White Rabbit，s Guide to Choosing Windows to Avoid Pitfalls （Suitable for Beginners to Understand）

When choosing doors and windows, you don't have to be led around by the merchants. Remember these points to avoid 90% of the pitfalls. When choosing windows for your home, you won't fall into traps or waste money. This is suitable for beginners who are renovating new houses or replacing windows in old ones.

1. Core material avoidance tips: How to choose among 3 mainstream materials? 

Steel-plastic windows: The advantages are low price and good basic insulation performance. The disadvantages are that they tend to age and deform, and will turn yellow and crack over time. They are only suitable for rental houses and temporary buildings. It is not recommended for self-use. 

- Broken Bridge Aluminum Windows: Currently the most popular choice for home use, with the highest cost-effectiveness. Their advantages include high strength, low susceptibility to deformation, superior sound insulation and heat insulation compared to plastic-steel windows, strong durability, and they can be used for several decades. They are suitable for most scenarios such as self-built houses, new houses, and renovation of old houses. 

System window: It is not made of a single material. It is a complete standardized system consisting of "profiles + glass + hardware + rubber strips + craftsmanship". It has more stable performance (better sound insulation, heat insulation, and sealing), but the price is higher. It is suitable for families that value high quality and have sufficient budget. 

II. Key Parameters to Avoid Mistakes: Don't Be Fooled by Merchants 

- Profile wall thickness: According to national standards, the minimum thickness should be 1.4mm. For high-rise buildings and those with large glass areas, it is recommended to choose a thickness of 1.8mm or more. Insufficient wall thickness will affect the stability of the doors and windows, and they are prone to deformation and air leakage in the future. 

Heat insulation strips: Choose PA66 nylon heat insulation strips (high temperature resistant, not prone to aging, and have good heat insulation effect), and avoid PVC inferior heat insulation strips. The latter will crack and lose their heat insulation function after 1-2 years of use. 

Sealing gasket: Choose EPDM (three-component ethylene propylene diene monomer) gasket. It has strong weather resistance and excellent sealing performance, effectively preventing water and sound leakage, and avoiding the use of ordinary rubber gaskets (which tend to age and harden). 

III. Payment and Contract Pitfalls: Don't Ignore the Details 

The contract must clearly specify: the thickness of the profiles, the glass configuration, the brand of hardware, and the material of the rubber strips, to prevent the merchants from "cutting corners" and lowering the quality. 

Payment method: It is recommended to make the payment in three installments (deposit + inspection upon arrival + installation completion). Avoid paying in full at once to prevent the inability to seek redress if the installation is not up to standard. 

Warranty Agreement: Clearly specify the warranty periods for the main body of the doors and windows, hardware, and glass. Under normal circumstances, the warranty period for the main body is no less than 5 years, and the warranty period for the hardware is no less than 3 years.