Grandmashazzie Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 We are in the process of downsizing and are buying a bungalow about half a mile down the road from us.The big bonus is it will have sea views and we hope to maximise thes with two walls in the lounge which will be windows/ glass.The architect drawing plans has tendered for aluminium frames.I have no experience as at moment I have UPVC and looking at other houses most seem to be UPVC too.Because the windows will be such an important part of this room I want to make sure I get it right,does anyone have aluminium frames?and would they recommend them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Not any more, but when I moved into this house it has an Aluminium framed back door - it was terrible for accumulating condensation on the inside of the frame in cold weather. Modern frames may well be better nowadays... Cinnamon would be the person to ask as he OH fits UPVC windows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 I will ask the man tonight when he gets in, but I seem to remember him not being a fan for the condensation reason..... What sort of size are the likely to be, & will they be windows or doors (as in French doors or patio doors?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 Great thank you Cinnamon,they will be floor to ceiling,one complete wall then about 2 feet off floor,then to ceiling on side wall,so will be huge problem if we don't get it right,Also querying getting triple glazed in that room.I certainly wouldn't like condensation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Any openers at all, or just huge solid panes? Basically, the better the window the greater the risk of condensation, as airflow is reduced. Modern upvc units now have a trickle vent in the top which does help a bit, but any decent upvc window will get some condensation, if the room is well sealed. Its a tricky problem - most people think that better windows means less wet, but it is the other way around really That said, in a living room it will probably be fine. Our living room never gets condensation....the only room that does is our bedroom, as we spend so long in there every day Let me get back to you on the pros & cons of ally windows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 I don't know a thing about windows BUT I have friends who bought a house with aluminium windows which were very badly corroded (they were old windows - modern ones might well be better) - I'm not sure if that was because they hadn't been maintained properly or whether, over time, aluminium corrodes in the same way that wood eventually rots? Please don't use this as a reason to make a decision one way or the other though - I don't know what I'm talking about - just thought corrosion might be worse if you are near the sea (you lucky, lucky, lucky thing!!!! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 One of our Army quaters had ali frames and it was awful in any kind of damp or cold weather. I had to have towels on the window ledges all the time just to soak up the water from the condensation. The heating seemed to be on most of the time trying to keep things dry . And the mould around the frame was a task to prevent ( and these were double glazed units ). Don't do it !!!! Go for upvc or wood . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Great thank you Cinnamon,they will be floor to ceiling,one complete wall then about 2 feet off floor,then to ceiling on side wall,so will be huge problem if we don't get it right,Also querying getting triple glazed in that room.I certainly wouldn't like condensation. point 1 if the windows are really big then Ali or timber every time as UPVC hasn't got the strength in it to cope with big windows point 2 Architects do have any habit of specing Ali for 3 reasons one is that at the moment it's in vogue 2 is that the frame profile is a lot smaller than plastic as it's stronger per square mm 3 it can be painted in a lot more colours than upvc what actually has been quote for as there as different types of ali frames. as I've spent best part of 30 years fitting them I might be able to offer a bit more info triple glazing cant work but it depends on the thickness between the panes of glass condensation on ali windows can be cut with fitting thermally broken frames which if I remember right is the only option for dwellings to conform with Document 7 you will get condensation on the outside of the glass at certain tomes of the year now a days as a result of the energy saving glass that is used by law, Doc 7 again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 My old aluminium door didn't get condensation on the glass, just the metal frame, which would be running with water in very cold weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 My old aluminium door didn't get condensation on the glass, just the metal frame, which would be running with water in very cold weather. old ali did and does suffer condensation as it's not thermally broken that didn't really start to appear until the 1990's but it's only in the last 10 -15 years that it's become more or less standard as ali window section manufactures have had to bring their sections up to spec to meet energy conservation regs'. plus now most if not all section sold in this country is from Germany Belgium or Scandinavia who have always had higher energy conservation reg's than here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 We haven't got specifications yet,which is why I am trying to do my own research.Local yellow pages only lists UPVC suppliers, as said they must go to builders or commercial premises.So it seems I can't go and look at them only pics on web which isn't same thing.As I drive along I try to look at windows to see if I can spot a good looking window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Many years ago a friend of mine lived in a house with aluminium framed windows. Even as a child I remember the condensation which accumulated on the frames, and the whitish colour they were in places. That was over 30 years ago though. Can you see some new aluminium frames in situ somewhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 We haven't got specifications yet,which is why I am trying to do my own research.Local yellow pages only lists UPVC suppliers, as said they must go to builders or commercial premises.So it seems I can't go and look at them only pics on web which isn't same thing.As I drive along I try to look at windows to see if I can spot a good looking window. try looking for Aluminium window fabricators there are quite a few out there the main part of their work comes from the commercial side of the industry (shop front section and curtain walling this one does get used on houses but only on high making a statement types featured on CH4 ) but the smaller ones do make both commercial and domestic there is also a composite section that gets used a lot know ali on the outside timber on the inside but windows are imported from Europe and the lead time can be long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
