If you are constructing or renovating a property by the ocean, it's important to use construction materials that can take a beating. Coastal weather patterns, salt spray and exposure to strong sea winds can cause rapid and severe weathering.
This is especially true when it comes to choosing materials for window framing. If you are looking for new windows for your home by the sea, aluminium windows are an excellent choice. Here are four reasons why aluminium windows can be a fine addition to any coastal property:
Salt Spray Resistance
Salt spray is the nemesis of many coastal properties and can severely damage buildings made from unsuitable materials. On windy days, tiny droplets of salty seawater can become airborne and fall against the seaward side of your coastal home. Porous materials, such as clay roof tiles, limestone and unsealed brick will absorb these salty droplets, causing damaging chemical reactions and acidic erosion.
If you choose traditional timber frames for your windows, salt spray can leave salt crystals embedded within the grain of the wood. These salt crystals expand as the water they are suspended in evaporates, damaging the timber's cells and causing cracks to appear over time. Steel windows are also vulnerable, as exposure to salt spray can erode their weatherproof coatings and cause damaging corrosion.
Aluminium window frames are much more resistant to salt spray damage. They are completely non-porous and coat themselves with a protective layer of aluminium oxide when exposed to air. This oxide layer prevents salt crystals from interacting with the aluminium itself, making aluminium window frames almost completely immune to salt-inducted corrosion.
Wind Resistance
Strong coastal winds can also be a hazard for seaside properties. With no large structures or trees to block high winds, your property may be exposed to gale-force gusts on a regular basis, especially if your property is located cliffside. Some inexpensive window framing materials can bow and buckle when exposed to strong coastal winds, causing stress damage that shortens the frame's lifespan and damage to the glass itself.
Aluminium window frames are strong and highly wind-resistant, making them ideal for sea-facing windows that are exposed to the strongest gusts. Aluminium frames are very rigid and inflexible, so they will not suffer stress damage or place their glass under strain caused by frame flexing.
UV Resistance
Because most coastal properties are exposed and unsheltered, they are also vulnerable to damage caused by prolonged exposure to intense UV sunlight. This is particularly true of east and west-facing properties.
UV damage can wreak havoc on window frames made from timber, composite vinyl, or PVC that is not rated for UV resistance (UV-resistant PVC is usually referred to as uPVC). Years of intense sunlight exposure can cause these frames to perish, making them brittle and more vulnerable to cracks and leaks. Aluminium window frames are completely immune to UV exposure damage
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