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ALUMINUM WINDOWS

Thermally Improved Aluminum Windows for the Phoenix & Scottsdale Area

Aluminum windows are a fairly popular choice of replacement windows and doors for homes in the Scottsdale and Metro Phoenix area. They are a lightweight product that is very strong, with either an anodized finish, or baked-on color that lasts for decades.

Many people like the slim frame and zero maintenance of aluminum, which provides maximum glass for viewing. It’s especially common in homes with modern, clean design aesthetic, and commercial buildings. The slender depth of an aluminum window can be a good choice for homes with narrow window openings, or where deep sills are wanted. It’s also a common material used in ceiling-height sliding glass doors, where weight can become an issue due to the sheer size of the panels, and a stronger material is needed for the frame.

DunRite offers two types of aluminum windows and doors: thermally broken aluminum windows, and aluminum-clad wood windows. They tend to be more costly and less energy efficient than other choices, so it’s important to discuss your budget, style and color preferences at the in-home appointment. This ensures you have the information needed to make an educated decision.

Aluminum & Aluminum-Clad Wood Brands We Carry…

Milgard windows
Andersen Windows logo
Pella Certified Contractor logo

Thermally Improved Aluminum Windows

Thermally improved aluminum windows minimize heat transfer from the window’s exterior to the inside of the home by including a gap that separates the internal and external components of the window; however, even aluminum windows with this thermal break are less energy efficient than most other material choices. With Phoenix summers lasting for months at 100+ degree temperatures, aluminum windows in general may not be the best choice for Arizona homeowners looking to lower their utility bills.

We offer the Milgard line, which are the only aluminum windows available in the Phoenix market from our lineup of manufacturers. We don’t feel other brands live up to our high standards for energy efficiency.

 

The Aluminum-Clad Wood Window Alternative

For high-end homes or homeowners who prefer the look and warmth of wood, aluminum-clad wood windows are a lovely solution. These have a wood stained or painted frames on the interior, and aluminum cladding on the exterior, which protects the wood from the environment and reduces maintenance. Thanks to wood’s lack of conductivity, they’re more energy-efficient than an all-wood window.

It can be a lovely design enhancement to a home that can last several decades.

We also offer fiberglass windows, which can be embossed with a wood grain look on the interior, and doesn’t have the conductivity of a metal frame. We’d be happy to discuss the pros and cons of all aluminum window types, and which might be well suited to your budget. Before you decide, it’s important to discuss all of your options, so you can make an educated decision based on your budget and style preferences. Schedule an in-home estimate today!

“We had all of the windows in our house replaced. DunRite delivered what they promised. They were on time, very good to deal with and the installation was very professional. I’d highly recommend them for any similar work.”

Common questions about aluminum windows

The answer really depends where you live.

In Arizona, vinyl windows offer much better energy efficiency than an aluminum window. In fact, aluminum windows are rarely sold in the Southwest, because it’s a highly conductive metal that doesn’t handle heat (or cold) well.

It also corrodes very easily in climates where salt is in the air and water, so it’s not a good option along our nation’s coastlines. However, there are parts of the country with mild climates all year long where aluminum windows are very popular.

However, aluminum windows offer a very different look than other window frame materials; therefore, DunRite Windows & Doors does sell one line of aluminum windows by Milgard. It has a thermally improved design to reduce the amount of heat conducted into the home. It’s not as energy efficient as other frame materials, but it is a top choice for homeowners who prefer a narrow, modern frame. Because aluminum is such a strong material, the frames can be slim and still able to support the weight of the glass. The slim frame also maximizes the amount of glass, since there is less frame in the opening, which many homeowners appreciate. Its strength also makes it ideal for oversized windows, since it can support the weight of a large amount of glass.

Milgard’s aluminum windows are available in a clear anodized finish, which shows aluminum’s silver tone, or a dark anodized color. Both the interior and exterior mush be the same color.

If you have older aluminum windows with single-pane glass, we recommend the homeowner immediately replace them with double-pane replacement windows. The metal is conducting heat (and chill) directly into the home, driving up the costs of air conditioning since old aluminum framed windows are tremendously inefficient.

Even more importantly, though, all of that expansive glass—which makes up most of the window—is dramatically heating up the house, too.

If you place your palm on the window glass while standing inside your home, you can feel the heat: especially on a window with direct sun hitting the glass. It’s scorching, forcing your air conditioner to work overtime.

