Reliable efficiency

Thermally efficient aluminum windows are often designed in the form of a sandwich that places insulating material between the exterior and interior surfaces of frame and sash members. The insulating material interrupts the heat conduction pathway through the window, and is therefore known as a thermal break. A common thermal break system, known as poured-and-debridged (PDB), involves the pouring of a liquid polyurethane formulation into a specially designed cavity built into the frame or sash extrusion. Once the material has properly cured, a section of aluminum forming the cavity is removed to form the thermal barrier. The American Architectural Manufacturers Association has thoroughly researched the long-term viability of polyurethane PDB thermal break systems and has developed a series of guidelines to prevent any such failures over the life of the window unit.