Why Choose Aluminum Windows Over Wood Frames?
When it's time to upgrade the windows in your home, or if you're having a new home built, you want to carefully consider the materials you choose for your windows. Typically you can pick from aluminum or wood, two very popular options. While each material may have its own advantages, traditional aluminum windows are still a favorite for many homeowners and for a number of reasons. Note a few of those here so you can determine if aluminum is the right choice for your home's windows.
1. Flexibility
It can be very easy to bend and shape aluminum so that you can easily fit the frame around oddly shaped windows, door walls, and the like. If you have a round window in your home, it can be difficult to cut wood to fit this shape and in turn, the window frame may be left with gaps and openings. This can lead to drafts and allow for easier insect infestation in the home. Aluminum can be bent and curved more readily than wood and is less likely to return to its original shape, so it's a better choice for unusual windows.
2. Lightweight material
An older home especially may not be strong enough to support the frame of large, heavy windows, as the wood around the windows and door walls may have weakened over time. Trying to install heavy wood windows in these areas can mean needing to brace up the area that will hold the frame and this can add to the expense of having new windows installed. Aluminum is very lightweight and may not need this extra bracing when installed.
3. Durability
When choosing any material for windows, you need to think about the cost and hassle of needed repairs. When wood windows get dented, dinged, or otherwise damaged, they can be repaired with wood putty and other fillers, but the job is usually time consuming and difficult to do on your own. You may also need to replace one part of a wood window frame if it becomes rotted beyond repair, and it can be difficult to match the paint and stain of the rest of the frame or of other windows. This is especially true for older windows when the paint or stain may have faded over time. Aluminum windows are more durable and less likely to need repair; they don't rust and simple dents and dings can often be bumped out rather easily, making them a better investment for the long run.
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