What are Composite Windows?
If you are looking into having your windows replaced, either just to make some small updates to your house or as a larger renovation project, you probably have heard of composite windows. Composite windows are touted everywhere as being the newest and best thing in window replacement. But what exactly are they?
Well, if you are familiar with the meaning of the word composite, you know that composite windows are probably made of a mixture of different materials. Bingo! Many composite window frames have vinyl on the exterior part of the frame, and wood on the interior. This enables homeowners to get the superior insulation and easy care features of vinyl, and still keep the traditional look of wood inside the house.
Composite window frames can also be made of fiberglass, but of course these don’t offer quite the same traditional styling as a composite frame with a wood interior.
One of the distinct advantages to composite windows is how well they hold up to the elements. Shrinking and expanding depending on the weather is a major problem with traditional wood frames, and as a result solid wood frames require a lot of maintenance and attention to keep them in good working order.
In addition, composite windows greatly reduce the amount of heat transfer that happens through window frames. Metal — especially aluminum — frames lose heat like crazy, making your furnace (and your bank account) work harder to maintain the temperature inside the house. Composite windows, on the other hand, retain considerably more heat and make it much easier (and cheaper) to keep your house at the temperature you want.
Finally, composite windows are considered the “green” alternative to wood or metal window frames, because they can be made with recycled materials. If this is your reason for getting composite windows, make sure the windows you’re looking at specify that recycled materials were used in their manufacture — this is not the case with all composite windows.
Whether you are replacing something as big as a bay window or a picture window, or as small as a little casement window, composite window frames have a lot of advantages to them!
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