PVC window installation in Porto
Tell us where, and we will call you. Measure your opening on the drawing, leave your mobile number and installers in your area send quotes.
- Town
- Porto
- District
- Porto
- Position
- 41°09′ N · 8°37′ 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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Pick a type and sizes, then add the window to the list to see the square metres.
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About Porto
Porto is the capital of the north and one of the country’s two big cities. It sits at the mouth of the Douro river, by the Atlantic Ocean, and is the seat of the Porto Metropolitan Area. The municipality has about 249 thousand residents in 41 km², split into seven parishes, and borders Matosinhos, Maia, Gondomar and Vila Nova de Gaia.
The city began as a Celtic settlement and, in Roman times, was called Cale or Portus Cale, the name that gave Portugal its own. The historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. Wikipedia notes that many of the city’s oldest houses are at risk of collapse.
Between 1981 and 2014 the municipality lost almost a hundred thousand residents, who moved to the municipalities around it. Since 2014 the trend has reversed and Porto has gained about 12 thousand people. In areas such as Requesende, in Ramalde, there is public-space work, new parks and walking routes.
The parishes are very different. Cedofeita, Sé, Miragaia and Vitória make up the oldest core, Bonfim and Campanhã lie to the east, Paranhos and Ramalde in the centre and north, and the Foz do Douro by the sea. For anyone replacing windows, that means very different realities: from a stone building centuries old to a more recent apartment block.
What the climate of Porto asks of windows
Porto has a Mediterranean climate with Atlantic influence, type Csb, according to Wikipedia. In winter temperatures usually run between 5 and 14 degrees and almost never fall below zero; rainy spells alternate with cold days of clear sky. In summer there can be cool, rainy days in wetter years, and strong heat only comes when the wind blows from the east. For a window, this means rain, damp air, mild summers and the noise of a dense city.
In Porto, the window works between the river, the sea and busy streets. There is rain and damp air on many days of the year.
What counts is sealing well, dealing with damp and cutting street noise. It applies to a new window and to a swap in an old building.
- Wind from river and sea
The Douro opens to the Atlantic and wind comes up the valley with the rain. In sea-facing areas, such as the Foz do Douro, and on slopes above the river, rain drives sideways. A well-sealed window, well fixed to the wall, lets far less air and water through.
- Noise and pollution
Porto has more than six thousand residents per square kilometre, and cars, the metro and buses make noise on the avenues. People on the ground or first floor feel the traffic more. Panes of different thickness, good gaskets and a careful joint cut sound and also street dust.
- Rain and damp
English Wikipedia says Porto is one of the wettest big cities in Europe, with sun peeking out between the showers. With a cold, closed-up home, damp from the air gathers on the glass and in the corners. Airing a little every day and having windows that insulate avoids the worst.
- Sun and heat
Summers are mild thanks to the ocean, but there are hot days, mostly when the wind blows from the east. South- and west-facing facades warm the living room in the late afternoon. Light frame colours and solar-treated glass help keep the home cool.
| Condition | Level | Climate sheet |
|---|---|---|
| Winter | Medium | Cool and damp, rarely below zero. |
| Rain | High | A lot of rain, mostly in winter. |
| Humidity | High | The river and the ocean are close. |
| Summer | Medium | Mild by the sea. With an east wind the heat can bite. |
| Wind | Medium | Stronger near the Foz and the river. |
Levels for comparison, not measurements.
Solutions table for Porto
| Window | Glass | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local condition | PVC | Aluminium | Double glazing | Triple glazing |
Wind from river and sea | SuitableGood seals stop air, dust and gusts between buildings. | SuitableGood, as long as the seals are fitted well. | SuitableEnough for normal city wind. | It dependsOnly worth it if the rest of the window is good too. |
Noise and pollution | SuitableSeveral chambers and good gaskets help lower the noise. | It dependsWith a thermal break and good seals, it can work well. | SuitablePanes of different thickness cut more noise. | Needs careKeeps the cold out, but noise depends on the glass build-up. |
Rain and damp | SuitableKeeps the inner glass less cold and cuts water in corners. | Needs careNeeds a thermal break, or the frame turns cold. | SuitableA good base for homes that get damp in winter. | SuitableLess cold near the glass. Ventilation still counts. |
Sun and heat | SuitableLight colours on the sunny side help in summer. | It dependsDepends on colour and which way the facade faces. | It dependsFor sunny facades, ask for solar-control glass. | It dependsHolds heat in, but the sun gets in. Ask about solar glass. |
- Suitable
- Needs care
- It depends
In Porto the table changes from home to home: the street and the age of the building count. The installer confirms everything on site.
