How do you see the advantages and disadvantages of PVCu and aluminium for replacement windows?
PVCu offers the following advantages… * Good insulator * Low maintenance * Many suppliers / usually the cheapest option today * Now available in wood grain and colored finishes. If it has a disadvantage it maybe that it has relatively low structural integrity. This is overcome with steel or aluminium reinforcement. Also it can be susceptible especially in south facing situations to “expansion” in sunlight. Again using “fully reinforced” frames can reduce this. Aluminium offers the following advantages… * Virtually no maintenance over its long lifetime * Slim, strong sections that will not warp or twist * About one third the expansion of PVC-u Its main disadvantage is that it’s a relatively poor insulator. (However thermal break aluminium frames are available which offer better insulation) It is also usually more expensive than PVCu .
