vinyl replacement windows, which first appeared in the American marketplace in the 1960’s, currently enjoy close to 60% of the replacement window market. On average, six out of ten homeowners who opt for home replacement windows choose to install vinyl home replacement windows, rather than wood replacement windows or fiberglass home replacement windows.

The question is why? What is it about vinyl windows that make most homeowners opt for them when considering home window replacement?

The quick and easy answer is price. Replacement windows Cambridge Ma prices are consistently far lower than wood home replacement window prices. Prices for fiberglass home replacement windows are closer to those to vinyl home replacement windows, but in most markets, vinyl home replacement windows are far more available and easier for the homeowner to consider. Price and availability are two important points of differentiation between vinyl home replacement windows and all other types of replacement window.

Yet consumer research, from industries ranging from apparel to home electronics tell us that price is seldom the single most important factor customers consider when making purchases. Other factors are considered just as, if not more, important than the bottom line.

When it comes to windows, the factors that make vinyl replacement windows so appealing include:

Easy maintenance

replacement never need to be painted or stained. Their composition offers uniform color, consistent throughout the product. That means that if your window sills are scratched, nicked, or otherwise damaged, the marks won’t show! Additionally, the color in vinyl replacement windows is durable — not prone to fading in the sun, nor being ‘washed out’ in humid, moist environments.

Cleaning vinyl replacement windows is as simple as can be. Tilt in design features allow homeowners to enjoy sparkling windows without having to drag out the ladder, bucket, and hose! Vinyl replacement windows feature smooth surfaces, which easily wipe clean and don’t ‘trap’ dirt and debris the way older wooden windows often do.

Durability

Nothing bothers modern replacement . They’re impervious to weather: rain, snow, sleet, ice, fog, and wind can do their worst without damaging the integrity of vinyl replacement windows. They don’t rust, they don’t rot, and with the addition of ultraviolet inhibitors, they don’t warp, blister, and crack in the sun. Termites, carpenter ants, and other destructive insects don’t find anything appealing about vinyl windows — great news for the homeowner!

Quality home can last for decades, offering the homeowner enhanced energy efficiency, comfort, and an improved home appearance for as long as they own their home.

Energy Efficiency

home are masterpieces of thermal window technology. Vinyl acts as a natural insulating material in the window framing, augmented by the energy efficiency offered by double or triple pane glass windows, insulated by invisible pockets of inert gas and low e coatings.

Customization

Vinyl offers homeowners the ultimate in design flexibility. Every shape, style, and size of window can be made with vinyl framing, from the standard double-hung to the one-of-a-kind unique design. That flexibility extends to the window grids and panes, all of which can be altered to best reflect the home’s style and the homeowner’s vision. Vinyl home replacement windows can be delivered in any of a whole rainbow of custom colors.
A recent debate in the Denver Post has us wondering: do vinyl replacement windows belong in historic homes? Throughout New England, of course, are hundreds of historic homes, built during the earliest days of our nation. Many of these homes have been continuously occupied, and serve as residences for families of all sizes.
When these homes were built, window technology was not what it is today. Single pane, small windows, set carefully into wooden window frames, let in the light — but they also let in cold breezes, moisture, and environmental irritants.

Home replacement windows can eliminate many of these problems. Double or triple-pane glass vinyl replacement windows offer superior energy efficiency, as do fiberglass and wood replacement windows. Invisible pockets of inert insulating glass help minimize air penetration, resulting in a warmer interior living space. In older homes, tremendous amounts of air and moisture can enter the home through rotted sills, cracks and holes. Replacing and repairing these sills, essential to installing home replacement windows, can remedy this problem. Environmental irritants — an issue for anyone who suffers from allergies, asthma, or multiple chemical sensitivity — are kept outside by home replacement windows, which play a pivotal role in preserving the home’s structural integrity.

Yet many preservationists decry the use of replacement windows. Aesthetically, there are few windows that offer an exact match to the look of original windows. This is of supreme importance to preservationists, who feel that something essential is lost when home replacement windows are installed.

That brings one, of course, to the central question. Is the homeowner’s role one of preservation or are they planning to live in and make use of their home as a comfortable, enjoyable space? Is it possible to find a middle ground between these two, seemingly diametrically opposed points?

The answer may be yes. Manufacturers are introducing lines of replacement windows that feature classic profiles and styling, similar if not identical to common historical window styles. Many of these windows feature classic wood frames, double or triple pane glass, insulating gas pockets, low e coatings, and other energy efficient features