VLX 80 Awning Window

VLX 80 Awning Window in Fresno, CA | Meridian Windows and Doors Fresno

The VLX 80 Awning Window is a top-hinged aluminum window that opens outward from the bottom, letting you run ventilation even when Fresno gets one of its rare rainy days. It’s built for homeowners who want a sleek, modern sightline without giving up real weather protection or energy performance. Meridian Windows and Doors Fresno is an authorized ViewLux installation partner serving Fresno, Clovis, Madera, and the surrounding San Joaquin Valley. That means you get the factory product with a local install crew that stands behind the work. If you’re pricing awning windows for a new build or a replacement project, call us at (559) 272-4716 for a free, line-item quote.

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Product Overview – VLX 80 Awning Window

The VLX 80 is a top-hinged aluminum awning window. The hinge sits at the top of the sash, and the bottom tilts outward when you crank it open. That geometry is the whole point: rain hits the glass and runs down past the opening instead of into your house. In Fresno, where summer heat pushes people to keep windows cracked at night and the occasional winter storm rolls through, that simple hinge placement changes how you can use the window.

This window is designed around aluminum. Aluminum gives you a narrower frame than vinyl or wood, which translates to more glass area in the same rough opening. For a modern home in Fresno’s newer neighborhoods like Tesoro Viejo or Loma Vista, that clean sightline matters. But aluminum conducts heat, and that’s where the thermal break comes in. The VLX 80 splits the frame into interior and exterior sections with a non-conductive barrier between them, so the outside heat stays outside and your air conditioning stays inside. It’s the single most important engineering detail in this window.

Buyers choose the VLX 80 over vinyl because they want the frame to stay straight and square over decades of San Joaquin Valley sun exposure. They choose it over steel because it’s lighter and easier to operate. And they choose to buy it through Meridian Windows and Doors Fresno because we’re the local authorized partner who handles measuring, ordering, and warranty-safe installation. You don’t have to wade through a national distributor’s subcontracted installer roulette. One company, one phone number, one point of accountability from measurement to final walkthrough.

We install the VLX 80 in single units, paired vertical combinations, and horizontal ribbon configurations. It works as a primary window in bedrooms and kitchens, and as a secondary accent window above larger fixed or picture windows where you want air movement without a bulky frame. If you’re replacing old aluminum sliders from the 1970s or leaky single-pane windows, the VLX 80 is a meaningful step up in both comfort and appearance.

Technical Specifications

Here are the numbers that matter when you’re comparing this window against other aluminum products on the Fresno market.

• Profile width: 1.97 inches. Slim enough to disappear into modern stucco and smooth-coat exteriors, wide enough to hold a true thermal break.
• Wall thickness: 0.079 inches. This is heavier-gauge aluminum than what you’ll find in budget imports. It resists racking, sagging, and the kind of frame flex that leads to seal failure over time.
• Glass options: Clear, Frosted, Low-E, Tempered, and Laminated. Each can be configured as single or dual-glazed depending on your project requirements.
• Finish options: Premium Black, Pure White, Anodized Silver, Bronze, Champagne, and Teak Wood. Powder-coated finishes are baked on and hold up to Central Valley UV without chalk.
• Screen options: Fixed Screen or Retractable Screen. The retractable screen rolls away when the window is closed, preserving your clean sightline.
• Operation: Crank-operated with a smooth worm-gear mechanism that holds the sash open at any angle.
• Glazing system: Commercial-grade gaskets on both interior and exterior of the glass unit, plus dual-point drainage to evacuate any water that reaches the sill track.

Meridian Windows and Doors Fresno orders every VLX 80 unit to exact project dimensions. We measure in three places on every opening and order to the smallest of the three, which eliminates gaps and shim-packed installs. No stock sizing, no “close enough.”

Performance Features

Thermal Efficiency
The VLX 80 uses a true thermal break: a polyamide barrier that separates the interior and exterior halves of the aluminum frame. That stops conductive heat transfer through the frame itself. Combined with Low-E glazing, the window earns NFRC-rated energy performance numbers that hold up against Fresno’s July heat. Your cooling load drops, and rooms with west-facing glass stop feeling like radiators at 5 p.m.

Acoustic Performance
Fresno has real noise: Highway 41, Blackstone Avenue traffic, trains through the Tower District, barking dogs two houses down. The VLX 80’s dual weather-seal system and heavier 0.079-inch frame add up to a tighter acoustic envelope. Upgrading to Laminated glass cuts noise transmission notably more, and it’s the option we recommend for homes near any major corridor.

Airtightness & Weather Seal
Every VLX 80 unit gets continuous compression gaskets on all four sides of the sash. When the window is locked in the closed position, the gaskets compress fully. This is what prevents that drafty-Aluminum-window feeling that people remember from older Fresno tract homes. On the installation side, we run AAMA 812-compliant low-expansion foam sealant on every perimeter joint, because even the best window can’t perform if the rough opening leaks around the frame.

