Vinyl Windows…No Shame

Vinyl…and not the cool, retro kind you spin on your vintage record player…can be very misunderstood.  Many homes have vinyl windows because, quite frankly, they are less expensive.  So, when replacing an entire house of windows, the cost can be attractive compared to wood.  While vinyl won’t add the value you may be looking for, it can get the job done in a relatively efficient way. 

Since many of our brick&batten customers are presenting with vinyl, we thought we’d share some knowledge.  Honestly, vinyl happens!  It happens in expensive neighborhoods in the city all the way out to the country…it knows no bounds.  So, no shame…just an honest conversation about vinyl windows. It may surprise you at how well they compare these days.

Here are a few facts about vinyl windows:

1. Vinyl windows are made largely of high-quality extruded polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Some metal and other types of plastics are used for the sash mechanism.
2. Vinyl windows are generally less expensive than wood (the actual cost of the window).  And the price has come down over the last ten years.
3. Vinyl comes in an array of colors…not just white.  
4.  Painted vinyl in dark colors can absorb the heat and warp, bend, and make your manufacturers warranty null.  
5.  Although misunderstood, there is a stigma to vinyl windows and not a positive one.
6. When it comes to energy efficiency, some would argue that vinyl is better.  At the very least, a well made vinyl window is just as efficient as wood.  
7. Wood requires maintenance…painting and staining through the years to keep them beautiful.  Vinyl just requires a cleaning.    

As the brick&batten design team is choosing trim colors for vinyl windows, we take a few things into consideration:

• Are the windows old enough that the warranty has ended?
• Is the vinyl stark white and clashing with the existing fixed elements such as brick and stone?
• Is there another color from a Color Safe collection (Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams have vinyl safe paint lines) that works better with the overall aesthetic of the house?
• Once painted, they will have to be painted again in the future.  Left alone, vinyl is final.  The color will stay what it is (typically stark white).  So, is it worth the new maintenance requirements to have a different color?

Is it worth it?  Here is where brick&batten ROCKS…

• Our design team knows color. We can choose paint or vinyl colors that work with your fixed elements.
• Our design team knows ROI. The correct windows, with the perfect color and muntin style, have a high return on investment.
• Our design team knows architecture. We know what works aesthetically on your home’s architecture, while reflecting your needs and style.
• We show our clients how their house will look before they commit to the expense of new windows.  Evaluating how the trim color impacts the entire aesthetic of their property, is priceless.

Now forget about vinyl windows and go spin some real VINYL!

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