old aluminium double glazing

[sawman]

went to view a house yesterday which probably needs a bit of work - nothing major but I dont think its been looked after very well. One of the things in noted was that the aluminium double glazing was a bit mouldy around the inside seals and the hardwood sills were a bit scruffy, and cracked. there was no sign of condensation between the panes but i wondered if these type of units have a lifetime and whether i should be budgeting for replacement.
I would imagine that new units would be more efficient and probably look nicer, I was never a fan of aluminium windows, i remember my parents getting some in the 70's and they never looked good.

cheers for tips

[h4rvy]

Sawman - things have changed in the "aluminium window" world

[SimonV8ster]

I bet the ones he saw didn't look like that though !!

[sawman]

SimonV8ster said:

I bet the ones he saw didn't look like that though !!

and you wold be right, the ones i'm talking about are pretty ugly - circa 1980

[mk1fan]

What you'll find is that the damage and mould is caused by condensation.

Early double glazing (80's) was designed to seal up the building and remove drafts which led to condensation problems.

All windows have an effective life. Personally, I prefer timber but that does require regular maintenance. Powdercoated ali/metal items are next. UPVC is last, by a long way.