Vinyl Windows vs Aluminum Windows
Choosing between vinyl windows vs aluminum windows? Here is my take on what these two very different window materials have to offer consumers. Vinyl and aluminum often face off against one another in very hot climates in parts of Texas and say Nebraska. Outside of these hot regions, they rarely go head-to-head, mainly because aluminum makes very little sense in climates that aren't hot as heck.
Which Should You Choose? A well made vinyl window is probably the call in nearly all cases. This is because aluminum gets such bad energy efficiency ratings (metal conducts heat). In fact, you can test this by feeling a window in any commercial building during the hottest part of the day - don't burn yourself! The exception to vinyl over aluminum is (ironically) in very hot climates where the worry about vinyl bending or warping in the extreme heat can be a real thing.
However, the advances in the vinyl window industry over the past two decades means that top tier vinyl windows can deal with the heat. The issue is that there are hundreds of cheap vinyl window manufacturers whose products very well might warp over 20 years in the heat. So make sure you stick with very well made brands and units.
Review By John M. - Site Editor
Last Update: September 10, 2024
Vinyl Windows vs Aluminum Windows : Appearance
Vinyl is very plain looking. I wouldn't say it looks bad, although cheap vinyl windows can look bulky and unseemly. Well made vinyl windows look fine on the outside. They can blend in fairly well with many exterior materials. On the inside, vinyl windows can be upgraded to a faux wood laminate. These laminates mimic the natural look of wood and, when done right, look almost as good as real wood windows. I tend to think this is the best of both worlds.
Aluminum windows look nicer in my opinion than vinyl. In fact, many real wood windows use an aluminum exterior cladding because the material looks sleek and because metal is a material often used on homes. The other thing about aluminum windows is that they can be much slimmer than vinyl because the material is so strong. Most consumers prefer a sleek or narrow window to a bulkier look.
The Winner: Aluminum
Strength And Durability
Vinyl is a relatively strong material, although it wasn't always that way. The first iterations or generations of vinyl were pretty weak and the material could bend or warp in hot climates. The industry has come a long ways by moving from PVC to uPVC, adding multiple chambers to the frame, and even adding additional materials like titanium to the vinyl molds. In 99% of U.S. climates, well made vinyl windows have enough strength and durability to perform great for residential households.
Aluminum is considerably stronger than vinyl. In fact, aluminum is the strongest of the five window materials on the market today (vinyl, fiberglass, composite, wood and aluminum). How strong is aluminum - every commercial building in America must use aluminum windows due to their considerable strength. This is the crux of why aluminum windows are popular in hot climates - they don't bend or warp. Yes, they get hot as heck in all that heat, but they last an incredibly long time.
The Winner: Aluminum (by a lot)
Cost Comparison
Vinyl is the least expensive window material on the market. This is one of the reasons why it accounts for nearly 70% of the replacement windows market. Simply put, most homeowners can only afford vinyl windows. My hope is that they avoid the worst vinyl windows on the market and stick with the good to great brands and series. Explore window costs per square foot for the five major window materials.
Aluminum is considerable more expensive than vinyl. How much more expensive? Perhaps 40% more for a "comparable" window, although there is a much smaller demand for aluminum. As well, there really isn't a low end aluminum window market, it tends to be only decent to very good brands and series. Bascially, no one is buying cheap-o aluminum windows.
Related Article: Guide To Window Prices
The Winner: Vinyl
Performance & Efficiency
Vinyl is a very good performer in terms of energy efficiency. Perhaps not as good as fiberglass, but not too far off the mark.
Aluminum windows are very bad inin terms of their overall energy efficiency. They are made from metal and metal conducts heat and cold. Modern aluminum windows have come a long ways from the old single pane aluminum frames from the 50s. Today, aluminum windows are thermally broken, meaning there is a break in the metal from the outside to the inside. This prevents the heat or cold from entering as much. Still, they are pretty bad in terms of making a home energy efficient.
The Winner: Vinyl (by a lot)
