| The design engineers assigned
to develop the St. James Collection had a difficult task. With
the clearly defined goal of designing and building the ultimate
replacement window, the designers studied and tested all
available materials used in manufacturing windows.
This is what they found….
|
Past Alternatives |
|
Wood/Wood Clad |
Solid
Aluminum |
Solid
Vinyl |
Vinyl/Aluminum Combination |
|
Positive Features |
- Nature’s best insulator.
- Interior aesthetic beauty.
|
- Structurally strong.
- Proven longevity.
- No scraping or painting required.
|
- Low conduction.
- Warm to the touch.
- No scraping or painting required.
- No maintenance.
|
- Low conduction.
- Warm to the touch.
- No maintenance.
- Structurally sound.
|
|
Negative Features |
- Requires scraping, putty and paint.
- Can warp, split, crack, and deteriorate.
|
|
- Can be structurally weak.
- Dark colors on the exterior can fade.
|
- Doesn’t insulate as well as wood.
|
After studying the facts, the choice was clear. The
combination of aluminum and vinyl proved superior in structural
strength, maintenance and insulating values. However, the
designers went a step further. They invented and patented a
method that would bond the aluminum and vinyl together with
urethane insulation. In effect, they eliminated the common
hollow or empty cavities with the use of urethane.
Tests revealed that the urethane insulated 6.5 times better
than wood.
|
