Do not know which plastic windows are better to buy for your home? Indeed, today's market is saturated with commercial offerings from hundreds of firms offering installation services. Managers of companies excitedly list the advantages of their product, throwing in terms, beautiful phrases such as “five-chamber profile”, “triple glazing”, “closed reinforcement”, “diverse geometry”. They also name brands, emphasizing “German quality”, “domestic fittings”, not forgetting to mention “50 years on the market” and “leader among the European segment”. Prices in some cases bite, but you want to buy the best products home. Let's try to understand in detail what a plastic window is, what it consists of, what parameters determine its quality, durability, thermal insulation, and also make an overview of popular brands.
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Advantages of plastic windows
Surely everyone remembers the old Soviet windows on wooden frames. Every year they had to be cleaned and painted, and before the onset of winter frosts, the housewives began to seal the joints between the glass and the frame with strips of cotton soaked in laundry soap.
Sometimes it was necessary to additionally plug cracks with cotton wool, stick adhesive tape - come up with new ways to save yourself from drafts and keep warm.
PVC laminated windows
With the advent of PVC profiles in our lives, autumn marathons with tearing sheets have sunk into oblivion. The standard care for such a window is to wipe the plastic with a melamine sponge (immediately whitens the surface, wipes off stubborn dirt, yellow or gray plaque), and the glass with a special napkin soaked in a product like "Mr. Muscle". There is no need to insulate new windows, paint, clean, sand - too.
- Plastic construction is not as heavy as wood, aluminum, or wood-aluminum construction
- Lasts at least 20 years. It is resistant to environmental influences: heat, frost, rain, wind
- She's easy to care for
- The system is equipped with convenient mechanisms: rotary, opening, closing
- Windows perfectly absorb noise from the outside, keep the heat inside
- Aesthetic and modern look
- Installed quickly and without hassle
- Custom made products with any geometry
- Plastic doesn't burn well
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Despite the variety of brands, each of which describes the product in its own way, the PVC profile window system consists of the same components. Outwardly, the design looks simple: a plastic frame, transparent windows, neat handles.
PVC window construction
All the beauty is hidden inside - if you look at the section of the panel, you will see a cellular structure of plastic partitions, a metal frame, grooves for sealing rubber, and the double-glazed window itself consists of several layers.
Let's consider in detail all the components of the structure:
- Profile
- double glazing
- accessories
frame
Internal honeycomb structure
This is a plastic box, inside which all the mechanisms are located. It consists of a frame (fixed part) and a sash (moving part). It comes in different shapes: round, square, rectangular, with beveled corners.
Inside the profile is a solid metal frame. Reinforcement gives the structure rigidity and stability. It can be closed or U-shaped (the first is preferable).
The profile itself has thick walls, and inside it is filled with jumpers that form honeycombs or cells. They form air chambers, which perform a heat-insulating function. The more cameras in a row, the warmer the window will be.
The plastic has grooves into which the seal is inserted: it presses the double-glazed window, does not allow blowing, penetration of wind, rain, dust. Made from synthetic or vulcanized rubber. There are seals made of flexible thermoplastic.
double glazing
Single chamber glass block
These are glass layers that are connected to each other. Between them is a frame with an air gap, and a heat-reflecting coating is applied to one of the glasses. In winter, it helps to keep heat inside the room, and in summer it does not let the intense heat from the street.
accessories
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Fittings
Ideally, we observe only the handle, unaware of the intricate mechanism that surrounds the sash on all sides. This is how a tight fit to the frame around the entire perimeter is ensured. A reliable system eliminates the risk of opening the window from the outside - which means you should not be afraid of hacking.
Also included in the kit:
- Slopes - panels that line the window opening;
- Windowsill;
- Drainage (external window sill installed with a downward slope)
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What parameters to pay attention to when buying
Light panels paired with large glass sheets visually expand the space
We examined what a plastic window kit consists of. Now we can safely discuss all the nuances with the window company manager.
Remember a few parameters that are important for a wise purchase:
- Manufacturer country: almost everywhere you will be offered European products, which are not cheap. Before you pay, make sure that you are offered a product made specifically in Germany, for example. And not the one that is produced in Russia, but according to German technology
- Profile width - the more, the warmer it will be. Please note that a wide frame with a small number of internal chambers is easily deformed.
