Choosing Aluminum Alloy Doors and Windows for Renovation: Understand it All in This Article

Choosing aluminum alloy doors and windows is crucial during renovations. They not only affect the aesthetics of the house but also impact sound insulation, heat insulation, and waterproofing, directly determining the comfort of living. Below is a detailed explanation of how to choose suitable aluminum alloy doors and windows from multiple aspects.

I. Types of Aluminum Alloy Doors and Windows

(I) Classification by Opening Method

Casement Windows

Advantages: Good sealing, excellent sound insulation, heat insulation, and waterproofing; large opening area, good ventilation; simple structure, safe and reliable.

Disadvantages: Occupies indoor and outdoor space; if the window opens outward, it is easily damaged by strong winds; inward-opening windows occupy indoor space and may affect curtain use.

Suitable Scenarios: Suitable for rooms with high sealing requirements, such as bedrooms and studies.

Sliding Windows

Advantages: Does not occupy indoor and outdoor space, convenient to use; window sashes are in good stress state and are not easily damaged.

Disadvantages: Relatively poor sealing, sound insulation and heat insulation effects are not as good as casement windows; limited ventilation area, generally half of the window area.

Suitable Scenarios: Suitable for rooms with smaller space or low ventilation requirements, such as kitchens and bathrooms.

Top-Hung Windows

Advantages: Gentle ventilation, avoiding direct blowing; windows can be opened for ventilation even in the rain, and rainwater is not easily allowed to enter; good sealing, with a certain anti-theft function.

Disadvantages: Small ventilation area; limited opening angle, cleaning the outside of the window is inconvenient.

Suitable Scenarios: Suitable for bathrooms and kitchens that require ventilation without allowing wind and rain to enter directly.

Bottom-Hung Windows

Advantages: Good ventilation effect, can form a large air convection; prevents rainwater backflow; higher safety, not easy to climb in from the outside.

Disadvantages: Occupies a certain amount of indoor space when opened; sealing is slightly worse than casement windows.

Suitable Scenarios: Often used for balconies or living rooms in high-rise buildings, ensuring ventilation while increasing safety.

(II) Classification by Profile

Ordinary Aluminum Alloy Doors and Windows

Features: Relatively low price, high strength, but general heat insulation and sound insulation performance.

Suitable Scenarios: Suitable for renovation projects with low requirements for door and window performance and limited budget, such as rental houses.

Break-Bridge Aluminum Alloy Doors and Windows

Features: A thermal break is added in the middle of the aluminum alloy profile, effectively blocking the conduction of heat, significantly improving heat insulation and sound insulation performance; good sealing, good waterproofing and dust prevention effects.

Suitable Scenarios: Widely used in various residential and commercial buildings, especially suitable for families with high requirements for living comfort.

II. Selection Points for Aluminum Alloy Doors and Windows

(I) Profile Quality

Material: Prioritize profiles made of primary aluminum, which have high strength and good corrosion resistance. The cross-section of the profile can be observed to judge this; primary aluminum has a bright and uniform cross-section, while recycled aluminum has a dull and rough cross-section.

Wall Thickness: According to national standards, the wall thickness of aluminum alloy door and window profiles should not be less than 1.4mm, and the wall thickness of break-bridge aluminum alloy door and window profiles is recommended to be no less than 1.8mm. The thicker the wall thickness, the better the strength and stability of the door and window.

Surface Treatment: Common surface treatments include anodizing, electrophoresis coating, powder coating, and fluorocarbon coating. Fluorocarbon-coated doors and windows have the best weather resistance and corrosion resistance, but the price is relatively high; powder coating has a high cost-effectiveness ratio and is widely used. Observe whether the surface is smooth and flat, and whether there are scratches, bubbles, or other defects.

(II) Glass Selection

Type

Insulating Glass: Has good sound insulation and heat insulation performance, effectively reducing the transfer of heat and noise between indoors and outdoors. Common specifications include 5 + 12A + 5, 5 + 18A + 5, etc., where the numbers represent the glass thickness, and A represents the thickness of the air gap. The thicker the air gap, the better the heat insulation and sound insulation effect.

Laminated Glass: Composed of two or more pieces of glass with one or more layers of organic polymer interlayer, it is highly safe. Even if the glass breaks, the fragments will stick to the interlayer, preventing them from flying around and causing injury. At the same time, laminated glass also has certain sound insulation and UV protection functions.

Low-E Glass: A low-emissivity film is coated on the surface of the glass, which can effectively prevent indoor heat from escaping while allowing visible light from sunlight to enter the room, resulting in good energy-saving effects.

Quality: Check the glass for bubbles, impurities, scratches, and other defects, and whether the edges of the glass are flat and smooth.

(III) Hardware Accessories

Hardware accessories are the "heart" of aluminum alloy doors and windows, directly affecting the service life and performance of the doors and windows.

Brand: Choose well-known brands of hardware accessories, such as German Siegenia, Roto, and domestic brands like Kinlong, to ensure quality.

Material: Common hardware materials include stainless steel, aluminum alloy, and zinc alloy. Stainless steel hardware has good corrosion resistance and a long service life; aluminum alloy hardware is lightweight but relatively low in strength; zinc alloy hardware is moderately priced but not as corrosion-resistant as stainless steel.

Feel: Try the hardware accessories, such as hinges, slides, and locks. The switches should be smooth without any jamming or looseness.

(IV) Sealing Performance

Sealing strips: High-quality sealing strips should have good elasticity, aging resistance, and sealing performance. Common sealing strip materials include ethylene propylene rubber and silicone rubber. Observe whether the surface of the strip is smooth and free of cracks. When pulling the strip by hand, it should have strong elasticity and not be easily broken.

Sealing structure: Doors and windows with multiple sealing structures have better sealing performance and can effectively prevent the entry of rainwater, dust, and noise. Check whether there are sealing strips or sealing strips between the frame and the sash of the doors and windows, and between the glass and the profiles.

(5) Brand and After-sales

Brand: Choose aluminum alloy doors and windows from well-known brands, as their product quality, production processes, and after-sales service are more guaranteed. You can learn about the brand's reputation and credibility through online searches and recommendations from friends.

After-sales: Understand the merchant's after-sales service content, such as the warranty period and repair response time. High-quality after-sales service can give you peace of mind during use.

III. Installation Precautions for Aluminum Alloy Doors and Windows

(1) Installation Time

The installation of aluminum alloy doors and windows should be carried out after the wet work on the wall is completed to avoid damage to the doors and windows during construction.

(2) Installation Process

Opening treatment: Before installation, check whether the dimensions of the door and window openings meet the design requirements. The openings should be flat, vertical, and free of cracks, hollowing, etc. If there are deviations, they should be adjusted.

Fixing method: According to the weight and size of the doors and windows, select an appropriate fixing method, such as expansion bolt fixing or nail gun fixing. The fixing points should be evenly distributed, and the spacing should not be too large to ensure the stability of the doors and windows.

Sealing treatment: After the doors and windows are installed, foamed sealant should be filled between the frame and the wall for sealing. After the foamed sealant dries, apply sealant to the outside to prevent rainwater leakage.

(3) Acceptance Standards

Appearance inspection: The surface of the doors and windows should be smooth and flat, without scratches, bumps, etc.; the color should be uniform and consistent, without obvious color difference.

Opening inspection: The doors and windows should open smoothly, without any jamming or noise; after closing, they should be tight, without obvious gaps.

Sealing inspection: Use a spray bottle to spray water on the surface of the doors and windows to check for any leakage; touch the sealing strips of the doors and windows by hand. They should feel soft and elastic, without looseness or falling off.