There are three (3) good reasons why you, as a contractor, 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.

• There's no need to paint vinyl windows. The color of the windows is blended into the powder or pellets that will form the extrusions of those windows.
• 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 increasingly greater rigidity over the years.
• Because it is not wood or metal based, vinyl does not rot, corrode or rust.
• Vinyl can be easily cleaned with soap and water, to keep it looking like new.

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 value 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.

Your customers deserve no less than a quality contractor who provides them with a Vinylume quality window.
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