Ultrex Vs Vinyl Windows
Marvin makes its doors and windows from its patented pultruded fiberglass Ultrex. The details of the chemical are too complex to be understood by an average man but the durability of the material is beyond any doubt as you’ll realize on going thru the rest of this article. Yet, just to give you an idea, the material has a composition of thin cables of strong glass saturated in special resin compounds. Its thermal characteristics, that is its ability to transfer heat, are the same as that of glass
Ultrex has an extremely low thermal expansion rate; whatever little effect heat and cold may have on it, is actually matched by the glass in your window.
Very often one comes across vinyl windows that develop noticeable cracks or even aluminum windows that are dented. Ultrex keeps all such flaws away. Knowing that the material is used for construction of bridges should leave no doubts about its strength. It remains stable and hardly undergoes any change on being subjected to temperatures ranging from –30o F to 350o F. Tools with diamond edges are needed for cutting this material. So imagine the durability it offers.
The finishing process itself is patented. It bonds a thick weatherproof acrylic finish to a material that already has an everlasting surface. It gives a finish three times as thick as any competitor and is thus able to better resist scratches and disfiguring. You would have surely seen the discolored and disfigured vinyl on many doors and windows. Comparing to vinyl such a finish is five times resistant to degradation caused by UV rays. As a result there is no fading or chalking. You get it in six colors that include black and bronze. Imagine any other material suitable for being used in coastal areas where heat, moisture and salt play havoc on windows with more susceptible materials.
Here, look at the characteristics of the material that make it ideal for making of windows. Consider the strength first. Ultrex is two times stronger than steel and eight times as strong as vinyl. Its rigidity is twelve times of vinyl. So your window wouldn’t lose its shape ever, whereas vinyl windows are known to develop cracks or lose their original perfect shape even before installation, affecting their performance and durability. Further, the expansion or contraction of Ultrex is 833% lower than vinyl. That means there is no stress to cause cracks or failure of seals. These windows remain perfectly sealed and that amounts to having improved energy efficiency.
Aluminum being a good conductor of heat lets in heat or cold to the room. Try sitting next to an aluminum window in winter and get a first hand experience. Ultrex has a conductivity that is 500 times lower than aluminum.
“Integrity” series of windows and doors from Marvin are made from Ultrex. They have been into this business since the early nineties. I had them installed in my own home in 1995 and have absolutely no complaints.
Now, imagine the kind of savings you are going to make with Ultrex!
Nice blog.
People should definitely read up on the options available to them when considering purchasing a new home, especially when there are so many different types available.