Ideally, a trustworthy real estate broker in San Diego will offer their clients insights on all areas of the real estate market that they’re familiar with. These range from lawn preferences, to chandelier considerations, to choice of windows, and more. For now, let’s focus on the windows. When purchasing a home, it’s important not to be short changed when it comes to window quality. Aside from being important aesthetic features of a home, windows contribute significantly to the interior comfort level of a home. Additionally, they’re central components to a home’s security. Buying a home with the proper windows – or identifying windows that need changing – is an important step to buying a home. Here are a few window-related factors to consider for those looking to buy a new home.

Market Materials

There are three main market materials for windows: PVC, aluminum, and wood.

PVC is the most common window material used today, providing favorable acoustic and thermal performance. It comes in several different opening types and colors and is resistant to weather, UV, and most impacts. Additionally, PVC requires no maintenance and is 100% recyclable. All of this is wrapped up nicely with it being the least expensive of the three materials.

Aluminum

Aluminum offers good acoustic and thermal performance on top of offering a sleek, attractive look. The thermo-lacquered finish of aluminum windows comes in several colors. Aluminum is weather- and rust-resistant and its structure makes it suitable for large applications. Although it is costlier than PVC and less resistant to powerful winds, it is equally recyclable.

Wood

Wood offers exceptional acoustic and thermal insulation on top of being an elegant material that can be painted over in virtually any color. During the manufacturing process, insecticides, fungicides, and waterproofing are implemented in order to keep the wood strong and stable in the long run. Despite being relatively costly, wood is renewable and completely natural.

Practical Considerations

Mainly, the practical factors homeowners want to take into account when it comes to windows are: soundproofing, thermal insulation, and security. When it comes to solid acoustic insulation, homeowners are encouraged to opt for asymmetric double glazing, which essential means that one pane is made thicker than the other. In terms of thermal insulation, windows can reduce their comfort less by 50 to 80 percent through the insulating properties of double glazing. Double-paned windows come in several forms, from low-emission, standard, heated, and anti-reflective. Finally, when it comes to security, buyers are encouraged to keep an eye out for windows composed of laminated glass with anti-vandal glazing. The number of glass panes in tandem with the number and thickness of PVB films contributes to the strength of these windows.