If you’re looking for a new house to buy in a new residential area, you will most likely get in contact with a real estate developer who builds the whole neighborhood.
A house is a very big investment to make and a very important one. Therefore, you want to know how it is built. Especially, when you are buying it as opposed to building it yourself.
When it comes to windows for your home addition, one of the questions you could have is whether aluminum or uPVC is the better material. There is no definitive answer to the question of whether aluminum or PVC is superior. Each of these materials has its own properties that make them better for certain applications.
However, some Real Estate Developers prefer Aluminium over uPVC arguing that it’s more sustainable and endurable, looks better, and their market shows a greater interest in this type of material.
Let’s look briefly at some of these aspects:
Security
Aluminum is a naturally robust material, so unlike wood or PVC-U, you can be assured that your frames will never bend or break. PAS24 is a minimum security standard that all modern windows must meet, regardless of the material they are made of, but aluminium is structurally more robust.
Insulation
Even while an aluminium frame may feel colder to the touch than a PVC-U frame, both aluminium and PVC-U windows will provide fairly equal degrees of warmth and insulation. While the frame has some influence on the efficiency rating, the glazing and whether the window is double or triple-glazed have the most impact.
Maintenance
Aluminium windows may last anywhere from 30 to 45 years, but PVC-U windows only last 25 to 30 years. The only actual care necessary for both materials is a simple wash with a towel and periodic attention to the locks and hardware. However, unlike PVC-U, aluminum will not warp, fade, or yellow, and it will never corrode, giving you total peace of mind.
Budget
There’s a misconception that aluminum windows are more expensive than PVC-U windows, and although this may be true depending on the size and design you pick, they’re also a superior long-term investment and a highly coveted asset that will increase the value of your house.
Sustainability
PVC-U windows are ultimately constructed of plastic, which is generated from oil. Although there is a trend toward using recycled materials in the manufacturing of PVC-U windows, they will never be able to compete with aluminum, which is a truly sustainable resource. Aluminium windows can not only be recycled once, but many times over with no loss of quality. It’s worth noting that over 90% of all aluminum used in construction has been recycled at least once, utilizing only a fraction of the energy necessary to create it in the first place.