Choosing Efficiency First

Do you need to replace some windows in your home? One of the starting points in the shopping process is deciding what type of frame you want. The frame material can affect energy efficiency, maintenance requirements, and the visual appeal of the window. Wood and vinyl are both popular framing products for different reasons, but there are certain times when vinyl windows are a better option than wood.

Here are a few reasons vinyl windows might be better than wood for your home.

You Live in an Area with Large Temperature Swings

Do you live in an area that sees three digit heat in the summer and below zero weather in the winter? Are there times when it seems you experience more than one season in a week? Those rapid and frequent freeze and thaw cycles can cause damage around your home -- and to your windows, if you opt for wood frames.

Wood is naturally a bit porous. This means that the material can swell in the high humidity of summer and contract with the winter freezing rain. This cycle means that the wood is under frequent strain, which means the frame can suffer damage and rot faster than other window frame materials.

Vinyl doesn't suffer from the same expansion and contraction problem. The PVC of vinyl windows are coated with a UV protector that helps keep even the hot sun of summer from damaging the frame.  So if you live in an area with wide ranging temperatures and don't want to perform frequent repairs or replacements, vinyl windows are likely a better choice than wood.

You Don't Want to Perform Frequent Maintenance

Both vinyl and wood windows require some maintenance. But the level of maintenance largely favors vinyl windows, which only need to be cleaned occasionally. 

Wood window frames take such a beating in the weather that you need to do maintenance checks a few times a year. Look for any chipping or peeling paint, signs of rot, or other signs of structural damage. You can repaint over chipping paint to better protect the window against the elements. But you would need to have a window contractor to come out and check out the rot or structural damage to make sure the window is safe to leave in place.

You Want Energy Efficiency and Style

Basic wood and vinyl frames are nearly identical in terms of energy efficiency. But there are ways to add extra insulation or thermal protection to the windows, and one of the methods takes away from the frame's natural beauty.

Vinyl windows are available with a polyurethane filling injected into the inside of the frame. This doesn't change the look or size of the window, but does improve its efficiency.

Wood windows can have a similar added level of protection by adding an aluminum or vinyl coating to the side of the frame outside your home. The added insulation makes a wood window even more expensive and covers up the natural woodsy look that draw many people to that style in the first place.