What ages and what does not.
The aluminum extrusion is effectively permanent on the timescale of a building. The metal does not corrode in residential conditions, does not weaken from UV, and does not change shape from temperature cycling. The thermal-break strip inside the frame is rated for the life of the window.
What does age: the powder coat or PVDF finish (20 to 40 years before any noticeable chalking under continuous sun exposure), the perimeter gaskets (15 to 25 years before needing replacement to maintain seal), and the insulated glass unit (15 to 25 years before potential seal failure and condensation between panes). All three are replaceable without replacing the frame.
What affects lifespan.
Coastal exposure shortens finish life. Salt-laden air abrades any coating; an AAMA 2605 PVDF finish is rated for 20 years of salt-spray exposure, where a standard powder coat is rated for 10. For coastal projects the finish spec matters.
Hardware quality affects mechanism life. Hinges and locks on a budget window can wear out in 10 to 15 years; commercial-grade hardware lasts 25-plus. The hardware is a small fraction of the window cost but a large fraction of how the window ages.
Install quality affects everything. A correctly flashed, shimmed, and sealed installation lasts the full design life. A bad install leaks at the perimeter and damages the wall around it long before the window itself fails.
Common questions.
- How long do aluminum windows last?
- Aluminum window frames last 40 to 50 years with no maintenance to the metal itself. Finish, gaskets, and the insulated glass unit have shorter service lives (20 to 40, 15 to 25, 15 to 25 years respectively) and can be replaced without replacing the frame.
- Do aluminum windows last longer than vinyl?
- Yes, significantly. Aluminum frames last 40 to 50 years; vinyl frames typically last 20 to 30 years before warping, yellowing, or becoming brittle. The cost advantage of vinyl shrinks once the second replacement cycle is counted.
- What maintenance do aluminum windows need?
- Clean the frame and glass periodically, replace perimeter gaskets at the 15 to 25 year mark if seal performance degrades, and replace the IGU if seal failure causes condensation between panes. The aluminum frame itself needs no maintenance.
Project in motion
Building for the long term?
Crateworks builds with 6063-T5 aluminum and AAMA 2605 PVDF finish for the longest design life on the market. Send your project for a quote.