Homes in Porto
The homes in the area change what is worth asking of the windows.
Older apartment blocks
Many buildings in the centre are stone, with tiled facades, tall wood or iron windows and thick walls. In these homes the openings are rarely square and the state of the wall varies a lot. That is why it pays for the installer to measure and look at the opening on site, before any quote.
Historic centre
The Ribeira, the Cathedral and the streets around them are part of the UNESCO-listed historic centre. In areas like this there may be rules about the colour, design and material of facade windows. Talk to the city council before deciding and keep the answer in writing.
New apartments
Outside the centre, in Paranhos, Ramalde or Campanhã, there are many apartment blocks of different eras, with simpler, larger windows. Here avenue noise and the cold of north-facing facades weigh on the choice of glass and sealing.
Local notes
In Porto the noise comes mostly from traffic and street life. On low floors of busy streets, it is worth asking the installer about acoustic glass.
How it works
Tell us what you need
Measure the opening on the drawing and confirm your town.
We call and answer your questions
Plain words, no rush, no obligation.
We pass your request on and you get quotes
Your request goes to installers in your area. They are the ones who send you quotes.
We do not make or fit windows. We connect people and explain.
Towns near Porto
Not in the municipality of Porto? These are the municipalities around it, in the metropolitan area. Each has its own page.
Cannot find your area? Write it in the request.
Old buildings and the facade
Replacing windows is common in buildings that are decades or centuries old. Before asking for quotes:
- Check whether the building is in a protected part of the historic centre.
- Ask the installer to measure the opening on site, because old walls are rarely true.
- Ask whether the new window keeps the divisions and colour of the facade.
- In a block with shared ownership, talk to your neighbours: the facade belongs to everyone and the change usually has to match on every floor.
A good replacement shows inside, in comfort, and outside, in the facade.
River, Foz and slopes
Porto is not flat: it drops from the high streets down to the Douro, and the Foz opens to the sea. The same municipality has very different home climates:
- Near the river, in the Ribeira and Miragaia, the air is damp and deep streets tend to get little sun.
- In the Foz do Douro, by the sea, wind and salt air reach the windows.
- In higher, more open areas, such as Paranhos and Ramalde, wind and rain hit facades head on.
Tell the installer which area you live in and which floor. Two neighbours on different streets may need different windows.
General notes
Do new windows help with street noise in Porto?
They do, if the whole set is well chosen. What cuts noise is glass, profile, gaskets and installation together, not just one of them. Ask for panes of different thickness or laminated glass and tell the installer that noise is your concern. A new window badly fitted still lets sound through the gaps.
Can I replace the windows in an old building in the historic centre?
It depends on the area and the building. In the UNESCO-listed historic centre there may be rules about outside appearance. Ask the city council before asking for quotes. If there are rules, the installer should respect the shape of the opening and the colour.
Why is there mould in the corners of my home?
The air is damp and it rains a lot. When walls and glass are cold, damp from the home gets trapped in the corners. Airing every day and having well-sealed windows with their own ventilation helps. If mould keeps returning to the same corner, it is worth checking whether the cause is a leak.
Will a new window fix damp in the wall?
Not always. If the damp comes from a leak or from the wall itself, the window alone will not fix it. Ask the installer to look at the wall around the opening. A well-fitted window can still help the home feel less cold and less damp.
Can I replace the windows of just one flat in a shared building?
In many buildings the facade is shared, so check the building rules and talk to the manager. Colour and design usually have to match the other windows. Ask the installer for quotes that respect that rule. If in doubt, the owners decide together.
I live in Campanhã, Paranhos or Bonfim. Can I ask?
Yes. Put your parish in the request. We do not install: we pass the request to installers in your area. If you know the floor and the street, say so too, because it helps to judge wind and noise.
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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