PVC window installation in Portimão
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- Town
- Portimão
- District
- Faro
- Position
- 37°08′ N · 8°32′ W
- Tilt and turn: opens to the side and tilts for fresh air.
What will it cost? Start with the sizes
Window type
Material
Colour
Sizes
Between 600 and 1800 mm
Between 300 and 2200 mm
A rough size is fine.
Extras
Window schedule
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About Portimão
Portimão is the most populous city in the Algarve. The municipality has about 60,000 inhabitants (2021) and borders Lagos to the west, Lagoa and Silves to the east and Monchique to the north. The city sits at the mouth of the Arade river, about 2 km from the sea, and the municipality also has a strip of Atlantic coast.
The land is very old: near Alcalar there are megalithic monuments thousands of years old. The name Portimão is said, by tradition, to come from a tuna fisherman who settled at the Arade mouth in the 15th century. The town grew from the port and the river, and was largely destroyed by the 1755 earthquake.
In the second half of the 19th century, dried-fruit and fish-canning factories arrived, and the bridge over the Arade opened in 1876. Portimão became a city in 1924. Today tourism dominates, with Praia da Rocha about 3 km from the centre and the Algarve International Circuit, opened in 2008.
The municipality has three parishes: Portimão, Alvor and Mexilhoeira Grande. The centre has the 18th-century Jesuit College, and Alvor keeps the feel of a fishing village, with the Alvor lagoon beside it.
What the climate of Portimão asks of windows
Portimão has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, moderated by the Atlantic. According to Wikipedia, 300 to 350 mm of rain falls a year, and the wettest months are November, December and January, with 8 to 11 rainy days a month. From June to August it hardly rains. Sun exceeds 3,000 hours a year, and the sea is about 16 degrees in winter and 20 to 21 in summer. The window must cope with a winter of showers and a summer of strong sun.
Portimão sits at the mouth of the Arade, by the Atlantic. Summers are dry and sunny, and the rain comes almost all from November to January. The city grew from the port and the river towards the sea.
So the window has two jobs: stop the sun in summer and keep water out in the rainy months.
- Atlantic breeze
The sea breeze cools the summer, and Portimão is not known for extreme wind. But when wind picks up in winter, the rain arrives sideways and hits windows facing the sea. So the sealing around the window, not just the glass, is what keeps water out.
- Salt from the river mouth and beach
By the Arade mouth, Praia da Rocha and Alvor there is salt in the air all year. Over time salt wears less protected hardware and dulls handles. Ask for hardware made for marine settings and rinse the window with fresh water now and then.
- Rain from November to January
After months of dry weather, the first heavy showers expose every flaw. According to Wikipedia, there are 8 to 11 rainy days a month in this season. Poor sealing lets water in through the joint with the wall, stains the ceiling and feeds mould.
- Sun and a dry summer
With over 3,000 hours of sun a year, south- and west-facing windows heat the home from inside. Glass with a solar coating and shutters outside keep the living room cooler. In the dry summer, dust and sun also fade curtains and furniture near the glass.
| Condition | Level | Climate sheet |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | High | Hot and dry; the sea cools it a little. |
| Sun | High | Over 3,000 hours of sun a year. |
| Rain | Medium | About 300 to 350 mm, mostly November to January. |
| Winter | Low | Mild, with the sea at 16 degrees. |
| Humidity | Medium | Felt near the river mouth and in the rainy months. |
Levels for comparison, not measurements.
Solutions table for Portimão
| Window | Glass | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local condition | PVC | Aluminium | Double glazing | Triple glazing |
Atlantic breeze | SuitableGood, with seals in good condition and a well-made joint. | SuitableHolds up well. Check the seal on rainy, windy days. | SuitableWind hardly matters when choosing the glass. | Needs careHeavier: check that the window can carry the weight. |
Salt from the river mouth and beach | SuitableDoes not rust. Ask for hardware treated against salt. | Needs careBy the river mouth and beach it needs a good finish and rinsing. | SuitableThe glass is not changed by salt. | SuitableSame as double glazing on this point. |
Rain from November to January | SuitableGood against rain, if the joint with the wall is well made. | SuitableStands up to rain. Check that the tracks drain the water. | SuitableAvoids part of the water on the glass in cold months. | It dependsInsulates more, but in a mild winter it does not always pay off. |
Sun and a dry summer | It dependsLight colour and shutters outside hold back the heat. | It dependsDark heats up in the sun. Thermal break and light colour help. | It dependsGlass with a solar coating helps on sunny windows. | It dependsOnly holds back heat if it has a solar coating. |
- Suitable
- Needs care
- It depends
In Portimão, concentrated rain and sun weigh as much as the material. The installer looks at the case on site.
