13 — Friday, July 28, 1989 - North Shore News More to choosing ‘ uWHOLESALE” door than deciding “WALLPAPER PAGEANT” f . PAPERS AND BORDERS on shape, color MATCHING FABRICS TOO! IF YOU'RE in the pracess of renovativs, buying or even custom building your own home, you've probably discovered that there’s more to choosing a window or door than deciding on the shape and color. Contributing Writer It may eve: seem like a true ac- ademic challenge to determine whether a doubie-glazed casement window with Low E thermofilm is better than a double-glazed argon-filled casement window. But, according to Alcan Build- ing Products, a leader in the manufactnre, sales and distribu- tion of siding, windows and associated products used in the res- idential construction and renova- tion markets, these new develop- ments were actuaily a response to consumer demand. ‘‘Today’s homeowner is more sophisticated than iz the past. The demand for high quality, energy efficient pro- ducts has become so pervasive that it.is aow the worm in the in- dustry,” said Helmut Schmidt, manager cf product development and technical services for a major building products firm. Compared to the 1950s, building and renovation products have im- proved greatly. Originally, door and window products were made exclusively of wood, with the pro- duction technology coming from the carpentry and furniture trade. Aluminum was then introduced into the residential marketpiace, mainly in the form of storm doors and windows added on to the orig- inal wood construction, and later in self-contained window and door products. And, about 25 years ago, vinyl window products were launched in vhe Canadian residen- tial marketplace. Over the years, as the consumer demanded, the industry developed higher quality, and more durable products. Then the energy crisis of the 1970s caused 2 major shift in the building products industry. Al- though the industry was producing high quality and durable products, energy efficiency was not in that great demand. But with the dramatic increase in fuel oil costs making it impractical to combat the effects of energy in- efficient products by just raising the thermostat or turning up the air conditioner, homeowners started to demand products that were not only dependable, but energy efficient. The major cause of energy wastage in homes was found to be excessive air leakage through doors and windows, and the low levels of insulation throughout the house. The industry reacted to the con- sumer’s heightened awareness of energy efficicacy by redesigning or developing building products with the aim of achieving greater air- tightness, higher insulation values and increased durability. One of the major developments .in the industry to meet the needs of the energy conscious consumer was the introduction of rigid foams for insulating the house. Lack of in- sulation was, and still is, often a problem with older homes that can be corrected relatively easily. Ajiso, improvements to door and window consiruciion have been dramatic. Double and triple glaz- ing have improved the energy effi- ciency of both windows and patio doors. The use of special coatings on the glass, like Low E ther- mofilm, also prevents excess heat build up in the summer or cooling in the winter. Other developments are special gas fillings like argon and thin metal coatings in insulating glass that can substantially increase the insulative value of windows by further decreasing heat transfer. Window frames have been enhanced by improving insulation and by the addition of ther- moplastic rubber seals and welded corners that ensure an even seal to virtually eliminate air leakage. Thermal barriers have also been developed to separate interior and exterior frame sections of alumi- num windows, which also im- proves the energy efficiency of the window units. 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