Waterproofing
The awning window’s top-hinged design is already one of the most water-resistant window types available. Rain naturally angles away from the opening. The VLX 80 adds dual-point sill drainage so any water that reaches the track exits through discreet weep channels instead of pooling. During installation, Meridian Windows and Doors Fresno integrates the window’s built-in drainage with proper sill flashing so water always has an exit path.

Wind Resistance
Fresno sees occasional 50-plus mph gusts during winter storms and spring wind events. The VLX 80 is wind-load rated for local climate requirements, and the crank mechanism locks the sash in place against positive and negative pressure. In exposed locations like the bluffs above the San Joaquin River, we can specify Laminated or Tempered glass for additional structural integrity. The window stays put, and so does the weather barrier around it.

Security & Hardware
The crank hardware on the VLX 80 does double duty. It’s smooth enough to open with two fingers, but when closed, the worm-gear mechanism can’t be back-driven from outside. A burglar can’t force the sash open by pulling on the bottom edge. The multi-point locking points at the bottom corners pull the sash tight against the frame, and for higher-risk openings we offer Laminated glass as a forced-entry deterrent.

Color & Glass Options

The VLX 80 comes in six finish options, which covers nearly every architectural style in the Fresno area. Premium Black and Pure White are the two most popular for modern/new construction homes, especially the black-framed farmhouse look that’s been popular in Clovis and north Fresno developments. Anodized Silver gives a more commercial, industrial feel that reads well on mid-century modern homes in older Fig Garden neighborhoods. Bronze is a quieter option that suits Spanish Revival and traditional stucco homes, especially on the east side of Fresno. Champagne is a warmer metallic that blends beautifully with cream and beige toned exteriors, which Fresno has a lot of. Teak Wood is a wood-grain finish for homeowners who want the look of wood casings with aluminum durability; we see it most often in the forested areas near Prather and Auberry.

On the glass side, Clear is the budget option and fine for interior-facing or shaded openings. Frosted is the go-to for bathrooms, laundry rooms, entry sidelights, and anywhere you want light without sightlines. Low-E is our baseline recommendation for every window facing south or west in Fresno; the solar heat gain reduction pays for the upgrade. Tempered glass meets safety-glazing code for windows near doors, in bathrooms, and within 18 inches of the floor. Laminated glass is the upgrade for noise reduction, impact resistance, and UV protection for furniture and flooring. We’ll walk through each opening with you and spec the right glass per location, budget, and California Title 24 requirements.

Installation by Meridian Windows and Doors Fresno in Fresno

Here’s the most important thing to know about aluminum windows in Fresno: the window is only as good as the install. A properly manufactured VLX 80 installed poorly will leak, stick, and eventually void the manufacturer warranty. An average window installed to AAMA standards will outperform a premium window slammed into a rough opening with shims and hope.

We install to AAMA 2400/2410, which is the American Architectural Manufacturers Association’s standard for residential window installation. That standard governs flashing, shimming, anchoring, and integration with the building’s weather-resistant barrier. We follow it on every single opening, not just the ones with tricky exposures.

Our process starts with a pre-install inspection. We check rough opening dimensions at three points per side, verify the framing is structurally sound, and identify any water damage or dry rot before the old window ever comes out. Then we remove the existing unit, clean the opening, and set the new VLX 80 level, plumb, and square. That last part sounds basic, but a window that’s racked even a quarter-inch will bind on the crank and sag over time. We fasten the frame through the jamb, never through the sill, so drainage stays intact.

Next, we run AAMA 812-certified low-expansion foam sealant along the full perimeter of the interior joint. This is the same standard California’s Title 24 energy code points to for air-sealing. The foam expands to fill the gap, seals against air movement, and doesn’t warp the frame because it expands with low pressure. On the exterior, we integrate the window’s nailing fin or mounting flange with the existing house wrap or building paper so water always drains down and out.

We finish with a water test on exposed openings, then clean the glass, remove packaging, and walk you through operating every window. You get a written workmanship warranty from Meridian Windows and Doors Fresno in addition to the ViewLux factory warranty. Two layers of protection, one local phone number.

Frequently Asked Questions – VLX 80 Awning Window

Get a Quote – VLX 80 Awning Window in Fresno

If you’re replacing windows or building new anywhere in the Fresno area, let’s get you real numbers. We measure, spec the right glass and finish for each opening, and deliver a written quote with no change orders later. Call (559) 272-4716 to schedule your free on-site measurement today.

Written by the team at Meridian Windows and Doors Fresno, serving Fresno and the Central Valley since 2007.