uPVC Windows Guide

Having window screens fitted to your windows may be very important or less important, depending on where you live geographically.  If you live in a country that gets a lot of insects flying around at various (or perhaps all) times of the year, then one of the items that you will definitely want fitted are window screens.

In other countries an insect window screen is not something that many homeowners consider.  In the UK and Ireland for example, there are a few weeks of the year that flies and wasps can be annoying, but that time is quite short and most homeowners would not consider it worth putting up insect screens for the value they would get from them.

One of the main problems with insect screens for windows is that the mesh used to make them is so fine in order to stop insects flies and bugs from entering a home that they are quite delicate and get damaged easily.

Screens can get broken by heavy handling, by someone swatting at a bug with an object and hitting the screen, the frames can get out of shape or the mesh can simply lose its tautness over time.

In these more modern times, homeowners are more conscious of the health risks that bugs and flies can introduce and therefore they are anxious that they have screens for their windows that are in place and also in good repair.  Window screens can be fitted to timber or uPVC windows, or any other window types.

Fibreglass has become the material of choice for many homeowners that want to install new screens or to instigate window screen repair.  This material is not expensive, is not difficult to operate and does not damage as easily as other materials used for making screens. It can be purchased in rolls and quite a few homeowners use it to carry out their own window screen replacement.

Aluminum is another material that is often used because it is hard wearing and will not rust easily.  It can be coated in different coatings that have a color tone, which can make the screens for your home look more attractive.

Even though property owners in many countries do not need insect window screens, they may well need screens to improve the window security of their home.  Window security screens are not dissimilar to insect screens to look at.  However the mesh in a security screen will be made of a strong steel, instead of a light material.

In areas where both types of screens are in use, burglars can often be unsure which type of screen is in place until they try to break in.  If the screen cuts easily they are dealing with an insect window screen.  If not, they are going to have a much tougher job.

Security screens also allow fresh air and light to enter into the home and most homeowners will leave them in place once they have had them installed.  They have instant removal capability from the inside that family member can operate in times of an emergency.

So whether you want to keep out insects or burglars, there are window screens to suit you available from window screen suppliers locally or online.  You can purchase these insect or security screens in their entirety and have them repaired professionally, or you can get into making your own replacement window screens.  For health and security reasons you should get some price comparisons if you feel that you and your family could benefit from the installation of these screens.

Time and fashion move on in all things and this is true of window production also.  When window replacement in favour of double glazing windows became the fashion nigh on 40 years ago, the aluminum window was the most popular choice to replace the humble timber window, which had been doing its job from time immemorial.

In a relatively short space of time aluminum windows moved from being a relatively new product on the market to holding well over 50% of market share.  This was due to several factors.  Aluminum did not cost as much to produce as timber, it could be made in suitable lengths for most window sizes, and it was and is a very strong product that would last for a long time and needed little attention.

However as stars rise they can also fall and once uPVC windows and other uPVC products such as doors and uPVC cladding came onto the market strongly about 20 years ago, the fall in sales of aluminum window units has been steady and inexorable.

So what makes uPVC windows and doors so good that they are able to dominate the replacement window market ahead of a window that was hailed as a breakthrough in window production just a few years earlier?

One of the main problems that aluminum had at that time was an unfortunate ability to conduct cold and heat.  This may be an admirable talent in other products, however it is not something that window manufacturers or homeowners yearn for in their windows.  In more recent times the manufacturers of aluminum windows were able to tackle this problem by fitting thermal breaks into aluminum window frames and this helped to reduce the conductivity of these windows, but by this time uPVC house windows had gained a strong foothold.

The main issue with windows made from aluminum is that they seem to be able to out-perform timber windows on a variety of fronts, but they are either only able to equal the performance of uPVC double glazed windows or else the under-perform slightly against them.

uPVC window prices and the cost of aluminium windows are pretty equal when it comes to cost competitiveness for example, whereas windows made from both of these products can be produced cheaper than timber windows.

Aluminum and uPVC windows are very easy to maintain during their lifetimes.  Timber needs reasonably frequent re-painting or it may suffer from weather related deterioration.

However there is one factor that keeps aluminium in peoples consciousness when it comes to window installation and that is security.  Aluminum window frames are very strong, stronger than uPVC frames and this makes aluminium storm windows an excellent option for strong adverse weather conditions, and aluminium windows in general are a popular choice when security of the home is of paramount importance.

In these present times of homeowners both being away from the house during the day due to work commitments, this can be a compelling reason not to discard totally from your mind aluminum replacement windows.

In the same way that homeowners weigh up various factors, such as price competitiveness, attractiveness, ease of use, maintenance, durability and other factors with regard to any product for the home, the same has to be done when you are trying to decide between a timber, uPVC or an aluminum window.  Window frames made from alumimum may not be ‘top of the pops’ anymore, but it is perhaps too soon to consider writing them off.

If you are purchasing new windows for your home, then once these window units are of good quality you should have little to fear with regard to their security.  Manufacturers are very conscious of the need to provide secure windows for their clients, so good windows will come adorned with window locks that should be up to the job of keeping intruders out of your home.

However life is not so simple if you have older types of windows installed in your home.  These could be period sash windows, old timber windows or even uPVC windows that were installed in less security conscious times.  If this is the case you may wish to review the security measures in your home and take some action.

Some homeowners with attractive antique windows for instance are reluctant to install new locking systems as they feel that this may ruin the character of the old units.  However with a bit of research it may well be possible to source locks from salvage yards that would make the windows more secure and yet would fit in with the character and style of the windows.

A difficulty that may arise is that a sash window lock located in a salvage yard may not have enough matching comrades so that you can fit all of your windows with the same lock.

If this is the case then it could be possible to locate good reproduction antique window locks that are much easier to locate in the quantities that you need and will probably work out more reasonable in price.

Window locks that have keys are the most secure type of standard lock.  However you do have the problem of either removing all of the keys from the windows when they are locked, otherwise a thief simply has to remove the glass in order to open the lock and you are back to where you started.   If you do remove all of the keys, it is important from the point of view of your own family’s safety that everyone is aware of the location of the keys, in case of an emergency.

Some homeowners prefer to purchase unobtrusive locks that can hardly be seen by anyone for aesthetic reasons.  Others take the viewpoint that the more visible the locks on their house windows are, the less likely it is that a potential intruder will try his luck.

Larger windows in a home may require more than one lock.  This is because of the pressure that can be put on a big window frame by exerting pressure from outside.  Another point to note is that very small windows can also be attractive to burglars and that these windows should not be overlooked when a homeowners are making inventories of window locks that are needed for their homes.

All windows in your home should be regularly inspected in order to gauge their security effectiveness.  Locks for uPVC windows are usually maintenance free and uPVC window handles are strong and not prone to giving trouble, but could be in need of some lubrication or perhaps there may be dust gathering in the lock that if not removed, could cause future jamming of the mechanism. If uPVC windows and doors are kept securely locked while you are away burglars will not normally try to force them, but will move on to easier targets.

A sash window lock can be very effective if installed properly, but if your sash windows are of the older style and are not very secure, you may wish to check out what types of updated window sash locks are on the market.
You can go online and view all types of locks for windows, compare prices to see what the advantages to different types of locks are.

Remember if window locks are going to be suitable for your home they have to be very effective at their job, they should look well and naturally they should be affordable.