Today’s insulated glass does a much better job, with gas insulation filling the gap between each glass pane. Combine that efficiency with a frame material that’s more energy efficient than aluminum, and you’ll see immediate savings on your HVAC utility bills. According to EnergyStar®’s regional map that breaks down savings by city, you’ll save as much as 31% annually on your heating and cooling when you upgrade single-pane windows in the Phoenix area, and 17% by replacing older double-pane windows with new.

How do you replace aluminum windows? The two primary options are to have a windows and doors company replace them for you, handling the purchase and the installation, or to go the DIY route by purchasing the windows from a home improvement store, then either installing them yourself or having a handyman do the work. There are pros and cons for each choice, but it boils down to paying more for convenience, expertise and quality, or saving money by taking on the labor and risk, and perhaps compromising on features or color.

If you have double-pane or triple-pane glass in your aluminum window frames, any window repair company can provide a replacement unit that includes all necessary panes, low-E coatings and gas insulation fill that you need. This ensures the glass replacement has a level of energy efficiency that’s comparable to the original. They can also typically match the color of glass and spacers between each pane of the existing window. They will need to come out to your home to do an assessment and provide the cost.

You typically wouldn’t call a window and doors company to repair broken glass, unless you purchased a glass coverage warranty at the time of purchase. They replace the entire unit, glass, frame and all, and usually have a minimum purchase of multiple windows. They don’t sell just the insulated glass unit, or handle the installation.

You also wouldn’t go to a home improvement store, or purchase a cut piece of single-pane glass.

Like any other type of window frame, we recommend cleaning with a non-abrasive cloth or sponge, and warm water with a small amount of mild dish detergent. If the frames are oxidized, you can try using a simple solution of water and vinegar, or purchase a solution designed to remove oxidation from aluminum.

Be sure to avoid abrasive cleaners, steel wool or scrubbing pads and bristled brushes. It’s also important to avoid using high-pressure spray and pressure washers. To safeguard your window warranty, it’s best to check with the window manufacturer, when possible, and follow their advice.

We do not recommend painting either aluminum or aluminum-clad windows, since it voids the warranty. We also are vehemently against painting them in a dark color, which can easily cause them to absorb too much heat, causing damage to the window and/or home, and negating any energy efficient features the window had before being painted.

If you are thinking about replacing the windows on your home, aluminum windows are typically available in either a clear anodized finish that shows the silver tone of the aluminum, or a dark bronze anodized finish, which is very popular.

Aluminum-clad windows might surprise you, though! They come in an amazing array of baked-on colors straight from the factory. You can even order some products in custom colors, for a completely unlimited range of choices… making it simple to order windows that perfectly coordinate with an existing color palette. You can also have different colors on the inside versus the outside, such as a wood finish and black exterior, white interior and black interior, or any one of a number of colors.

If warranty is a concern, some manufacturers offer a shorter warranty on factory-applied paint, versus their maintenance-free anodized options.

If you choose to paint your aluminum windows, we strongly recommend using a paint professional who provides some sort of guarantee on their work and the durability of the paint. You’ll want to avoid dark colors, which can damage your windows and hinder energy efficiency, and avoid a gloss finish, which highlights dents or scratches in the metal.

If you have factory-painted windows that need a touchup, be sure to check the manufacturer’s website, as they may offer their factory paint in touch-up bottles and larger sizes. They will also be able to provide instructions on how to get the best results.

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Here’s What Our Customers Say…

