As you first start researching products for either a new home or a remodeling project, one thing becomes ever so clear---so many choices! Windows are no exception. If you first decide on your goals, the choice for you may indeed become clearer. Is energy efficiency your top priority? Is it beauty? Is it low maintenance? Is it quick turnaround time? Or is cost driving your decision?

Let’s go over the 6 readily available choices here in Atlanta.
Aluminum windows, almost a thing of the past here in Atlanta, are the least expensive windows available today. Their popularity has diminished due to the recent lower prices of vinyl windows, which are more energy efficient.

The frames and sashes are comprised of aluminum. Because of this, you will experience what is called thermal expansion. When it is hot outside the heat is felt on the sashes and frames and when it is cold, the cold is also transferred. You may even feel the heat and cold on the inside of your home.

White is the most common color of aluminum windows, but for an additional charge, you could order beige and brown. It is code to have insulated (2 panes of glass capturing air) and low E (an atom thin UV protective coating on the inside of the outside glass) glass on any window you choose.

Now, if remodeling is your project, and cost is a determining factor, you may choose sash replacement kits. This is a low cost alternative because the whole unit is not being replaced. These replacement kits are used to replace damaged (foggy, deteriorating, rotten, etc.) window sashes where the exterior wood trim is still in good shape. They are available in either wood or vinyl.

The best selling window in Atlanta today is the vinyl window. Vinyl windows are the most energy efficient windows available. The frames are built using multiple chambers. These chambers capture air and become insulators. Filling these chambers with foam is an available option which enhances the insulation value even further. Look for a “fusion welded” frame and sash package. The 90° corners, or mitres, are actually tightly sealed by welding during the manufacturing process. Stay away from the less expensive “mechanically fastened” process which is nothing more than overlapping and screwing the corners together. Mechanical fastening is not sealed as tightly as the fusion welded product and thus not nearly as energy efficient. This type also tends to get “racked” in shipping, which could hinder the operation of the window.

Vinyl window sashes have interlocking rails which when the sashes are closed and locked they overlap and prevent any air infiltration. Each of the two pieces of glass, in each sash, is available in different thicknesses, as well as the space between the two pieces of glass. You can have a third piece of glass added to the vinyl window sash, but here in Atlanta we do not get the extreme temperature changes that would make this option absolutely necessary for maximum energy efficiency. Tinting is even an option.

The price for most vinyl windows is very reasonable when you consider the energy value you will receive over time from this type of window. Vinyl windows are most readily available with a white exterior and white interior. Various shades of beige and taupe brown are also available and sometimes in different combinations: beige exterior and white interior. What surprises most consumers is that almost any color: forest green, barn red, burgundy, etc. can be manufactured if you are willing to pay a set up fee to get the exact color you are looking for.

Next we look at wood windows. Once the most popular window in Atlanta, wood windows have lost some steam due to their high maintenance. Depending on your environment, meaning sun exposure, landscaping effects, etc. you may need to caulk and paint the exteriors of these windows more than one time per year to prevent deterioration of the wood. The main benefit to choosing wood windows is the option to paint or stain any color on both the exterior and interior at any time. Although the latest trend here is to go with color on windows and trim, for a long time new homes’ windows and trim were white, so the two previous options – aluminum and vinyl were easy choices. Wood window prices used to be less than vinyl but more than aluminum. Now price ranges for wood windows are in the vicinity of vinyl windows.

PVC window units are an answer to the problem of deteriorating window sashes, frames and trim. These windows are most similar in looks to wood. They can be painted just like wood, only, unlike wood, they are rot-proof. PVC is not stainable, however wood interiors, for staining, are readily available. These windows are more expensive than wood and vinyl windows.

Aluminum and Vinyl-Clad windows are considered the top of the line. These windows are actually wood windows with aluminum or vinyl covering the wood. The detail of the trim follows the detail of the wood but with the added value of low maintenance. These windows are available in various colors. They have what is called a thermal break, included in their manufacturing, to prevent the feel of the exterior temperature coming through to the inside. They are among the most expensive.

Any window you choose is available in any shape and with any glass pattern. You can get a radius window with grids between the glass or a picture window with simulated divided light in a prairie pattern! To get specialty shapes or grids, be prepared to wait several weeks for your windows. Remember to order windows as soon as possible when starting your new home building project or remodeling project.

Keep your goals in mind and hopefully the decision of which window is best for you is now a little clearer!