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Location
Where are you? Are you in the city? Do cars regularly pass by your house or do you live in a quiet neighborhood where you can hear cockroaches making out in the kitchen? I used to live on a traffic heavy street which is the reason why I’m telling you that your window frame will change the way you live. I used to have trouble sleeping at night. I was living in a relatively old house and the frames were wooden – undoubtedly they aesthetically pleasing but they had zero insulation. That’s why every time a car (or even worse – a bike) passed by, I could clearly hear it. It was so annoying but there was nothing I could do about it (or so I thought at the time). However, after getting sick and tired of all the noise pollution not letting sleep at night, I finally decided to get off my couch and… well, sit on my chair in front of the computer and do a little research (OK, it wasn’t at all dramatic, but it got the job done). In a few months, I already had a set of uPVC frames installed. It was a bit costly but it was worth every penny because the noise was mostly gone. Things started going so much better from there on out. My wife and I even started having normal dinner conversation without me constantly cursing at passing drivers and bikers (at that point profanity was something normal in our household – something I am not particularly proud of).
So where are you? Do you need noise reduction or does that not matter to you at all. If it doesn’t, then there are other things to take into consideration, such as…
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Heating/Cooling
uPVC frames are more expensive than aluminum, but there is a reason for it – they provide excellent insulation (and not just sound, but also thermal). They will prevent heat from escaping your home in the winter and entering your home in the summer, reducing your bills for both. Depending on what cooling/ heating you’re using, you might want to employ the technology if you want to have a better insulation in your home. Of course, you can always go with wood or aluminum if you’re looking for cheaper options. And speaking of cheap…
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Price
Aluminum frames are generally from a lesser quality than uPVC. They are softer and might get deformed, don’t provide isolation and that’s why they are cheaper. On the other hand, they are lighter and their windows have a longer lifespan so they are perfect for areas with a higher seismic activity. They can also be recycled, so there is that, if you’re into that sort of thing. However, uPVC provides better security, insulation the material is harder. Sadly, it can’t be recycled and it costs more. If your wallet allows it, you can always go for uPVC but if not aluminum is not a terrible alternative (considering the price).
All in all, you need to make up your mind taking these things into consideration but remember – it’s an important decision and you really don’t want to rush it.