DunRite Windows & Doors
4.8
Based on 193 reviews
We used DunRite years ago on our condo. Great experience! Now we needed all new windows and arcadia door in our house. I did alot of research and got quotes for quality, materials, reputation and service. Hands down went with DunRite (again). I highly recommend! The crew is Amazing!
Excellent window installation by DunRite. Did our whole house and all the staff were professional and nice. Cleaned up well. Management was very responsive to any questions or concerns. Would respond within 12 hours!
Noreen Pogue
Noreen Pogue
1695844102
We used DunRite Windows and doors to complete a window and door project that another company had started. Now that the project is finished we can honestly say that DunRite won in every category: price (comparing same exact product), follow up and follow through, quality control (what arrived was free from damage unlike the previous company), and overall experience. We will use DunRite for any future needs!
Michelle
Michelle
1695150091
Chris, Jason, and Brian replaced 4 large windows, in my kitchen on September 5th. They arrived on time and clearly knew what they were doing. They were very professional and nice! There was no mess left but most of all they look great! Thanks again to them !
Debbie Wentrup
Debbie Wentrup
1694129889
Dunrite was a great choice to install our window. Even though we only replaced our large front window, they treated us like we were valued customers. The process from purchase to installation went exactly as planned and we were kept informed even when our window arrived broke from the factory. The window looks great and increased the curb appeal of our house. Job well done.
Ti Talleri
Ti Talleri
1693019412
I will say if you want something done call the owner Sal of DunRite directly. Leaving a message with his staff will not expedite a repair. While they the...
Bonnie M.
Bonnie M.
1691762548
My new door is beautiful. It arrived early. Installation was very well done.
Debbie Gallett
Debbie Gallett
1690834443
Replace a patio window & bedroom window with windows that have sound dampening features. They did a professional & clean job. Visited the house, measured & gave quote, sent another tech to ensure measurements are accurate, arrived when they said they would, educated me along the way, including window rail maintenance using pledge lemon spray, NOT WD 40. Cleaned up their mess, & I will now use them for the remainder of my home. Great work!!
Steve Pish
Steve Pish
1686440194
Incredibly professional, reliable, competitive and knowledgeable company. I had a million questions about the window installation process and they were...
Katya B.
Katya B.
1685964820
Finally decided to upgrade my windows and they guys did an amazing job.
After interviewing 6 window companies I settled on DunRite. The team was excellent. Very knowledgeable, respectful , hard working. I was amazed .
jane turock
jane turock
1680905885
I shopped about 20 companies for our whole house window replacement project, and from the sales process with Rick Ritivoy, to working with the office to schedule my project in stages (bathroom windows had to go in first as a shower remodel was contingent on having those in before it could begin) to the actual work being performed, my entire experience was excellent. A lot of companies out there tried the hard sell, which fell flat, but DunRite was happy to work with me over email first and I went went them because of the double lifetime warranty on the windows, and the lifetime labor warranty, on top of having the best price for the types of windows I wanted.Chris, Matt, Jason, and the rest of the crew that did my install were all very professional and accommodating to all requests. They were a pleasure to work with!I’ve had a lot of contractors in and out of my house that last couple months, and DunRite far exceeded all other companies. I would definitely use them again!!!
I shopped about 20 companies for our whole house window replacement project, and from the sales process with Rick Ritivoy, to working with the office to...
Greg G.
Greg G.
1677678779
Absolutely impressed with DunRite from start to finish. We got quotes from many companies who gave us a lot of great information but DunRite was by far the most informative. They weren’t pressuring us at all and spent quite a bit of time with us going over all of our options and answering any questions we had. They actually gave us multiple ballpark quotes on site for different configurations we were considering which helped us choose what was right for us. They weren’t the cheapest quote we got but I still feel we got way more value than we would have with another company. The wait time was not bad considering how backed up the industry is right now, and when it came time for install both of the install teams sent out to install our windows were incredibly professional. They moved and covered items in the area to keep them from getting too dirty or breaking anything, they were quick and respectful of our time and space. The installed windows look fantastic and we couldn’t be happier with the outcome.I would absolutely recommend DunRite to anyone looking for window replacements, they are fantastic to work with and I do not think you’ll be disappointed!
Ray Dunn
Ray Dunn
1676990468
DunRite gave a great price for a high quality front door. Installers were on time, worked efficiently and cleaned up afterwards. We had a perfect new front door!
Jenny Cho
Jenny Cho
1674421080
They showed up on time did the work with professional courtesy and quality. They even fixed a couple minor issues with no hesitation. They offered before I could ask. Highly recommended. Colin and Matt were the install team and Jan was my initial contact. All get my highest recommendation.
Peter DeFalco
Peter DeFalco
1673558835
We used DunRite about 3 years ago when we had a new sliding door installed; it's been beautiful and functional ever since. Our kids got something jammed in the mechanism recently that called for a service visit from Tyler who was so professional and so kind. The issue proved to be more complex and called for back up from his boss JJ, who was just as professional and kind. They fixed the issue quickly, they were so personable, and made my day with their kind service!
