Plastic windows made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) - a popular, time-tested and effective solution for heat and sound insulation of the room. How to achieve a long service life? How to reduce additional service to a minimum? How to choose the best quality and the best price among the variety on the market? Here are 5 points that have a fundamental impact on choice of plastic windows, tips that you should keep in mind when choosing a euro-window from plastic.
5. Window profile
First of all, pay attention to the width of the window profile. Heat and sound insulating properties, the number of chambers, setting the type of glass and its thickness depend on this important parameter. In severe climatic conditions, the profile should be at least 58 mm wide and up to 120 mm wide. In such profiles from 3 to 5 chambers, they can be filled with an inert gas (SF6 or argon) or simply air. Seven-chamber windows should not be used - they give a slight increase in saving heat and sound insulation, but the price will increase much.
The wall thickness of the profile must be at least 3 mm. Do not buy windows where the profile thickness is 2-2.5 mm - plastic will have to withstand heavy loads, especially in harsh climates in some Russian regions.
4. Double-glazed window
How to choose a double-glazed window - single-chamber, two-chamber or three-chamber - depends on the characteristics of the room and climatic conditions. For rooms that do not require heating, it is worth choosing a single, for rooms for an office, apartments and private houses - at least double. If the climatic conditions are characterized by increased severity or the windows open onto a noisy highway, a triple glazing is recommended.
The type of glass is also important. Usually standard float glass is used, but IR glass is gaining popularity among buyers, it is also energy-saving. The special coating on the surface of the glass reflects heat, so in the summer, even in rooms located in the southeast, it will not be hot.
It is also worth deciding on the number of wings (for example, the more blind doors are, the lower the cost - you can save on fittings) and the way they are opened: rotating, “accordion”, swing-out and sliding.
3. Accessories and additional options
Handles, locks, hinges, gaskets and much more - all this applies to fittings. Here the main rule - the better, the better, since it is the fittings that account for the majority of the load when operating the window. Poor-quality fittings can lead to blowing, jamming and, as a result, to replacing the window. Particular attention should be paid to fittings in the case of installing a triple glazing due to the large weight of the wings.
It is also worth taking care of drainage, slopes, mosquito nets and gaskets. For economical options, rubber gaskets are used, and for more expensive window systems, elastomeric gaskets are used. Despite the very long service life (when compared with rubber), elastomeric seals are also much more expensive.
2. Price
The avaricious pays twice, and the conceited - three times. Products of well-known brands often cost more than less well-developed, but similar in quality products of other companies. If there is little money, then when buying a cheap window, you should carefully study the certificates and the history of the company - it is hardly worth trusting one-day companies. In Russia as a whole, a turnkey installation of a double-wing plastic window will cost approximately 12,000 - 17,000 rubles.
1. Installation
The top 5 tips for choosing plastic windows are headed by the most noisy and “dirty” stage, after which blessed silence will come to your house. Joints and joints are the weakest point of all structures, so the installation should be entrusted to professionals. Necessary require installation in accordance with GOST 30971-2002 "Assembly joints of adjoining window blocks to wall openings." During operation, vapor-permeable self-expanding foam and waterproofing tape should be used. And then the window will stand for many years and not require additional maintenance.
