Aluminum windows and doors are very popular these days. It looks good, it’s durable, it’s easy to maintain, and it’s as creative as you want it to be. These windows are lightweight, completely weather resistant, and greatly increase the energy efficiency of your home. Nowadays, architects prefer aluminum for its insulating and aesthetic strength, color compatibility, and many other useful benefits. Let’s discuss here why aluminum windows are far ahead in popularity. But before that, let’s take a quick look at wooden doors and windows, which have been most traditionally used in the manufacture of windows and doors.
Why aluminium?
Like most other building components, windows and doors have evolved over the years. Windows are now made not only of wood but also of aluminum, steel, vinyl, and fiberglass. In addition, two materials are often combined in the same window to take advantage of their different properties. However, aluminum is by far the most widely used window material today. So, let’s understand aluminum windows in detail.
Aluminum is the material currently also used for glass walls and storefronts. Apart from strength and durability, it is not affected by moisture, shrinkage or swelling due to random exposure to sunlight or change in moisture content. Anodized or plated finish on aluminum is almost always the case. Aluminum windows require almost no maintenance.
The malleability (ability to form) and flexibility of aluminum are perhaps the most important reason for its widespread use as a window material. Because of its malleability, aluminum can be extruded into complex cross-sections, which are specifically designed to facilitate window structuring. For example, continuous hollow round intrusions, referred to as screw slides, are commonly supplied in aluminum cross-sections for joining horizontal and vertical frame members.
The flexibility of aluminum allows for the use of additional sculpting, as two separate aluminum sections can be bolted together without any fasteners. For example, in aluminum windows and curtain walls, the glazing bumpers are simply installed (no need to add nails or any other fastening material). In addition, two aluminum windows can be easily joined by using mating mullion profiles to provide a larger window with mullion joint without the use of fasteners.
Advantages of aluminum windows:
- Available in anodized and powder coated finishes, aluminum window frames are extremely durable and maintenance-free.
- It is well suited for homes with traditional and contemporary design as it is more attractive and can add an impressive look.
- Aluminum windows are lightweight yet still strong in flexibility. It has a very long life span of 30 to 50 years or more if maintained regularly.
- Some aluminum windows can be easily recycled. This makes it one of the best materials to use when it comes to creating an eco-friendly window. Thus, aluminum windows help reduce the negative impact on the environment and improve overall sustainability.
- Aluminum does not corrode easily. Over the years, a slight negative effect of corrosion may appear on it.
- Aluminum windows do not attract termites, pests, or other insects.
- Aluminum window is easy to maintain. It requires anodizing or powder coating after a long period of use.
- It does not shrink or swell, thus it is easy to operate during all seasons.
- Because of the high strength of the frame section, its size is small, so the aluminum window looks elegant and attractive. Provides more light transmission area.
- You do not need to use hardware like turret bolts, hinges, etc., thus you can save some amounts of cost.
- With the use of double and triple glazing, with air/gas gaps and also with the use of toughened glass, the window can be made soundproof, energy saving and may also provide high security protection. Of course, these add-ons are expensive. However, such features would be nearly impossible or very expensive to implement in the case of wooden windows.
- Available worldwide at approximately the same price rate.
- Mostly made in factory hence the installation time is less, hence it speeds up the construction process and needs less labor/skilled workers.
Disadvantages of aluminum windows:
- According to “Madan Mehta” (author of Building Construction Principles, Materials, System), the disadvantage of aluminum is its low R value (R value is a measure of heat resistance). However, with the introduction of thermally enhanced (also called thermally broken) aluminum frames, the situation has improved dramatically.
- The powder coating on the aluminum window frame may change color quickly; It does not have a high resistance to UV rays.
- Aluminum is a good conductor of heat. Therefore, it cannot provide you optimal heat insulation protection when there is a cold climate outside as the interior heat will be easily lost through the aluminum window frame.
- Like wood frames, you cannot install MS grilles to aluminum frames for protection. To install iron grills, you must provide stone frames on all four sides, on which grilles can be installed. Of course, these stone frames enhance aesthetics and help keep benches and sills looking clean.
- In the case of sliding windows, depending on the number of sliding shutters, only 25% to 50% of the window will be opened for airflow, i.e. 100% of the window will never open in the case of sliding windows, as in wooden or glass windows.
- Cleaning the inner part of the small size is tedious, especially when the dust is more.
