Vinyl replacement windows are one of the most popular home upgrades going. However, there’s a lot of misinformation about vinyl replacement windows on the internet — especially when it comes to vinyl replacement windows durability.
Reading some reports, you’d imagine that vinyl replacement windows were constructed out of marshmallows and spun sugar. When exposed to heat, humidity or other environmental conditions, according to these reports, vinyl window sashes would droop, bow, or sag in place.
However, as Mark Twain might have said, reports of vinyl replacement window’s difficulties have been grossly exaggerated. All technologies evolve and improve with time and vinyl replacement windows, like all window technologies, are no exception.
Vinyl windows first came onto the building scene after World War Two. Germany was in shambles, and needed to rebuild. However, building materials were scarce and construction had to happen in a hurry. Vinyl windows were the answer.
These early windows had a bulky, thick appearance, not necessarily attractive to the American marketplace. When the technology crossed the ocean, thinner, sleeker frames were developed.
However, in an effort to produce the thinner, smaller windows the American marketplace demanded, errors occurred. Some of these early thinner vinyl replacement window frames did have problems, namely with thermal expansion. Temperature changes did affect the vinyl. Flexing and fluctuating with changing temperatures, gaps and leaky seals resulted, adversely affecting the energy efficiency and performance of the windows.
This was a problem 25 to 30 years ago, but no longer. Material advances in vinyl production have resulted in a product that is durable and far more dimensionally stable than any of their predecessors. These technological advantages have led to the increased use of vinyl as a cladding material, namely in aluminum and wood framed windows.
Modern vinyl windows are made primarily from polyvinyl chloride, more commonly known as PVC. Vinyl home replacement windows today can offer the type of performance and appearance that designers require — and previously were only able to attain from wood framed or aluminum replacement windows. Additionally, vinyl is often the most affordable window option.
Modern vinyl replacement windows must meet certain standards for durability. These include tests for wind load, structural load, and water resistance. Standards will vary slightly by location, in response to differing environmental conditions. However, home owners can rest confident that modern vinyl replacement windows are at least as durable as the other replacement window alternatives on the market today.
Additionally, modern vinyl replacement windows are extremely energy efficient. Because vinyl windows resist corrosion, they’re often an ideal choice in homes in particularly damp environments, such as sea side homes. Minimal maintenance routines make vinyl windows an easy choice for the homeowner — and due to the long life and durability of the product, a choice they’ll be able to enjoy for years to come. Homeowners can rest confident that their vinyl replacement windows will deliver top performance for decades — most manufacturers currently warranty their products for at least twenty years.
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