Wood windows carry many benefits than just maintaining value in your historic home.
Allowing light inside a space, providing fresh air to the interior, a visual link to the outside world, and enhancing the appearance of a building are the basic functions to look at in a window. Becoming better informed about your material options will ultimately lead to better product and outcome for everyone involved. Here you will find the benefits for choosing wood windows for your home or building.
Aesthetics
Sometimes being the only reason in the decision making process, wood has the warmth and elegance that cannot be replicated in other manufactured materials. It has been the material of choice for hundreds of years and can be customized to fit a variety of design needs. You also have the ability to paint wood any color you wish, whether you want to leave a natural stain on the interior and a warm blue on the exterior, your imagination is the limit!
Great Energy Saver
As we learned in science class the thermal properties of wood is low because of the porosity of timber. This makes wood the best option for energy efficient windows, because of the restricted transfer of hot and cold air. In the summer time the hot air won't pass through and in the winter the cold air won't pass through thanks to the conductivity of wood.
Environmentally Sustainable
Wood is the only construction material that is a renewable material. When trees are replanted it is actually the younger trees that absorbs more carbon dioxide from the Earth's atmosphere than older trees. On the other hand, manufactured materials estimate to contribute 16% of the Earth's fossil fuel emissions. Wood is 100% biodegradable and is durable enough to be restored and easily reused again and again.
Durability
It has been proven that wood can endure more stress and over-preform in the long run than steel. Wood windows can last a life-time with proper care and can be a money saver in the long run.
Historic Continuity
Maintaining the unique charm and architectural significance can be very important in holding and increasing value. There are specific guidelines outlined by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior's in their Historic Buildings Standards on that assist with the long-term preservation of historical materials and features. Picardie strictly adheres to these measures insuring long-term restoration or successful replication.