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Roy Schmucker
Roy Schmucker is a manager and six-year employee of the Pella Window Store in Wichita, KS. He has been in the construction business in the Wichita area over the last 20 years. Continued training and learning in today's construction world is an important factor to remaining knowledgeable for today's consumers. The past 2 years, Roy has been a member of the Wichita Area Remodelers Council to keep up with all the changes in home improvements, encompassing laws and trends. He has been a licensed contractor and has specialized in many areas. Roy enjoys seeing the final result of a beautiful project and a happy customer. Any questions you may have regarding any remodel or replacement issues please feel free to contact Roy by phone at (316) 686-6900, or at raschmucker@149.pellapdsn.com
Home Improvement
2003-07-01 10:56:00
Does the frame matter?
: I see storm window frames made of different materials.  Do they all do as good of job?  What is the best type of frame to get?  
ANSWER: The material that the frame of a storm window is made of contributes to how well it insulates and how easy it is to maintain. Wood, aluminum, and vinyl are the most common storm window frame materials. There are advantages and disadvantages to all types of frame materials.   Although very strong, light and almost maintenance free, aluminum frames conduct heat very rapidly. Because of this, aluminum makes a very poor insulating material.   Wood frames insulate well, but weather with age and expand and contract according to weather conditions. Wood-frame storm windows installed during the winter may not close easily during the summer, and those installed during the summer may fit loosely in the winter. They can also be quite heavy and thicker than metal frames. This can make storage difficult, reduce the view out the window, and reduce the amount of natural light in the room. Out of most of the choices in storm window frames, wood frames also require the most maintenance. There are, however, aluminum or vinyl clad wood frames that reduce maintenance requirements.   Vinyl frames are usually made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with ultraviolet light (UV) stabilizers to keep sunlight from breaking down the material. However, vinyl frames are relatively weak and may expand and warp at high temperatures and crack in extremely low temperatures. Also, if sunlight hits the material for many hours a day, colors other than white will tend to fade over time.
 
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