- Maximum glass thickness: Unless of course you do not glaze the entrance, garage or basement
- steel frame: stronger closed, but warmer U-shaped
- Make sure the brand is ISO-9001 certified
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Leading brands
Study the table, which clearly shows the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of popular brands. It is difficult to indicate approximate prices, since, due to high competition, window companies regularly launch promotions and arrange inter-seasonal discounts. The cost also depends on the shape of the window opening, the individual parameters of each dwelling.
| Name / Feature | Manufacturer country | Advantages | Flaws |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veca is the most demanded brand in the Russian market. | Germany / Russia | The absolute leader in terms of coverage of the territory, the number of sales, demand; Profiles are suitable for operation in any weather conditions. | There is a risk of running into a fake. |
| KBE – Reasonable prices, wide range of profiles. | Germany / Russia | A wide variety of products for different climates; Quality fittings. | Over the years, the plastic may turn yellow (for models made in Russian factories). |
| rehau – high-quality constructions with an updated design. | Germany / Russia | Low percentage of defects due to responsible observance of technological standards in the manufacture; High parameters of thermal insulation. | New models are expensive. |
| Salamander - high-quality, but very expensive brand. | Germany | Reliable and high-quality designs; Long service life. | The cost is 1.5-2 times higher than most competitors. |
| tropical – more than 60 years on the world market. | Germany | The sets are distinguished by increased resistance to deformation, reinforcement rigidity; Exquisite design. | Not a wide range. |
| Proplex - European quality. | Russia / Austria | Plastic is distinguished by high strength and quality; Low cost. | The company does not have a certificate of compliance with international standards; |
| COK - Samara plant, which produces profiles at the KBE plant. | Russia | Products are manufactured according to the developments of the KBE holding; Long service life; Wear resistance. | Plastic may yellow over time; Prices are somehow higher than the original profile from KBE |
| Krauss - produce profiles for warm climates (lightweight options). | Russia | A good product for areas with year-round positive temperatures; Affordable prices. | Windows are not suitable for climates with cold winters; Thin rubber bands. |
| WDS is a reliable Ukrainian brand with a limited coverage of the Russian market. | Ukraine | Profiles perfectly tolerate the effects of the external environment, even with aggressive climatic conditions; Good assortment. | The company is not too active in the Russian market. |
| Deceuninck is a worthy competitor of foreign manufacturers. | Belgium / Russia | The company has a number of awards, certificates and marks for excellent products. | High prices. |
| Kaleva is a domestic company fully operating in Russia. | Russia | Digging carries out a full cycle of works: measurements, design, profile manufacturing and installation; | Judging by the reviews on the Internet, there are complaints about the quality of the product. Sometimes it is necessary to dismantle the system and install a new one. |
| LG Chem - The South Korean brand uses top quality plastic. The profiles have excellent insulating properties. | South Korea | Excellent thermal insulation and sound absorption; Safe materials; Low cost; Glossy plastic surface. | The active activity of the company is limited to the eastern part of the Russian Federation; Any scratches or damage are very visible on the gloss |
| Montblanc - the Russian company uses reliable plastic and durable fittings. Prices are low. | Russia | Large assortment of profile geometries; Reliable hardware; Durability of structures. | There is no certificate of conformity to international standards; |
| Plafen - Produces premium windows. | Austria / Russia | Plastic profiles authentically imitate natural wood, which looks expensive and spectacular; With high-quality installation, windows will last more than 50 years; | Cost is higher than competitors |
| Panorama is a Russian company with 20 years of experience and low prices. | Russia | Structures are strong and reliable; Decent insulating properties; Acceptable prices; | Inactive advertising, as a result of which few people know about the company. |
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Conclusion
A spectacular system, sometimes, does not need curtains
It is difficult to say unequivocally which plastic windows are the best. All brands have a long shelf life, and on the Internet there are both bad and good reviews for each. We recommend that you pay attention to the first three of our rating.
In all reviews, they get the leading first lines, the companies have been on the market for a long time, the products have been repeatedly tested. If the prices are too high, consider options from domestic manufacturers - they cost less, but are practically not inferior in quality. Remember, whatever the costs, this investment will justify itself, because brand new profiles will serve for more than a decade.
Watch an informative video where experts give practical advice to help you make a choice:
VIDEO: How to choose plastic windows? What plastic windows are better? Profile. Accessories. double glazing
We choose which plastic windows are better in terms of quality, durability and heat retention. Overview of manufacturers + Reviews
Of the many options on the market, I settled on the Chameleon Windows company, they were advised to me by my neighbors in the country, and there are a lot of good reviews about them on the net. I ordered at home, the measurer left, measured everything, calculated in parallel with the manager and executed the order agreement. So I waited for the installation, everything is fine!