Windows are one of the the first things seen when viewing your home. They are necessary, they keep out the weather, lighten your environment, freshen your air and have the ability to greatly enhance your home’s appearance. The windows of yesteryear, generally made of wood, could be difficult to open. They were heavy, sticky, pulley’s would break and often they leaked air from inside and out. In other words they were a pain and not entirely efficient. However, today’s wooden windows enjoy newer technology, are still solidly built and also remain the gold standard when either replacing old windows or purchasing new ones. Let’s take a look at what the application of using wood for your new windows might encompass. For example, new wood windows glide easily and maintaining them is not difficult at all. Technology has produced wooden windows that are energy efficient, ecologically sound and can be custom tailored to accommodate just about any design.

Another consideration when considering what materials to use for new windows are the high-performance insulating units made from wood currently on the market. Did you know these wooden windows are able to cut energy costs by almost 25%? Wood is truly an amazing insulator, it is reasonably priced, enjoys government tax credits and can be milled into an almost unlimited array of shapes, sizes and profiles. With proper care wood windows can last a lifetime. So, if new windows are in your future let’s explore both the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing wood windows for the next investment you make on your home.

There are many advantages to choosing wood windows when replacement is necessary. Also, new construction offers challenges that the use of wood can answer. Wood can be milled into just about any shape and can also be crafted to fit any space. This invites a great degree of creativity in design and can add an architectural statement unique to only your home. Windows can be painted any color, can be stained any hue and all that can be changed as the times and designs change. In terms of being able to change as the years pass, wood has it all over either fiberglass or vinyl. Wood is also ecologically compatible. It is a natural material, beautiful to look at and can be a great option to man-made materials. Wood is also able to expand and contract more than man-made material windows. This can come in handy when paying those high energy costs. Well built wooden windows can save up to 25% on energy expenses as they are a natural at efficient insulation.

There are some disadvantages when using wood for new windows, though not many. Weather can be a problem and wood is vulnerable to a great deal of moisture from either rain or melting snow. Wood is an excellent insulator but it must also be able to withstand natural elements efficiently. It does repel temperature changes however, wood must be either stained or painted in order to battle the detrimental effects of weather. After all, wood is a natural living material that can decompose if not cared for. Proper maintenance can be another drawback however far outweighed by the benefits of wood windows. There is a newer product also out on the market that combines wood and another material such as aluminum, vinyl or fiberglass. This is called Clad-wood. Not for everyone, especially if you are married to the idea of pure wood, Clad-wood windows are still constructed of wood but are layered on the exterior with either aluminum, vinyl or fiberglass. This leaves the inside still able to be painted or stained while the outside enjoys the durability of the man-made materials.

Knowing when to replace old windows or what type of a new window to use when building is not always as clear a choice as it may seem. However, whatever your choice, wood is always a beautiful solution for so many reasons. It is durable, efficient and avails itself to a great deal of creativity in terms of color and design!