Why you should avoid cheap windows

Why you should avoid cheap windows

If you’re in a position where you have to replace one of your windows, there are a few questions you have to ask yourself about the place you’re looking to buy from:

• -What’s their turnaround time?
• -How much will it cost?
• -How much can you customise?
• -Is this a reliable service?

Even though we understand that a price tag dictates a lot of our purchases, we suggest looking at “value for money” over the cheapest option available. Especially if you’re looking into renovating your home. More often than not, buying cheap windows, in the long run, will end up costing you more money than you saved and you won’t even realise it!

Cheap Windows, Means Cheap Labour

When buying an “Affordable” window, even if it turns out to be a well-made product, you get the service that you pay for. Shoddy installations can lead to frustrating leaks, terrible performance as a thermal barrier (allowing draughts to enter in the winter, or heat to pass through in the summer), and most annoyingly – it’s likely to break within a handful of years.

If you managed to underpay for a window, the workers are likely underpaid too. Hand in hand with that is the very real possibility of being overworked and add those together and you get very poor customer service.

Cheap Windows Come With Even Cheaper Materials 

As obvious as it sounds, the materials used to build your window are likely to be sourced from cheap manufacturers. Cheap vinyl frames are renowned for becoming brittle and easy to break over time. Worse off than this, they get discolouration from prolonged UV exposure. Which you can’t avoid here in Australia. 

In the scenario that you’ve already installed a cheap window, it’s now a waiting game to see what goes wrong first, or what doesn’t work properly. The last thing you want is to find out that the window quickly cracks or underperforms in comparison to the window you already had. Cheap windows often end up having poor quality features like the window gasket gradually peeling off, causing the unit to no longer be draught-proof. Cheap windows, mean cheap building materials.

Poor Energy Efficiency

Most people forget that windows have more than one purpose, namely saving money on electricity throughout the year. Especially here in Australia, where the summers aren’t just HOT, it’s humid. Meaning that should you open your windows, you don’t allow a cold breeze into your home, you’re allowing more heat to enter. A high-functioning double glazed window acts as a thermal banner that prevents heat from entering your home.  Conversely, in the winter, it traps heat in your home should it get cold outside. Cheap window replacements on the other hand, often aren’t sealed, or fitted properly. Which allows the outside elements into your home. 

Low-Quality Security Features

Double glazed windows are far more durable than one might think. They’re built with either a vacuum or heavy inert gas between the two glass panes that get installed in the frame. If the installation is done correctly, there’s enough structural integrity to act as a much tougher barrier to break down than people realise. In addition to this, their locking mechanism is likely to be unidimensional.

On the other hand, here at Ecostar, we have multipoint locking mechanisms. In addition to latching the window into place by multiple points. As well as having double glazed security, the frame itself isn’t vinyl. Our uPVC windows are of the highest quality and won’t break like chalk after a few years. 

Replacement Windows from Ecostar

Choose the best replacement windows from Ecostar that offer a wide range of customisation options, are a true upgrade over older single glazed profiles, and will save you money in the long run. Fill in our online contact form, call our team, or use our online quoting tool to start your quote with us today.