Why do people remove plastic windows?

The history of plastic windows It began in 1952 when the famous designer Heinz Pasche patented the first window frames made of polyvinyl chloride. The inventor designed a new type of plastic window, however, very far from today's version - a steel frame frame framed with semi-soft plastic.





Despite the fact that polyvinyl chloride was discovered in America, Germany was the first to launch the production of PVC windows. In 1959, the invention of Heinz Pasche was introduced into production by the German company Rehau. At the same time, a solid window PVC profile appeared.

The success of Rehau helped a successful promotion: some residents old wooden windows were replaced with plastic absolutely free. So gradually, Germany, and then the whole Western world were accustomed to the idea that plastic windows are beautiful, fashionable and profitable.





Their PVC profile windows quickly captured the post-Soviet market. And it is clear why: despite their rather high cost, these windows can save much more money on heating the home and make it possible to maintain an acceptable temperature inside the apartment even in harsh winter conditions.





However, today there is another trend: people are starting to abandon plastic windows. In long-habited neighborhoods, this trend is not so noticeable, but where construction is underway, plastic windows are no longer so popular.

Why? Has their ability to retain heat deteriorated in recent years? Of course not. Just over the years of mass exploitation of plastic windows, it became obvious not only their advantages, but also disadvantages, which are rarely mentioned by sellers.

Disadvantages of plastic windows

1. Toxic additives
   PVC contains a wide range of toxic additives, in particular lead-based stabilizers, fungicides and plasticizers. Lead is one of the worst elements found in nature. In the human body, it can get with air, food, water. And it accumulates in the body, bones, causing problems. Older adults and children are particularly sensitive to low doses of lead. “Windowers” say that without strong heating lead will not be released from the plastic. But the most advanced of them themselves replaced lead with other stabilizers, almost harmless to health.
   
   Large European and Russian manufacturers use harmless stabilizers in production. But there are no markings on these windows. So you can't tell whether your window has lead or not. You have to trust the manufacturers.
   
   
2. Problems with ventilation
   It turned out that the main advantage of plastic windows - insulation of the room from the penetration of air from the outside - is also their main drawback.
   
   
   
   In apartment buildings, the ventilation system is based on the natural flow of fresh outdoor air through the crevices in the window frames and entrance doors. Air, passing through all rooms in the apartment, absorbs harmful impurities and goes through the ventilation channels in the kitchen and bathroom.
   
   
   
   
   
   The tightness of the plastic window blocks the natural flow of fresh air into the room, thereby disrupting ventilation. Because of this, fogging of windows occurs, condensation forms on them. The humidity of the room increases, which contributes to the reproduction of microbes, fungi and mold.
   
   
   
   
   
   Windows that do not “breathe” limit the flow of fresh and clean air, increasing the concentration of dust. As a result, it becomes difficult to breathe. Children begin to feel bad, and adults complain of frequent ailments, headaches, deterioration of health.
   
   Certain substances accumulate, such as carbon monoxide from a gas stove, evaporation of formaldehyde from furniture (MDF), and others. Air conditioners and fans do not always successfully cope with their task, often exacerbating the problem.
   
   According to German scientists, the surge of some ailments in recent decades is directly related to the unhealthy microclimate in apartments and windows from PVC profile.
   
   If you open the windows as regularly as the manufacturers advise, then this negates the main advantages of a plastic window, because fresh and cold air cools the room and then it has to be warmed up again, waste energy.
   
   
3. Fear of mechanical damage
   As the window manufacturers themselves admit, after mechanical damage, plastic is almost impossible to repair or restore. Scratches and dents will remain on the plastic forever. If the double-glazed unit can be replaced, then scratches and dents on the frames cannot be repaired. Such damage is especially noticeable on light surfaces.
   
   
4. Difficulty of repair
   Plastic windows are very difficult to repair. The successful outcome of repair works directly depends on the quality of the window and assembly, as well as the subsequent installation. It should be remembered that the PVC profile is a rather complex design. Therefore, when buying a product from the seller, you need to require certificates of conformity and quality.
5. Large expansion coefficient of PVC profile
   We are talking about the fact that in severe heat, the material of the window expands greatly, and in the cold it shrinks. Because of this, cracks can occur on the plastic. Frost can also cause the separation of the window from the mounting foam.
   
   
   
6. Risk of hacking
   Plastic windows are quite easy to crack. They can be opened from the outside with the help of a sharp and thin object (knife, screwdriver, ruler, master). The attacker is enough under the junction of the opening flap to stick the tool and gently walk along the entire height, pressing it as a lever.

In 1995, Sweden banned all PVC products, and Denmark introduced a tax on PVC products and phthalates. More than 150 communities in Europe have already banned PVC products or are implementing policies to phase them out in public buildings.





The Germans, the leaders in the production of PVC windows, put them less and less in their homes, they are aware of their shortcomings, so they tend to order frames made of natural wood.

Experts recommend abandoning plastic windows in favor of wooden ones that provide fresh air from the street, or installing supply ventilation valves on plastic windows.

If you still decide to order windows made of polyvinyl chloride, require a certificate of quality from the seller, since plastic can be different, with different levels of environmental hazards. It is important to remember that windows are a long-term investment and you should not save on them.

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