The environmental impact and carbon footprint of home improvement products is a major concern for many New England homeowners. From natural resource depletion, to air and water pollution, you might be wondering about sustainable window materials.

This Article Will Discuss:

1 Environmental Impact of Vinyl Window Frames

2 Is Vinyl The Most Sustainable Window Material?

2.1 Fiberglass Windows

2.2 Aluminum Windows

2.3 Wood Windows

3 Debunking Toxic Chemical Concerns

4 Get Eco-Friendly Windows from Coastal Window & Exteriors

The good news is that vinyl windows are eco-friendly. Vinyl windows are recyclable, too! Let’s talk about all the reasons for what makes vinyl windows eco-friendly.

Environmental Impact of Vinyl Window Frames

Let’s start with what makes vinyl window frames a great choice for the environment.

Vinyl window frames are made from PVC, the third most widely-used plastic in the world. PVC is used to make an endless amount of different products. When vinyl windows are no longer performing up to par, they can be recycled into many different products.

Vinyl windows are also easy to install and maintain. They don’t require using strong cleaning products, painting, or staining. Vinyl windows are eco-friendly because their materials can be recycled. These items include piping, picnic tables, seat coverings, footwear, medical devices, blood storage bags, and much more.

Not only does this keep the old window frames out of the landfill, it gives the material an entirely new purpose.

Vinyl Window Recap:

Requires very little natural resources
Does not require harvesting of wood
Easy and cost-effective to install
Excellent insulator with foam inside the window frame chambers
Argon and krypton gases inside the window chambers will enhance insulation power
Can help reduce your carbon footprint by using less heating and cooling
Lasts for life

Is Vinyl The Most Sustainable Window Material?

Vinyl is by far one of the most sustainable window materials available today. Here is how vinyl windows stack up against other window materials:

Fiberglass Windows

Fiberglass replacement windows can be energy efficient and highly insulating. However, in terms of recycling, fiberglass comes nearly at the bottom of the list.

Fiberglass is a challenge to recycle because it’s made from sand. It requires a special process to break down the materials to use for recycling.

Fiberglass Window Recap:

Can be highly insulating with the right combination of technology
Good insulator
One of the worst options for sustainable window materials
Made from sand
Very difficult to break down the materials
Triple weatherstripping barrier will help conserve even more energy

Aluminum Windows

Aluminum windows are more eco-friendly than wood or fiberglass. That’s because aluminum is a readily available material from the earth’s crust. It also does not require the harvesting of any trees to produce.

The downside of aluminum as an eco-friendly option comes down to performance problems. Aluminum is a poor insulator and will not hold heat inside your home as well as other materials. Aluminum window frames are also prone to condensation.

Furthermore, aluminum windows are not friendly for coastal homes in the New England region. They can rust and corrode from saltwater and sea air.

Aluminum Windows Recap:

Sustainable option for window materials
Does not require harvesting of trees
Poor insulator
Can result in higher heat bills
Not friendly for coastal homes
May corrode and rust from saltwater
Prone to condensation

Wood Windows

Of all sustainable window materials, you’d think wood would be the best, right? After all, it’s a natural material and it can last a long time. This is a misconception with many New England homeowners. If you’re concerned about the environment, wood windows are not the way to go for several reasons:

Depletes natural resources
Requires harvesting of trees
May require long travel for shipment. Wood windows are typically produced from pine or Douglas Fir, which may need to be shipped from the Pacific Northwest or portions of Canada.
Wood window frames must be specifically certified by the U.S. Forest Stewardship Council to be considered eco friendly

Sure, wood windows are recyclable, but at what cost? They’re pricey on your pocketbook and taxing on the environment, so our advice is to think twice before choosing wood as your new eco-friendly material

Learn more about wood windows vs vinyl windows

Debunking Toxic Chemical Concerns

Some homeowners are concerned about toxic chemical release during the manufacturing of vinyl windows.

The truth is this, vinyl windows do not add toxins into the environment during their production. They produce low greenhouse gas emissions and are not a major source of toxic chemicals such as Dioxin, according to the EPA.

Dioxin is not produced or used commercially in the U.S. Levels of dioxins in the U.S. have decreased over the last 30 years, despite the upward trend of vinyl production over the last several decades. This comes as no surprise as 25.3 million homes in the U.S. have PVC-based windows.
Vinyl window production does not pose a serious exposure issue to phthalate plasticizers. After studies by worldwide scientists and government agencies, it’s determined that exposure is significantly lower than any levels of concern that are set by regulatory agencies.
In the U.S., the use of heavy metal stabilizers have been almost entirely phased out of vinyl consumer products, including vinyl windows.

Get Eco-Friendly Windows from Coastal Window & Exteriors

Coastal Window & Exteriors offers high-performance vinyl windows, perfect for homeowners who are concerned about the environment. Best of all, our vinyl replacement windows are designed to last for life!

Contact one of our representatives today for a FREE quote!

Sources:

Eco-Friendly Windows: Can Vinyl Windows be Recycled?