Homes in Portimão
The homes in the area change what is worth asking of the windows.
New apartments
Near Praia da Rocha and Alvor there are many apartment blocks, some used only part of the year. Closed for months, they trap damp, and the window may go unopened. A ventilation grille and a window that closes well prevent mould when nobody is there.
Historic centre
The centre by the river has older buildings with tall windows, alongside landmarks such as the Jesuit College. On old facades, ask the town council whether rules apply to the window design. The installer should check the sill and plaster before proposing a replacement.
Detached and semi-detached houses
Across the municipality, from Alvor to Mexilhoeira Grande and the barrocal, there are houses with large windows and terraces. They have more walls exposed to sun and rain than a flat. Glass, shutters and ground-floor sealing count a lot in summer and in the rainy months.
How it works
Tell us what you need
Measure the opening on the drawing and confirm your town.
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We do not make or fit windows. We connect people and explain.
Towns near Portimão
Outside central Portimão? These are the nearest areas and municipalities. Give yours in the request.
Cannot find your area? Write it in the request.
Rainy months: where the water gets in
Portimão’s rain is concentrated, from November to January, after months of dry weather. The first heavy rain shows up any flaws.
After a shower, look at:
- the joint between the window and the wall, outside;
- the sill, which must throw water outwards;
- the tracks of sliding windows, which have to drain;
- stains on the ceiling beside the window, a sign of water getting in.
If you find any of these, show photos to the installer before asking for a quote.
Holiday flat: a city of seasons
According to Wikipedia, about 44% of overnight stays are concentrated in July, August and September, mostly visitors from the United Kingdom, Portugal and Ireland. If your flat is rented to tourists, the window is opened and closed many times by different people.
That wears handles and catches. Ask for robust hardware, easy-to-clean seals and windows that do not let rain in when the flat is empty. Outside high season, an open ventilation grille prevents mould.
General notes
When it rains hard, can a window let water in?
It can, if the sealing or the sill is poorly done. Water usually comes in through the joint with the wall, not through the glass. Ask the installer to check that joint, the drainage of the tracks and the shutter box.
Does the Portimão sun call for special glass?
It is not compulsory, but it helps on sunny windows. Glass with a solar coating and shutters outside cut the heat that gets in and the glare in the room. In bedrooms facing west, the benefit shows in the afternoon.
I have a holiday flat near the beach. How do I avoid mould?
With the flat closed, damp stays trapped and mould appears in corners and cupboards. Leave the ventilation grille open and ask for windows with built-in ventilation. If you can, ask someone to open the windows now and then.
Is triple glazing worth it in the Algarve?
Many homes do fine with double glazing, because winter is mild. Triple weighs more and may not pay off. It can help in a home very exposed to cold or noise.
See the guide Double or triple glazing.
I live in Alvor or Mexilhoeira Grande. Can I ask?
Yes. Give your town in the request. The municipality has three parishes: Portimão, Alvor and Mexilhoeira Grande. Near the Alvor lagoon salt matters more, and further inland sun and rain do.
Can windows in the old centre be changed?
On old buildings by the river there may be facade rules. Ask the town council before deciding the design and colour. If it is a block, speak to the residents' association too, which usually decides the window for the whole facade.
Related guides
- PVC window buying guide: what to compareHow to ask for a quote, what to check before you sign, which questions to ask and which warranties to request.
- Window problems: condensation, cold, noise and leaksCondensation (also between the panes), draughts, leaks, noise, mould: the most common window problems and what to do.6 min
- Window comparison: PVC, aluminium and glass typesPVC or aluminium? Double or triple glazing? Compare the most common choices in plain words.
- 10 questions to ask a window installerThe 10 questions to ask the installer, each with the reason, to see whether the quote is serious.5 min
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