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Should I replace my aluminum windows?

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

Our new-to-us house needs exterior stucco work. Since we are replacing the stucco, it seems like the obvious time to consider replacing the windows as well. We have 23 year old builder grade aluminum windows. My chief complaint with our current windows is that if I am anywhere near them in the winter (we get cool winters here) I am cold because the inside of the windows feel the same as the outside temperature. This is especially bad in our breakfast nook, which has windows on three sides, so I am always cold sitting there (this is where we eat the majority of our meals). They are double pane, but it is my understanding that the aluminum is a poor barrier in terms of keeping the cold/heat out. A few glass panes are a tad bit foggy, but most are fine. Most of the windows open without any problems, but a few stick a bit. Some of the big picture windows are low to the ground but not tempered, and I have gotten conflicting information regarding whether that is up to code (we will replace them with tempered glass regardless of code). If we do not replace the windows at the same time we replace the stucco, we won't be able to justify replacing the windows for another 20-ish years (when we re-do the stucco again), and I doubt that these windows will last that long (and I will hate the cold in the meantime). However, I don't want to replace them if it is frivolous to do so, especially given the cost (we have a ton of huge windows). New windows will have the benefit of low-e glass, which should help with energy savings as well (we have hot summers and strong direct sun). I just want to make sure that our plan to replace the windows is justified in this situation, and confirm my suspicion that replacing the windows with a good vinyl window (I don't think we can justify the cost of fiberglass) will make a material difference in terms of feeling cold in the winter.

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Comments (5)

User
5 years ago
I'm no expert on energy efficiency, but I'll share a few thoughts.

Get an energy audit from an impartial company (not a window dealer). Most charge $300-$500, but your electric utility might do them for much less. The results can be surprising - air leaks around piping or loose duct work might be costing you a fortune.

Your windows are old, some are fogged, you're getting new stucco, so, yes, replace them.

Stucco should last fifty years, not twenty. A good vinyl window should last 25-30 years. A good fiberglass window might last 40-50 years.

Does your breakfast nook have an air register? If not, there are so many windows it will probably need one no matter how much you spend on windows.
kariyava thanked User
cat_ky
5 years ago
Aluminum windows are cold, and yes, it will make your comfort zone a lot better if you do change them. If you cant afford to change them all, do as many as you can afford. Maybe next year, you could do a few more. It does make sense to do them when you are redoing the stucco.
kariyava thanked cat_ky
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PRO
Anglophilia
5 years ago
Gawd, I hated my aluminum triple track windows! Best thing I ever did was to replace them when I could afford to do so. Bliss!
kariyava thanked Anglophilia
PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
5 years ago
Depending on where the home is located and the ever evolving weather patterns, there won't be much help from a cold window frame when dealing with an aluminum window (assuming it is already a thermally broken aluminum).

Fiberglass will be the next product in line that will give you as close to the look of aluminum (i.e. modern and sleek), but with better thermal and U-Factors.

Vinyl can be a great option as well and if you go with a good brand and installation (new construction in your case) that window should be the last one you put in the home.

Wood can also work well, but good wood is going to cost much more than either of the other 3 options referenced above.
kariyava thanked Windows on Washington Ltd
PRO
Simply Great Windows, LLC
5 years ago
I always like to say, there's a reason you cook with metal. It's not because it's energy efficient. It's because it conducts. The major advantage to aluminum windows is that extruded aluminum can provide great structural integrity without much material, which translates to lots of glass. The downside is that they don't do anything for you in the efficiency department. So, unless you live in southern California or Hawaii, they don't make a lot of sense.
kariyava thanked Simply Great Windows, LLC

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