluminum windows are indispensable for glazing such premises as balconies, loggias, winter gardens, and terraces.