Vinyl vs. Aluminum

Aluminum	Vinyl (PVC) Material Characteristics	Wood
Color sprayed on - will scratch, flake & peel. Color can fade/streak - can require scrubbing and/or painting or touch-up	Maintenance-Free	Paint can fade, streak, flake, peel - must be repainted periodically
Requires no painting/finishing inside or out — initially	Requires no painting/finishing inside or out — ever	Must be painted/stained — initially & repainted
Readily conducts heat and cold	High resistance to heat loss or gain	High resistance to heat loss or gain
Supports condensation, frosting in cold weather	Resists condensation	Resists condensation
Waterproof--unaffected by water, except salt water	Waterproof — unaffected by water	Water resistant but vulnerable to water damage
Corrodes in moist, salt-laden air, from pollution and airborne chemicals	Resistant to moist, salt-laden air, pollution, airborne chemicals	Swells, rots, deteriorates in moist, salt-laden air, from pollution and airborne chemicals
Impervious to insects	Impervious to insects	Resistant to insects, subject to insect damage
Subject to abrasion, corrosion that reduces ease of operation--can cause binding and sticking	Smooth surface properties that help prevent moving parts from “sticking”	Subject to swelling from moisture, paint build-up that can cause binding and sticking
Structurally rigid and stable	Structurally rigid and stable. Many designs with excellent wind load ratings	Structurally rigid and stable. Subject to shrinking, swelling, bowing, warping and cracking
Subject to impact damage, denting & scratching	Strong, durable frames, withstands mechanical stress and strains	Subject to impact damage - denting, splintering
Transmits noise	Multi-chambered design insulates against noise	Insulates against noise
Will not support combustion	Will not support combustion. Will burn only while enveloped in flame	Will support combustion - burns readily
Material cost fluctuates dramatically - supply is good	Material is competitive in cost with other window materials. PVC supply is abundant, price is stable	Prices rising dramatically - supply fluctuates
Material is energy intensive to produce, (8-10%), recyclable	Material is energy efficient to produce, recyclable	Material is energy intensive to produce - not recyclable
Scrap in production is recyclable	Limited scrap in production – recyclable	Milling of trees produces tremendous waste. Scrap not readily recyclable. Cutting of trees depletes forests, etc.
Requires finishing which can contribute to “greenhouse” effect, depletes ozone	Material requires no finishing	Requires finishing and preservative treating which can contribute to “greenhouse” effect, depletes ozone

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