There are a whole host of things you need to consider when having a conservatory added to your house, but one of the most important is what material you'll use for the window framing. It's common for homeowners to consider uPVC instead of aluminium; it is, after all, a far more cost-effective option.
But costs aren't everything. Here are just a few reasons why aluminium windows remain the better choice.
Larger Frames
uPVC isn't as strong as aluminium. What this means for a conservatory is that the frames will need to be quite thick, obscuring your view and decreasing the visual appeal of your conservatory. Aluminium is different. It is extremely strong, so frames can be made much thinner, even as they hold much larger panes of glass. More light will flood in and your view outwards won't be nearly as obscured.
Superior Appearance
It's a safe bet that very few people have ever chosen uPVC for its aesthetic benefits. Instead, it's the material you opt for to save money, and its appearance reflects that fact. uPVC comes in set colours, though you'll generally be looking at white. It can fade and yellow over time, and any dirt or dust will show up easily along its surface. Bottom line, it will be tough to keep your conservatory looking its best. Aluminium frames can be sprayed in any shade you wish, and the material's flexibility lets designers create more interesting styles. Additionally, aluminium will probably do a better job of blending with the overall design of your property.
Superior Efficiency
It should come as no surprise to learn that conservatories aren't very efficient. With glass panes to insulate against heat loss instead of thick walls, that isn't going to change anytime soon. However, window panes are actually more energy efficient than the joins, so the more joins a conservatory has, the less efficient it is. Since aluminium frames don't need to be as thick, your conservatory will have more glass pane than support compared to a uPVC conservatory, and it will therefore be more efficient.
More Eco-Friendly
As if cutting down on energy bills wasn't enough, aluminium frames hold one further environmental benefit over uPVC: it's a very easy material to recycle. Aluminium is actually the most abundant metal on the planet, so sustainability isn't an issue. Better yet, it can be recycled easily; there are plenty of applications for recycled aluminium, and the process doesn't consume too many raw materials or produce much pollution. uPVC can technically be recycled, but it's rarely economically or environmentally practical to do so.
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