Today we will touch on another essential aspect in any home, whether it is a flat or a house. It’s about the windows and closures. Below we will see the reasons that make this element so important and, therefore, its choice.
Basically, the reasons are two, from our point of view. energy efficiency and design. But the matter is not so simple How to sum it up in six words. So next we will delve into it, we will deal with PVC windows versus aluminum windows.
We have to start by highlighting that the facades of buildings are the element that isolates the interior of the house from the rest of the world. The current construction qualities include insulating materials both thermally and acoustically speaking. However, the facades have a weak point. This unique “Achilles heel” are the windows and closures. For this reason, we are going to focus on PVC and aluminum windows.
At BricoBlog we are unconditional fans of wood. Precisely for this reason, we will not include it in our comparison, since we would not be completely impartial.
The comparison for the choice of windows, we will refer to PVC windows compared to aluminum windows, which are the two most used types today, in addition to wooden windows. We will also take into account different geographical locations, such as coastal areas such as Malaga or Valencia, as well as PVC windows in Madrid and other inland areas.
We will organize our study by the different characteristics of this type of element. So…
Thermal insulation factor
Aluminum, being a metal, is a conductor. Therefore, its natural behavior will be that of a “thermal bridge”, introducing outside temperatures into the home, while causing losses of inside temperatures to the outside. To be clearer, this translates into a loss, which can be very important, of our energy efficiency. What materializes in two aspects. On the one hand, it increases our spending on energy consumption throughout the year. And on the other, the decrease in our comfort and that of our family.
Although aluminum has alternatives that can make it more efficient in terms of thermal insulation, we will not take them into account since, in addition to the fact that it would already be another segment of windows and therefore more expensive, because we intend to compare these materials according to their natural features.
So, having said that, PVC is much more insulating than aluminum. In addition, if we talk about a PVC whose quality is certified, the result will be doubly guaranteed.
Acoustic insulation factor
Here we must take into account some additional aspects to those seen regarding thermal insulation.
To optimize windows and closures for acoustic insulation, we have to take into account, in addition to the material of its structure, that is, the frames and structure of the window, but also the type of glass. that will be incorporated, as well as the type of opening.
Regarding the glass, we will have to choose a double one that incorporates an air chamber. Here, as for thermal insulation, we must seek advice from a specialist in the field, since depending on the orientation and location of the window, we will need one type of glass or another.
Regarding the type of opening, we can find sliding, swing, tilt-and-turn closures, and some others. We will have to choose one that guarantees sealing, in addition to adapting to our needs.
Here, the elastic properties of PVC attenuate sound waves. Therefore, PVC windows are better acoustic insulation.
durability factor
The useful life of both PVC and aluminum is the same. Carrying out proper maintenance, which we will see below, and under normal conditions, they can have a useful life of approximately 50 years.
However, in certain situations, aluminum windows can have a certain disadvantage. We are referring to coastal areas, since the salt in the environment can cause corrosion in the corners of the window.
Therefore, PVC is more suitable for homes near the sea, since it has greater resistance to corrosion caused by saltpeter.
maintenance factor
Unlike other materials, neither the PVC nor the aluminum window need hardly any maintenance.
They only need regular surface cleaning with soap and water.
Lubrication of fittings and moving parts, once or twice a year, no more.
And, of course, the repair of any element that may have been damaged.
design factor
Aesthetically speaking, the possibilities in both materials are many. However, we will focus on PVC since, so far, this material is more efficient than aluminum in all aspects.
As we said, the possibilities are endless, so we will be able to integrate them into any type of environment, whatever its style. Among all the existing ones, we can highlight the following.
variety of colors
There is a huge range of colors and textures on the market. We can find from plain colors, with an endless range, to wood imitations whose realism is extreme.
Wood texture
Different finishes can also be combined. For example, the exterior can be white so as not to break the aesthetics of the facade, and on the inside of this same window, it could be of another color or with another texture.
variety of shapes
Being an element made to measure, they can be made in practically any shape that we may need, such as circular, arched, irregular, and rectangular windows, among others.
Variety of opening types:
As we indicated, all the previous options can mount the different types of opening available, such as sliding, tilt-and-turn, folding, etc.
Other factors
condensation
Aluminum, being a conductor, causes the windows to “sweat” on the inside. This can cause dampness and stains on the walls near the windows and even cause the curtains to sag due to continuous contact with moisture.
However, PVC, being a poor conductor, does not cause a thermal bridge, thus avoiding the effect of cold condensation. Therefore, PVC windows and closures do not “sweat”.
Safety
In cases where security is an important aspect, it must be said that PVC windows can incorporate various protection mechanisms against the risk of theft.
CONCLUSION
When a window is efficient, it allows a high level of comfort and quality of life to be obtained, without increasing energy consumption.
PVC windows of a certain quality provide excellent thermal insulation.
Therefore, after everything seen, the best option is PVC windows, since they have found an optimal balance between price and performance.
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