Erika Nielsen
Erika Nielsen
1673549021
We used DunRite about 3 years ago when we had a new sliding door installed; it's been beautiful and functional ever since. Our kids got something jammed in...
Erika N.
Erika N.
1673520266
I would give DunRite Windows and doors a 10 if I could. I am a very particular person when it comes to the home. I had been looking for windows for awhile but got tired of looking at this window company and that window company so looked up windows and doors and DunRite came up. I did read their reviews and was impressed. I called them and made an appointment. Daniel Phelps came out to my house and explained the different types of windows and which ones would be good for my home. I bought 7 windows plus French door. George came out to measure a few weeks later and answered my questions. I got a call in December to set up my appointment for installation. Nathan and Jason came out on Monday and worked till 5:00 pm that day and then came back on Tuesday and worked through their lunch to complete my installations. They were hard working, job focused, detailed oriented, professional, particular, organized, quiet, nice, and answered my questions as needed. I was thoroughly impressed and would call DunRite again. Their customer service was excellent from the ordering, measuring to the installation. I am very pleased with the windows and door. They look great.Thank you,Cassandra
Cassandra Nolan
Cassandra Nolan
1673468925
DunRite Windows & Doors recently replacedour windows, seventeen in all, in our two story home. Obviously not an easy job, however, the installers were...
Ruthann S.
Ruthann S.
1673272133
The people at DunRite Windows and Doors are amazing. We purchased windows for a new addition and decided to upgrade some existing windows. Unfortunately, supply chain issues caused one of the replacement windows to be placed on backorder which threatened the totally derail the timeline for the remodel. Sal and his team arranged to have the windows for the remodel installed to keep us on track.
Ted Anderson
Ted Anderson
1672024772
Installation took about 6 hours start to finish for 4 windows in my condo, and I couldn't be happier. There's an art to knowing how many crew members it will take to do the job, and it was amazing to watch them work in such efficient harmony. The finished product is incredible...not just the quality of the windows, you can get great windows elsewhere, but the quality of each installed window, including the framing fit and finish is impressive, and proves the quality of their craftsmanship. I've been singing their praises and will continue to do so. Thanks for the great work, DunRite!
Good window installation companies are hard to come by. Other have very high pressure sales tactics and use third parties to do the actual install. These windows were installed right on schedule, without making any false promises. The crew took their time ti make sure the install was perfect. We will be using them in the future.
Good window installation companies are hard to come by. Other have very high pressure sales tactics and use third parties to do the actual install. These...
Brandon R.
Brandon R.
1669106914
These guys are very professional and their workmanship is outstanding. I'm so happy that I chose them to do my commercial doors and windows for my house. I...
Lana W.
Lana W.
1668536204
Excellent company! Great communication and they did a great installation. Very clean and highly recommended.
Sam
Sam
1666369916
We had 11 new windows and 4 custom doors installed throughout the house. Sal and the team were incredible to work with. They came out several times to ensure we had the right order with the correct measurements. Then on installation day the crew came out and were professional, cleaned up afterward, and did a great installation overall.I couldn't recommend this company more! Windows and doors are an expensive investment and having a company really take the time and effort to ensure we made sound decisions made a huge difference for us.
Jason Edwards
Jason Edwards
1666288058
I was very impressed with the windows. There was some problems after the work, but they came back and handled it professionally. The price, what can I say, awesome.
Purchased windows from them a couple of years ago and very happy with the windows and install.We are now purchasing a new patio door and another window. Looking forward to seeing install when completed.
Mike Terry
Mike Terry
1650508672
If you're considering having new windows installed, do yourself a huge favor and give Sal a call. The guy's been in the biz for years and years and know his...
Rl R.
Rl R.
1589401391
I am very happy to say that my experience with DunRite Windows was excellent. Colin and Jesse were great. Friendly , courteous , neat and clean. Did I...
Patricia C.
Patricia C.
1585726543
We used Dunrite based on customer high ratings and the company did not disappoint. We had a custom made window and custom made door and frame with a security screen installed the house we just recently purchased.

The installers were efficient and cleaned everything up nicely. Our salesman, Sal, was awesome. He was very accommodating. He answered some questions for me about other windows and doors in my house. He offered my advice on some screen installation. He actually recommended a different type of company to complete the work I wanted done. (just like the movie Miracle on 34th Street). We were not happy with one of the choices we made with the door installation. We thought we would like our choice of framework but did not like the selection once it was up. Even though it was DunRite’s fault, they exchanged the section we were not happy with and did not charge us extra money for their time or the new materials.

I would highly recommend the company.
Yvette Speers
Yvette Speers
1464285541
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