The windows of your house are more than just sheets of glass which let the light in. By changing your windows, you can change both the way they look and also the energy efficiency of them.
However, what is the best type of windows to have? The posts on this website are written to help you choose new windows for your home. Whether you want to add the aesthetically pleasing bay window to a room or you want to know just how energy efficient double glazing is, then this website is for you. Take a closer look at the windows of your home to see how changing them is beneficial.
If you want to achieve a modern, architectural look for your home, then one of the best things that you can do is update your windows. Of course, if you are building your home from scratch, then it is possible to select exactly the sort of architectural windows you want for it. However, if you are simply remodelling your home, then you may have to stick with the size and shape of your current windows.
If so, then one of the best options for updating them is to switch to aluminium windows. Aluminium is a window framing material that has been much used by architects over the course of the past few decades or so. What's even more impressive is that modern aluminium windows are even better than those that were made decades ago. What is it about aluminium architectural windows that make them so loved by building designers?
The Modern Look
To begin with, aluminium windows have a pleasant finish. When they have oxidised naturally, there is a silvery look to them which is long-lasting. In other words, they do not age badly and they retain a shimmering appearance for many years. However, aluminium windows are sometimes powder coated, too. This means that you can have them in any colour you like. Either way, they provide just the sort of architectural detailing that many homeowners are looking for today.
Smaller Frames – Bigger Windows
Because aluminium has high tensile strength, it can be used for very large windows without very wide frames. In fact, many architects choose this metal for curtain walls and bi-folding glazed doors as well as windows. Its ability to hold large expanses of glass is useful when you want to install triple-glazed units, as well. With three sheets of glass, the amount of weight that the frame needs to support is obviously increased. This is something that is not a problem for aluminium windows, whereas it often turns out to be a problem for wooden or UPVC frames.
Improved Thermal Performance
One of the problems with aluminium windows was that they used to allow thermal losses. Because aluminium is a good conductor of heat energy, it needs to have some form of insulation added to it when used as an architectural window frame. Modern manufacturers of aluminium windows will insert what is known as thermal break technology, sometimes made from nylon, into their frames so that you do not lose heat from your home during the winter months.