Nordik Windows has been improving Ontario homes Since 1982 with quality replacement windows and doors. We offer top products and professional installation, and we back everything with a worry-free warranty. Our exclusive RevoCell® line of microcellular PVC windows was designed and built in Canada to keep homes comfortable while saving more energy. RevoCell® windows are the perfect home upgrade for cost-conscious, green-minded, and discerning homeowners alike.
What makes RevoCell® windows different from other windows?
Microcellular PVC windows are stronger, more durable, and more energy efficient than regular hollow-chamber PVC windows.
Hollow-chamber vinyl replacement windows have become standard in Canada since the 1980s. They are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Window-grade unplasticised PVC (uPVC) is different from the vinyl used in making plumbing pipes, electrical conduit, and other plastic items because the latter does not include plasticizers and other chemicals designed to make the material softer or more elastic. PVC replacement windows components are extruded with hollow chambers. The hollow chamber construction makes windows lightweight while using air as an insulator. A good PVC window will have hollow chambers designed in a way that allows evacuating water caused by condensation or ingress, with graded slopes and specially drilled holes, which also causes a certain air circulation inside. The walls between the chambers are thin, and the entire window is flexible when subject to external forces. These forces - like wind, opening the window, or the natural movement of a home - can result in bending of the window frame and the failure of the airtight seals — which can compromise the thermal efficiency of the window.
A neutral gas is dissolved at high pressure into the PVC, forming microscopic bubbles in a process called nucleation during a carefully controlled extrusion process. The result is a solid material that is strong and lightweight - like bone
The RevoCell® microcellular PVC windows are made from polyvinyl chloride as well. The manufacturing process is different, however, in that a neutral gas is dissolved at high pressure into the PVC, forming microscopic bubbles in a process called nucleation in a carefully controlled extrusion process. The result is a solid material that is strong and lightweight - like bone.
All of the exterior surfaces are fused with a solid PVC shell that acts as an impervious barrier to water and air. The resulting closed-cell interior structure is 70% more insulating than wood, and up to 2000% more so than aluminium. That yields ER (Energy Rating) values in the 38-40 range on standard dual-pane windows, an energy efficiency normally reserved for the more expensive and heavier triple-pane windows.
Microcellular PVC windows are solid throughout — frame, sashes, mullions, and brickmould alike. The material can be milled, sawn, and otherwise fabricated just like wood, without the breakage and extra waste. It also has a better screw holding power than wood.
Our RevoCell® windows use a stronger 4-½” frame, as opposed to the more commonly used 3-¼” frame. The larger multi-paneled frames are made from a single, seamless, one-piece construction. Whereas in most regular PVC windows, multi-lites are usually separate window frames that are joined together, resulting in poorer strength and the possibility of water and air infiltration through the many joints.
RevoCell® solid-core windows have a larger glass area and allow more natural light than hollow-chambered PVC windows
The strength of the microcellular PVC material allows for thinner window frames, for more glass in your window. The structural, one-piece construction of RevoCell® windows further reduces lost glazing space at the mullions. For instance, for a large opening where you want two casements topped by an awning, you are likely to end up with three separate window frames, screwed and glued together, likely with reinforcements and extra capping in between. A RevoCell® window will be made with a single frame having a slim but strong T-shaped integrated mullion, with the three operating panels sitting snugly together. With 3” more glazing per side than in a hollow-chamber vinyl window, you can end up with a window that’s brighter overall.
RevoCell® MicroCellular PVC windows are more durable than wood or PVC windows
Wood windows, albeit attractive, have serious shortcomings. First, wood is a naturally perishable material. Wood windows will crack, splinter, warp, absorb moisture, and rot over time. These risks are exacerbated in rougher climate, where wood windows decay much faster from temperature extremes and exposure to punishing freeze-thaw cycles.
Like regular vinyl windows, RevoCell® microcellular PVC windows don’t need painting, sealing, or other upkeep except for the occasional cleaning and lubrication of the hardware. They are weatherproof and won’t deteriorate over time. mPVC windows will outlast hollow-chambered vinyl windows which are not as strong and will wear out faster with use. Microcellular PVC has better screw-holding power than hollow PVC frames and even pine – screws being used during the installation of operator hardware – making for a more solid and durable assembly overall.
Our RevoCell® windows use a stronger 4-½” frame, as opposed to the more commonly used 3-¼”frame.
Comparing RevoCell® windows to high-performance aluminium ones, it is worth noting that aluminium is inherently a great heat conductor — hence a poor insulator. Quality aluminium windows achieve their performance from multiple seals and thermal breaks — insulating synthetic elements positioned between the interior and exterior. However, aluminium parts put extra stress on seals by allowing extreme temperatures through. A rubber weatherstripping will age faster when exposed to cycles of scorching heat and deep freezes. Aluminium does tend to get hot in summer – many novice window fitters get burns when attempting to remove, without proper protection, dark-painted metal windows on southwestern exposures – with temperatures that can build up to 80 degrees Celsius (180 Fahrenheit). Most seals start melting and deforming at such temperatures, compromising thermal efficiency. While in winter, think of the times, as a kid, when your tongue got stuck to a metal object outside, and what it took to remove it. Weatherstripping can get damaged too, and it is easier to tear when cold.
Rubber and plastics become brittle in extreme cold, and can fail from regular use. PVC insulates against temperature extremes, so a seal failure on a PVC window may happen later than on an aluminium window. Microcellular PVC with its closed-cell structure, is a better insulator, reducing stress on seals even more. The solid construction also spreads loads better to lower mechanical stress. It is very possible that a microcellular PVC window will outlast an aluminium window of similar performance, while costing a fraction of the latter.
Do I need triple-pane windows?
Triple-pane glass was designed to offer better insulation. The advantage comes at the cost of reduced luminosity (three layers of glass being on average 50% darker than two) and added weight (again, glazing with all spacers and seals being about 50% heavier overall). It needs bulkier window frames and sashes to support the added weight, and exerts more strain on the window hardware. Operator hardware is available in different grades, and heavier-duty have to be used for larger windows, and that’s an added cost. Heavier windows require more effort to install. The extra material and labour needed to manufacture and install triple-pane windows, and their higher risk of failure, translate into higher costs that will take longer to recoup in energy savings — if at all.
RevoCell® windows use less material, are lighter but stronger, and are easier to install. They cost about the same as other regular, dual-pane PVC replacement windows, all while offering the performance of triple-pane without the drawbacks.
Windows with three layers of glazing are darker, which is a disadvantage over dual-pane windows, as the primary function of windows is to allow natural light inside the building. Solar heat gain is important during winter, and it can be easier to achieve passive house standard with brighter, energy-efficient double-pane windows.
The insulation and airtightness of microcellular PVC windows allow reaching — and exceeding — triple-pane efficiency with a good dual-pane glass unit. RevoCell® windows are light but strong, and are easier to install. They offer high-end performance at a mid-range cost.
Unbeatable value
Our RevoCell® mPVC windows offer possibly the highest return on investment among the replacement windows available on the Ontario market today. Their solid construction makes them strong and durable. They offer top energy efficiency. Factor in the comprehensive 25-year warranty covering everything — product and installation, material and labour — you know you’re getting the best value around.