If you’re about to build, it is important to consider the importance of windows. As one of the focal points of any structure, windows provide light, scenery, and a sense of location. Not only are windows part of the soul, but different stylings and types of windows can also completely change the atmosphere of a house.
These days, there are two main types of windows that people tend to go for: Wooden and uPVC. There are benefits to both, but a majority of the time uPVC windows consistently prove to be the superior option.
Wooden Windows
An organic and renewable material, wood that is used in windows can come from a variety of trees such as cedar, pine, redwood, ash, birch, hardwood, and so on. You’ll often see wooden windows in houses that are also made of wood.
For example, classic cottage houses that have their wood painted in white will often have black painted wooden windows, or something similar in order to complement one another.
People tend to go for wooden windows as a way of keeping more of a classic or rustic look.
Wooden windows have been around practically since ancient times, and still, happen to be one of the most common forms of windows you can come across because of how adaptable they are.
The creation of a wooden window is a straightforward task, and often simply involves particular trees getting cut down and sawed up into the right size in order to be used as the base for glass in a window.
Over time, the wooden windows will almost certainly lose their quality as they have a much shorter lifespan in comparison to uPVC. This is because of the nature of wood and its internal properties. Wooden windows are prone to having some mold and rot, so you will have to always treat them and keep them in good condition.
Because of that, it can actually cost you a lot of money in the long run. The durability of a lot of wood types leaves them in a vulnerable state, often getting chipped on cracked easily or during times of severe weather conditions.
If you happen to live in a place that experiences bushfires, going for wooden windows is not recommended. We all know wood is pure fuel to a fire, so if you just so happen to decide to want to have a fire outside and one of the windows nearby is made of wood, you can actually put things at risk of catching fire.
uPVC Windows
The term “uPVC” stands for unplasticized polyvinyl chloride. uPVC is a type of plastic, and with regards to windows it is also known as “vinyl windows”.
Unlike wooden windows, uPVC windows offer a much higher range of usage and diversity. From extremely hot climates like deserts in African areas to the freezing cold of the Northern countries, uPVC windows have skyrocketed in use and are now head to head with wooden windows despite being around for only a fraction of the time.
This is largely due to the fact that uPVC windows are so adaptable, durable, and overall a cheaper option in the long run.
uPVC windows are also very environmentally friendly. This is for a couple of reasons, the plastic is completely recyclable and the insulation effects mean that you end up spending much less on your electricity bill because less power gets used to heat the household. uPVC Windows World has some great styles in particular that are worth checking out.
The maintenance for uPVC windows is incomparable to wooden windows. As mentioned earlier, the nature of wood means that it is prone to rot and mold, and needs to be protected and treated. Virtually all that is required to “clean” uPVC windows is to just wipe them down with water and a cloth to remove dust and dirt if need be.
Noise proofing is also another major benefit when it comes to this choice of a window because of the power the strong plastic has at blocking out external sound. If you happen to work in an office environment in a busy city, these windows are much better at blocking out the hustle and bustle of a busy town and urban environment.
Compared to wooden windows, these windows can cop an absolute pounding. Wood in general gets scratched and marked unbelievably easier than the plastic of uPVC, and wood is very notorious for cracking unexpectedly over time.
uPVC windows are actually classed as a fire retardant. As stated before, wood obviously catches fire if exposed to considerable amounts of heat or fire embers. uPVC – is not the case. The material does not catch fire at all and can slow the spread of fire and reduce its intensity of it.
Conclusion
If you’re stuck between deciding to choose uPVC and wooden windows hopefully this article gives you some clarity on the benefits and drawbacks of both.
Although plastic, in general, has not been around for a long time, most of the world has begun to favor uPVC because of its countless benefits with durability, cost, noise proofing capabilities, easy maintenance, eco friendliness, and insulation properties.
