Whether the material you choose for your window project; wood, fiberglass, or vinyl- there will be advantages to each. One of our preferred window manufacturers, Soft-Lite, offers 7 advantages of vinyl windows over wood:
- Vinyl windows are maintenance-free. Wood windows require periodic refinishing.
- Superior vinyl windows made out of virgin vinyl will out-last wood and metal windows. Wood windows deteriorate over time and metal windows separate. Soft-Lite’s vinyl windows are warranted for a life-time.
- Vinyl sash and frame corners are air tight once they’ve been welded. It is difficult to make wood and metal corners air tight because they are mechanically joined. Even if they are caulked, the caulking deteriorates over time and begins to leak air.
- Vinyl can’t rot like wood can. Wood windows always run the risk of developing moisture deterioration. If the finish breaks down and moisture seeps into the window, it can develop warping, discoloration, poor fit and finally, rotting.
- Vinyl windows by Soft-Lite offer ease of operation, sliding up and down via their smooth-action balance systems.
- Vinyl windows by Soft-Lite always out-perform their wood and metal window equivalents in air infiltration performance. That’s because vinyl is so much more forgiving to the engineers in charge of designing energy efficient windows. The engineers can design interlocks and air barriers right into the vinyl extrusions a lot easier than in wood and metal. In addition, the multi-chambered extrusions allow for foam insulation to be inserted, further increasing the energy savings of a home.
- Vinyl windows come with more color options. Due to an innovative PVC coating technique, SureCoat™ Standard Exterior PVC Bond Colors, the exterior of vinyl windows can be colored any color under the sun! Soft-Lite offers 14 standard colors and unlimited custom colors. In addition, the interior of Soft-Lite windows come in white, beige, brown or woodgrains. Soft-Lite’s wide array of color choices is a homeowners dream.