There are three (3) good reasons why you, as a home owner, should consider using vinyl windows for both new construction and remodeling work. They are (1) Ease of Maintenance; (2) Quality and (3) Thermal Efficiency. Let's look at these, one by one.

Ease of Maintenance: There are good points to remember about the ease of maintaining vinyl windows.

• You won't have to paint vinyl windows. The color of the windows is blended into the powder or pellets that will form the extrusions of those windows. All you have to do is think about how you'll spend your extra leisure time.
• There's no peeling or warping. Since vinyl does not have to be painted, it won't peel or flake. Over the years improvements in compounding by various suppliers of vinyl powders and pellets have given vinyl great rigidity over the years.
• Because it is not wood or metal based, vinyl won't rot, corrode or rust. There is a saying in the window industry that "vinyl is final"-and it is!
• Vinyl can be easily cleaned with soap and water, to keep it looking like new. A sponge, a bucket of water and a wiping cloth sure beat putting down drop-cloths, stirring paint, cleaning brushes and all that messy bother.

Quality: Vinylume understands the necessity for quality in making it's products. After all, we've been around since 1964 and that's no accident. We know that three (3) areas are vital in making windows: Extrusions; Glass Unit Manufacture and Window Assembly.

Extrusions: We extrude our own extrusions. Within our Extrusion Department, we maintain a test lab to routinely and daily test our extrusions for quality. We check for (1) weight tolerance; (2) heat resistance; (3) color tests; (4) dimensional stability and (5) impact resistance. We do this voluntarily because we understand the necessity of quality extrusions.

Glass Unit Assembly: Quality is only one part of our Glass Department's daily assignment, but it's a mighty big part. We've put in decades building one of the most vital parts of a window, the insulated glass unit. We test our glass units to the IGCC (Insulating Glass Certification Council) specifications. Tests are done yearly at an authorized test lab for: (1) Frost point; (2) High Humidity Test; (3) Accelerated Weather Cycle Test and (4) Fogging Test. In addition, the IGCC inspects us twice a year at our plant. We have constantly been awarded their highest rating, CBA.

Window Assembly: ALL our windows checked for quality, at every step of production. From the first cutting of the frame and sash extrusions, to the wrapping of assembled windows preparatory to it's shipment or pick-up, all materials, tools and procedures are checked and re-checked. Beyond all that, our Energy Star qualified windows receive a further check in the form of surprise inspections from our Independent Certification Agent who certifies our Energy Star qualified windows to the US Department of Energy/Environmental Protection Agency. The DOE/EPA oversee the Energy Star Program.

You deserve a quality window. Vinylume Products works with your contractor to provide you with one.

THERMAL EFFICIENCY: Vinyl windows are approximately as efficient as wooden windows; the difference between them being so slight, it is negligible. Here's some interesting data to illustrate what we've said:

Heat Loss In BTU's Per Hour

Oh, did you say you like the look of wood windows inside your home? Okay by us; we offer a couple of series of windows with a wood grain finish. This wood grain finish is really neat because, unlike real wood, it don't have to be painted, varnished or whatever else you do to a wooden window on the inside. Affordably priced, the wood grain finish is durable and needs only to be occasionally wiped with a wet cloth.

So, if you've wanted vinyl windows, for their very minimal maintenance, but also wanted a "wood" look on your windows, you can have the best of both worlds.