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Plastic windows are a popular element of modern housing. Someone updates after repair, someone changes from the developer, and someone plans to install them in their new cottage. We tell you how to choose plastic windows in our instructions with expert comments.
Step-by-step instructions for choosing plastic windows
A plastic window has four main elements:
We have compiled a detailed story about each component of a good design. We will gradually approach the choice of plastic windows. At first it may seem that the choice of a profile, the thickness of a double-glazed window, the variation of fittings is all difficult and only a professional will figure it out. We assure you that by following our instructions, you yourself will be able to get an idea of what design you need.
Window arrangement
The first step and the easiest. Analyze your living space and answer your questions.
This information is useful when choosing plastic windows. For example, for balcony glazing, you can save money and order an aluminum profile with single glass. A window that overlooks a glazed balcony can be taken cheaper, because external glazing already cuts off some of the noise and prevents heat dissipation.
Profile selection
The profile is the part that we commonly call the frame. Although in reality it includes both the frame and the window sashes. Profiles differ in number cameras: three, five, six, and sometimes seven. You can often hear that the more cameras, the warmer the window. This is not entirely true.
– At first, all plastic windows were three-chamber. Technology has evolved and the number of cameras has grown. In fact, the number of cameras is more of a marketing ploy. If you look at the cross-sectional profile, you can see that the additional chambers are so narrow that they have almost no effect on heat savings, explains plastic window production managerYuri Borisov.
Much more important profile thickness. It starts from 58 mm for three-chamber ones. Five-chamber most often 70 mm. Six and seven-chamber can be 80 – 86 mm. This is where a simple rule applies – the greater the thickness of the profile, the warmer the window. If in doubt, order a five-chamber 70 mm thick one – the perfect balance of price and quality.
The profile affects sound insulation to a lesser extent, but is also important for maintaining heat and the microclimate of the room.
External wall thickness profile is indicated by Latin letters A, B, C. The latter is used only in industrial and commercial premises – they are thin. Class A has a thickness of 3 mm. B – 2,5-2,8 mm. The thicker the wall, the stronger the structure. This is important both in terms of safety and insulating properties.
– The plastic profile shrinks and expands due to temperature changes. Over time, this leads to deformation of the structure. Therefore, the thickness here matters, – saysYuri Borisov.
Outwardly, most profiles look the same – white plastic. It’s called PVC. It can be made from different materials. Frankly cheap are not environmentally friendly – when heated, they emit harmful substances. If you are worried, you can ask the seller for environmental certificates.
Antistatic agents are also added to the quality profile so that it attracts less dust.
– now popular breathable windows. This characteristic refers to the profile. Sometimes it is called Aero, Climatic – depending on the manufacturer. This technology reduces the likelihood of condensation on the windows and increases the flow of air into the room,” the KP expert notes.
When you choose windows, you may be offered laminated profile. Most often, a woody shade for different types of wood. Sometimes the color is just a film and it can peel off over time. It is better if the whole structure is laminated. Although the film is cheaper and allows you to make a certain profile color only inside or outside. Also keep in mind that laminated windows heat up more in the sun.
The choice of double-glazed windows
More than 80% of the window area is occupied by double-glazed windows.
Windows are the main conductor of heat in the house. The larger they are, the stronger the losses will be. If you live in northern regions with a harsh climate, installing floor-to-ceiling windows is as impractical as possible, the expert explains.
Not every double-glazed window fits all profiles. The wider the profile, the thicker the glass it will hold.
In double-glazed windows, cameras are also counted – from one to three. Options for two and three chambers are considered warm – they have three and four glasses, respectively. Between the panes there is an air gap – it is called the chamber. The wider it is, the warmer the double-glazed window. The warmest double-glazed windows in which the chamber is filled not with air, but with argon.
24, 30, 32, 36, 40, 44 mm – this is a characteristic of the camera thickness. The more, the warmer in the house and the less street noise is heard.
– When choosing plastic windows, you can be offered glass coated — energy-saving and multifunctional. The latter are distinguished by an additional layer that cuts off ultraviolet rays. Such glasses will be more expensive by 300-700 rubles. for each square. The installation will pay for itself if you have heat meters in your apartment or you choose plastic windows in a private house.
The interlocutor of “KP” notes that it is visually impossible to distinguish whether you have installed energy-saving glass or not – the transparency is the same. At home, test at night. Bring a burning lighter and look at its reflection: in energy-saving glass, the flame changes color. All because of the deposition of non-ferrous metals in the composition.
– If for some reason security is very important to you – relevant for residents of the private sector – then order triplex glass. It is glued with a film from the inside. This seriously increases its strength – it easily withstands a cobblestone that was thrown through the window. Even if the glass breaks, the fragments will not scatter, but will remain on the film.
When the windows are brought to you for installation, inspect the double-glazed window – it must be airtight, free of condensate and dust, and clean from the inside.
Window configuration selection
This item is more design than technical. Decide how the whole double-glazed window will look like: single window, double frame, three-section block. To decorate a private house, you can use an arched structure.
Think over ways of opening. Do you want to open every window, or just one of the entire block. How will it open: vertically or horizontally? Or both. Or maybe you need blind windows in general – if we are talking about a technical room. Now companies are actively selling designs that open on the principle of a compartment.
It is important to remember that the windows will have to be washed from the outside. Therefore, if you live above the ground floors and are afraid for safety, you can make all sections open.
The choice of fittings for plastic windows
The thicker the profile and double-glazed windows, the better the fittings should be. Otherwise, the mechanisms under the yoke of the weight of the structure will quickly fail.
– The best choice – all-metal fittings. With it, the load on the hinges is distributed more evenly. The sash will open and close well. With cheap fittings, it will sag and at first it will not walk so smoothly, and then the sash may break altogether. One piece of advice – do not skimp on these items when ordering, – says Yuri Borisov.
The expert advises asking the seller if there is a adjusting screws. With them, you can adjust and adjust the position of the sash over time. Even if you don’t understand anything about this and don’t plan to understand it, then perhaps the master, whom you will ask to fix the windows in 7-10 years, will do the job faster and cheaper.
Why plastic reinforcement
Reinforcement is a metal insert inside the profile. It is not visible to the eye, it serves as a frame that reinforces the structure. Reinforcement is especially important for windows in regions with strong temperature fluctuations, when it is down to -30 degrees in winter and up to +30 in summer. Because, as we wrote above, the profile changes in volume depending on temperature. And the metal base adds durability.
Also, reinforcement makes sense when installing windows in a private house – the thickness should be from 1,5 mm. For an apartment, 1,4 mm will be enough. In new buildings, in order to save money, developers often install windows with 1,2 mm reinforcement.
Popular questions and answers
You can decorate plastic windows with stained-glass windows made of film applications. These are matte and glossy drawings, a combination of different colors and shapes. In an apartment, these are less relevant, but for a private house they can be an excellent decoration.
Window sills will help diversify the design solution of the room. Companies make not only white plastic, but also “countertops” made of wood or stone.
If the window area is more than six meters or the width / height is more than three meters, then it is reckless to install a plastic profile. He won’t last. Take a closer look at aluminum or wood profiles.
Sources of
1https://docs.cntd.ru/document/1200006565