Think you know everything about fiberglass windows? At Hall’s Window Center, we’re so crazy about this option, we tend to collect all kinds of fun facts that still have the power to surprise and delight even the most seasoned window shopper:
- Fiberglass windows are in great company. They’re made of the same lightweight, ultra-strong material as skis, surfboards and canoes. The common thread? A love for the outdoors, of course.
- Fiberglass was first used in the 1930s for home furnace filters and insulation. It’s also been used for sound control in aircrafts and automobiles. It was even a go-to material in curtains until consumers decided that wasn’t their favorite idea. You could say it makes a better window than a covering.
- Fiberglass is labeled a “low embodied energy” project, which means it doesn’t use a lot of the earth’s energy to create it.
- How is fiberglass made? Put on your Science Guy hat for a moment: The manufacturer pulls activated polyester resins through a heated die. Strands of glass or glass mats are then impregnated with the resins.
- Some versions contain 40 percent reclaimed wood fiber by weight.
- But because most fiberglass largely consists of spun glass fibers, it reacts to temperature changes in almost the same way as the glass panes in the window. The result? More airtight windows! Also, all of the components expand and contract at the same rate, so your frame and glass aren’t competing against each other in extreme weather conditions. That’s a contest where the homeowner loses every time.
- Foam-filled fiberglass has the highest insulation value of any window frame material.
- Fiberglass windows can be up to nine times stronger than vinyl windows, and a 2007 case study found that their lifespan is 38 percent longer than vinyl. So expect 50-year guarantees, which may be the longest product guarantee across any industry.
- Since vinyl is not as strong as fiberglass, it needs more material to create a frame for the glass. Fiberglass, by contrast, can be thinner, leaving more room to let more sunshine in.
- Fiberglass (with polyvinyl chloride coating) improves glass performance during a fire by increasing the time needed for edge cracks to develop.
- Fiberglass windows have a 74 percent resale value on average for your home, compared to vinyl’s 70 percent. Grab your calculator and see how that difference adds up!
- When Consumer Reports tested doors with blows from a battering ram, the fiberglass version with an upgraded lock and strike system was the only one that withstood the damage.
How did you do? Come on in the Hall’s Window Center and let’s get nerdy with these facts, talk about your window replacement options in Sacramento and how they apply to your home!