Photo courtesy of Pella Pella’s Designer Series windows add a touch of simplicity (and energy efficiency) with their design. Double- or triple-paned glass options can keep energy bills down.

It’s no secret the weather on Hawaii’s islands varies. On Oahu, it can be sunny in Makakilo while it’s pouring rain in Manoa. But when it comes to windows, every side of the Island faces the same problem: corrosion. Read on and learn how to protect your windows from the elements.

Photo courtesy of Andersen Windows Andersen Windows’ Coastal Windows and Doors line, available at Honsador Lumber, includes Perma-Shield, a vinyl cladding that resists the effects of salty air.

 Q: I live in Hawaii Kai, near the ocean, and my windows are always getting beaten down with all the salt water in the air. I don’t want to spend every day cleaning them. What can I do?
 A:  This is not uncommon. Salty air doesn’t just create water spots, it also destroys your windows over time.
Andersen Windows, available at Honsador Lumber, offers Low-E4, self-cleaning glass.
    How does it work? When the sun shines on the glass, it activates the coating, loosening the dirt and reducing the pooling action of water on the glass. 

 Q: I’m building a home near the beach. What kind of windows should I get?
 A:  Think about the material. “If you’re in Kaaawa or Portlock, near the water, and you’re getting a lot of salt, you’re probably going to want to go with a vinyl solution because it doesn’t corrode,” says Frank Alexich, of Screens & Things.
    The staff at HPM Building Supply agree. “Vinyl windows are the most impervious to corrosion from salt and humidity,” they say. But pay attention to how much metal framework is included. Even if the windows are vinyl, the framework that is encased inside is metal, which can corrode over time.

 Q: I want to install sliding windows, but I have heard the rollers can rust. Does this mean they are out of the question?
 A:  Absolutely not. Again, you just need to pay attention to the material. Consider the sliding window from Coastal Windows. “It has the minimal amount of hardware in it. We don’t slide on rollers, as a typical sliding window does. We slide on Teflon, so there is no metal in the sliding mechanism. That opens you to glide as smoothly as the day you put it in, even in ocean-front homes,” says Pam Barrett, of Coastal Windows. 
    And don’t forget energy efficiency. The ThermaStar line, from Pella Architechural Products, helps save energy costs with Low-E (Low-Emission) insulating glass. 

 Q: I live on the Leeward side and I love the sun, but sometimes the sun coming through the windows gets too hot. We’ve tried wood shutters, and we love their look, but the termites got to them. Are there other options?
 A:  Sunburst Shutters offers Polywood shutters, which have the look of wood that you love, but with no wood at all.  According to Brent Wilson, the general manager of Sunburst Shutters, the material has a lifetime warranty on both the finish and against manufacturing defects. It is also impervious to moisture and termites and insulates 70 percent better than wood shutters.

This sizable window package, from Windows Hawaii, is a custom-made four-stacked arch top with awnings on the bottom. “We can accommodate almost any type of opening,” says Howard Katano, of Windows Hawaii.

 Q: It is constantly raining in Manoa, where I live, and I’ve had my windows for more than 20 years. Is it time for new ones?
 A:  It might be. In this case, you get high levels of humidity and precipitation, which can lead to rust. Because rust causes wear and tear, you’ll want to make sure you have a solid frame and good construction. Windows Hawaii recently replaced a window in Nuuanu (right). The previous window was installed with inferior products. “The whole frame and structure were falling apart, a lot due to the weather in Nuuanu and poor construction,” says Howard Katano, of Windows Hawaii. Their solution: use Anlin windows, “which are the best in replacement vinyl windows,” says Katano. They come with a lifetime guarantee, including  installation, assuring a safe bet.
 
 Q: I don’t live near the ocean or in a rainy area. Do I have to worry about corrosion?
 A:  “There is no place in Hawaii where you don’t have to worry about corrosion,” says Steve Businger, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Meteorology at the University of Hawaii. In Ewa, “you tend to have a little more dust that’s picked up off the agricultural field, and the dust can also be a bit corrosive.” 
Dust can also enter your home. Resolving this problem sometimes means a simple window change. EMEE Kitchens & Baths LLP recently encountered this problem.
    “Originally, it was just a large picture window with jalousies below to the floor,” says Kelli Isa, of EMEE. Now, the area houses five-section bow windows, with a combination of casement and picture windows on one side. Where low-lying jalousies allowed dust and debris to enter the home, new window styles let air flow at an angle, leaving dust outside without compromising the ventilation or the view.