Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ

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Why should I change my windows? How will I benefit? How much will I earn? When can I expect a return on the investment?

The new, modern door & window frames with suitable glazing and proper placement achieve better thermal insulation by not allowing the transfer of the external temperature inside the building, while trapping the heat inside the building, in order to prevent escape. In this way, the heat or cooling is maintained inside the building in winter and summer, respectively. Good insulation saves energy and money, because it is not required an excessive use of any heating or cooling source to achieve the desired temperature, but rather a minimum use.

The change of the frames, in addition to energy savings and the desired temperature also achieves the best possible safety and security, since the new modern doors & window frames lock at various points, while the sophisticated glazing applied to them does not break, but remains solid and it place. Consequently, any attempt to violate them takes time and causes a lot of noise.

Moreover, the new, modern, door & windows can achieve the desired soundproofing, which is useful in areas with intense noise, by fully isolating the sound from the external environment. Also, the aesthetic improvement of the house is equally important, as the new frames are available in a wide variety of designs, materials and colors to perfectly suit any building, public or private.

It is normal for water vapors to appear between the glass surfaces?

No, it is not normal and it should not happen in any case. Condensation may appear on the surface of the glass, but never between the glass panes. If so, then the glass should be fully replaced and not simply repaired, since no repair of the damaged windows will be fully successful, resulting to additional cost.

How much do door & window frames cost? What are the parameters that shape their price?

The cost of the frames and glazing depends upon various factors that are taken into account to define the final cost, which is given as a quotation to each customer. The parameters to be taken into account concern:

The number of windows

The size of the windows

Whether or not there are any balcony doors

The orientation of the house and, separately, of the rooms

The material – wood, synthetic or aluminum – that the client prefers

The type and number of glazing (double, triple, anti-vandal glass, etc.)

The customer’s preference in the production or import company, etc.

When all the parameters are calculated, measured and evaluated, then the final cost is defined and analyzed to the customer.

How many days will it take for old frames to be replaced? How many days will the house be “open”?

The speed of construction, delivery and installation of the frames may vary depending on the company. However, an important role in the times - from order to completion - plays also the requirements of the order. However in DAUWIN®, our specialized and experienced teams enable us to replace your frames, even during the cold, winter months, without any exposure of the house to the cold. There is the possibility of removing each frame individually and replacing it immediately in a complete manner.

What do energy efficient frames mean? Why should I choose them?

The common frames, as we used to know them a few years ago, would not stop the outside temperature from entering the inside of the building, nor would they hold back the heat or cooling inside a building from escaping to the external environment. Modern thermal insulating or energy efficient door & window frames, which are manufactured with a “thermal break profile”, achieve just that. They keep the external temperature on the outer surface of the glass and the internal temperature inside the building. Therefore, the heat or cooling is trapped inside maintaining the desired temperature and achieving low power consumption.

However, an energy-efficient frame cannot achieve alone the highest energy yield. An important role plays the type of glass used, which will have to be an energy-efficient type consisting of two glass panes, one of which must have low emissivity coating. Finally, to achieve good thermal conductivity, the frame system should be air-impermeable, i.e. doors & windows must be chosen that are airtight.

What is energy-efficient glazing and why should I choose them?

The heat loss of a building occurs by 20% from the roof, 20% from the floor, 25% from the walls and 35% from the windows. The insulation on floors, roofs and walls in an old house is a quite expensive, time consuming and complex procedure, while the change and installation of new generation energy-efficient glass is a quick, simple to implement and economically better solution.

The energy-efficient windows (LOW-E) do not allow the transfer of heat from the interior space of a building to the outside and vice versa. The energy-efficient glass has the property of letting sunlight to enter inside, but at the same time acts as a protective shield against the heat of the sun and vice versa and retains the heat generated within the room by not allowing it to escape through the windows to the outside. In conclusion, the benefits of the energy-efficient glazing include thermal insulation in winter or good cooling in summer, thereby reducing heating and cooling costs; blockage by 70% of the ultraviolet radiation that causes the objects exposed to it to wear out; increase of the brightness of a space; energy and money savings; and help in the combat of global warming.

Why should I choose certified, brand name frames?

In parallel with the development of technology in the field of frames and in the production of glazing, there has also been a development of the certification bodies that measure, control and certify the performance of the products based on internationally accepted criteria.

The companies that produce certified frame systems meet all the conditions for their manufacture as required by the European legislation; the products are continuously monitored at all stages of the production and are certified by internationally recognized certification bodies. This means that they are subjected throughout their implementation to constant controls, in order to accurately match up to their properties and to prove their behavior in practice, according to their design. Specifically, the certified frames are measured in regard to the following: their performance in specific climatic conditions, their resistance to wind, fire, their thermal insulation, sound insulation and water tightness, etc.

Subject to testing and certification are also the paints used both in the electrostatic and the aluminum anodizing techniques, which control the qualitative characteristics of each product during the production process and the final delivery.

What are the criteria for choosing a door & window frame?

For the final decision of choosing a frame system, the interested party should bring the architect, engineer or manager of the renovation of the building into contact with the doors and windows manufacturing company to jointly select the best frame for every individual case. If there is no skilled professional, who has undertaken the project of construction or renovation of the building, then the individual concerned should clearly record what is needed in terms of safety, heat, sound, etc., then hear the proposal of the experts, who will have fully document the needs of the building, its dimensions, the orientation of the rooms, the specificities of the space, and finally, after having being fully informed, to reach a final decision.

Why does fungus (mold) appear on the surface of the frames?

The lack of ventilation of the interior is the main factor of the increase of moisture in the inside, which is largely responsible for the mold formed. The solution to this problem is the good, correct and frequent ventilation of the building.

What affects the performance of a frame?

The position of the entire building and each room plays an important role in the performance of the door & window frames. A northern room, which has little sun throughout the year, needs a different frame from a western or eastern room. Also, the type of glazing adds to the efficiency of a frame, ex. whether it has possible shading or not; while energy losses are also to be counted to the final measurement of the performance of a frame system.