Aluminum clad windows or vinyl clad windows?
Windows come in a wide range of materials such as aluminum and vinyl. When choosing one of these two you must take in consideration four things: the cost, color, efficiency and maintenance of each type of material.
Window costs
Clad windows made out of aluminum will be more expensive than those made of vinyl because aluminum metal is more costly than plastic vinyl.
Window colors
Color choices were limited when clad windows first appeared, but not anymore. You can choose from a wide range of colors for aluminum clad windows and also for vinyl clad windows.
Window efficiency
Between vinyl and aluminum, vinyl is the better insulator, as aluminum is a good heat and cold conductor. Using aluminum clad windows will result in a lower energy efficiency and the likely-hood of heat and cold loss. Also, the aluminum will more likely cause condensation between the glass panes.
Window maintenance
Aluminum clad windows will probably stick over thus requiring maintenance, opposite to vinyl clad windows, which don’t require any sort of maintenance after installation.