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The Raw Materials Wood and aluminum windows have an advantage over vinyl replacement windows in one respect. Wood and aluminum are stiffer and they don't bend quite as easily as vinyl. This is just one reason why it is important to really do your homework when deciding which vinyl window to purchase. Many homeowners who installed the first generation of vinyl replacement windows were disappointed. Large windows or windows that faced direct, hot afternoon sunlight sometimes were the victims of sag. The vinyl would sag under the weight of large, heavy pieces of glass and/or would sag because the vinyl softened because of heat. The results were not pretty, as the vinyl would sometimes retain this new shape after the vinyl had cooled. Other homeowners became disenchanted with vinyl replacement windows because they would mysteriously change color after several years. Poor quality vinyl replacement windows had a tendency to turn yellow. This color change was a result of poor quality ingredients in the vinyl. What Makes Good Vinyl? Vinyl replacement windows are made using polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This is the same plastic that is used in plumbing pipes, electrical pipes and many other household items. PVC is made by combining several chemicals, fillers, plasticizers and pigments. As you might imagine, each of these ingredients is available in different levels of quality. Those manufacturers who choose to make a quality product almost always purchase the highest quality ingredients. These, of course, are more costly. This, in turn, makes the cost of the materials higher than those being used by a competitor who wants to offer you a low price. Color Change Let's talk about color change as an example. The ingredients which make PVC stay pure white for many years are basically two ingredients: titanium dioxide (TiO2) and an organic form of tin. TiO2 is a pure white chemical used to tint the vinyl white. It is also used heavily by the paint industry to make pure white paints. Anyway, these two ingredients are costly and they need to be used in certain minimum quantities to produce a high quality vinyl. Also, the grade of TiO2 must be a non-chalking grade, so that your windows don't begin to dust after so many years. Window manufacturers who do not use sufficient amounts or high quality forms of these two ingredients often must tint their windows a light blue color to buy time before they begin to yellow. If you see vinyl replacement windows that are a polar blue shade of white, BEWARE! If in doubt, ask for a sample of the vinyl material and take it to another showroom. Hold it against the replacement windows in the highest priced showroom in your town. Compare the colors of different samples. When seen by itself, a polar blue vinyl doesn't really look blue. But, when held against pure white samples, the blue coloration is dramatic. It is important to note that some certified manufacturers do manufacture a high quality vinyl which does have the blue shading. They have chosen to do this on their own accord, as some of them think the blue coloration is attractive. Your assurance of high quality is the presence of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) certification label on the frame of the window. Ask the Builder. “Vinyl Windows – How to Spot Quality.” Tim Carter. 31 Dec. 2009 [http://www.askthebuilder.com/B73_Vinyl_Windows_-_How_to_Spot_Quality.shtml].
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