Welcome to Alcor Windows

Learn About uPVC

Learn more about uPVC.

VINYL (uPVC)	VS. ALUMINUM	VS. WOOD
Maintenance-Free	Color sprayed on - will scratch, flake & peel. Color can fade/streak - can require scrubbing and/or painting or touch-up	Paint can fade, streak, flake, peel - must be repainted periodically
Requires no painting/finishing inside or out—ever	Requires no painting/finishing inside or out--initially	Must be painted/stained--initially & repainted
High resistance to heat loss or gain	Readily conducts heat and cold	High resistance to heat loss or gain
Resists condensation	Supports condensation, frosting in cold weather	Resists condensation
Waterproof—unaffected by water	Waterproof--unaffected by water, except salt water	Water resistant but vulnerable to water damage
Resistant to moist, salt-laden air, pollution, airborne chemicals	Corrodes in moist, salt-laden air, from pollution and airborne chemicals	Swells, rots, deteriorates in moist, salt-laden air, from pollution and airborne chemicals
Impervious to insects	Impervious to insects	Resistant to insects, subject to insect damage
Self-lubricating properties that help prevent moving parts from "sticking"	Subject to abrasion, corrosion that reduces ease of operation--can cause binding and sticking	Subject to swelling from moisture, paint build-up that can cause binding and sticking
Structurally rigid and stable. Many designs with superior wind load ratings	Structurally rigid and stable	Structurally rigid and stable. Subject to shrinking, swelling, bowing, warping and cracking
Will not conduct electricity	Conducts electricity readily	All-wood units will not conduct electricity--certain clad wood products can
Impact resistant frames, withstands mechanical stress and strains	Subject to impact damage, denting & scratching	All-wood units will not conduct electricity--certain clad wood products can
Insulates against noise	Transmits noise	Insulates against noise
Will not support combustion. Will burn only while enveloped in flame	Will not support combustion	Will support combustion - burns readily
Material is competitive in cost with other window materials. PVC supply is abundant, price is stable	Material cost fluctuates dramatically - supply is good	Prices rising dramatically - supply fluctuates
Material is energy efficient to produce, recyclable	Material is energy intensive to produce, (8-10%), recyclable	Material is energy intensive to produce - not recyclable
Limited scrap in production - recyclable	Scrap in production is recyclable	Milling of trees produces tremendous waste. Scrap not readily recyclable. Cutting of trees depletes forests, etc.
Material requires no finishing	Requires finishing which contributes to "greenhouse" effect, depletes ozone	Requires finishing and preservative treating which contributes to "greenhouse" effect, depletes ozone