So you’ve made the wisest property upgrade decision to install a sunroom, and you’ll suddenly be flooded with a raft of decisions. Most of them are expected: the dimensions of the room, the shape and slope of the roof, and how many windows your new room will have. However, there are some that are less obvious, and the big one that catches a lot of new sunroom owners is the material that you use for your windows. The key decision that you’ll need to make here is whether to have plastic or glass windows, and it’s important to have all the information available to you before you choose.
Why Is Plastic An Option?
The idea of plastic windows may sound strange given that most if not all the other windows in your home are made from glass. However, putting plastic windows in a sunroom has become a more popular idea in recent years as a way of keeping the overall cost of the project down. Plastic windows provide somewhat similar heat retention as their glass counterparts, and are more resistant to cracking in the extremes of Calgary’s temperature range and ice storms. The cheapness of the material also makes them easier and more affordable to replace if something should happen to them.
Why Glass Is Your Best Bet
Despite these advantages, most sunroom contractors will recommend that you stay with traditional glass windows despite the increased cost. Here are some of the most common advantages that glass gives you compare to plastic windows in your sunroom:
- Shape retention – one of the main reasons that glass windows remain the common choice over plastic windows in a sunroom is that glass always keeps its shape. Over the years, plastic windows will start to bend and bow slightly, and this will cause problems with your window frames as well as letting the cold air in during the winter months. Glass windows will always stay flat and smooth so you’d only have to replace them if there was physical damage to one of the sheets of glazing.
- Scratch resistant – speaking of damage, while glass windows are more susceptible to cracking and shattering, the strength of the material means that it would have to be a hard blow to cause serious damage. Plastic windows are more susceptible to scratches that look ugly and affect the way light enters your sunroom, so choosing glass windows is another way of protecting the aesthetic look of your investment.
- UV protection – getting protection from UV rays isn’t necessarily something that you consider when you’re sat inside your sunroom, but the last thing you want to do is have to move away from the direct light because of UV radiation. Glass windows, especially those with double or triple glazing, provide a natural source of UV protection compared to their plastic counterparts, meaning that you can enjoy the direct sunlight all year long in your new sunroom.
