Do Metal Windows Make A Good Replacement Window?
Metal windows have been around since the late 19th century, meaning that there is a lot of history on metal windows. In the 1920’s and 1930’s, steel framed windows became very popular because they offered bigger windows with more options. However, in the last 100 years we have seen the downsides to metal windows which we will discuss later on in this article.
What Happened to Metal Windows
After World War II, Vinyl windows were introduced as a cheaper way to rebuild and from there vinyl has taken off since. Metal windows are more expensive to make because steel cost more than vinyl. Also metal windows are not energy efficient because the metal frame allows the climate to transfer into your home. This would stay this way until 1970 because of one window company.
Metal Meets Wood!
Luckily metal hasn’t completed left the window replacement market thanks mainly to Pella© Windows. In 1970 Pella© introduced the aluminum clad windows that were a huge success. The metal wrapped around the wood, made it so that the wood never had to be painted, and the wood added insulation to the metal window making it more energy efficient. Without this ingenuity, metal would have likely faded from the window market back in the late 1900’s.
Our Verdict
As far as a solid metal window goes, we don’t recommend that you get them to replace your windows. If you like the metal finish look, we would recommend looking into aluminum clad style windows. These windows will give you the finish you want, while also being energy efficient at the same time. Also metal windows are heavy and as they get older they can become a safety hazard. Imagine a 9 year old opens the windows and the it shuts on their finger. The weight and edge from the metal could take the finger right off. A vinyl window would never be able to do that, it would smash the finger but never cut it off.
Please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions below. As always, thanks again for taking the time to read this blog. We hope that you found some useful knowledge about metal window replacement that you can use in the future.