uPVC Windows Guide

Double glazing doors and windows made from uPVC are probably the most popular types of doors and windows on the market today.  There are various reasons for this and the main reasons can be dealt with under the headings of energy efficiency, cost effectiveness, security, safety and maintenance.

Energy Efficiency:

Quality uPVC windows and doors are very efficient units that will enable you to keep your home warm and comfortable in the wintertime and cooler in the summer months.  With doors such as uPVC patio doors you can have a lot of light entering through the door due to large sheets of glazing, and yet the door will still be thermally efficient.  uPVC is a more thermally efficient product than timber or aluminium, the other two most used materials in double glazed windows.

By installing quality upvc double glazing in your home not only will you have a more comfortable place to live, but the running costs on your property will be significantly lower as you will have less need for central heating and air conditioning.

Cost Effectiveness:

uPVC windows and doors that are double glazed are not inexpensive and if you are considering installing them it will be one of the bigger home improvement jobs that you will undertake in your home. However given the various benefits that can be accrued by having these units instead of single glazed windows, the initial uPVC double glazing cost has to be considered over the lifetime of the windows and doors and the saving that can be made over that period.

The fact that there are many window and door manufacturers looking for your business means that with proper research you can purchase quality products at very good value. There are options for you to carry out DIY double glazing if you have some experience and talent at DIY and in this way you could save quite a bit of money on installation costs of the windows.

Security and Safety:

Security in the home is a much more important topic than it was in previous years and decades.  The days of homeowners leaving keys in their doors while they slept are long gone and with many homeowners away from their properties during the day, it is important that their homes are secure and safe from burglars.  Front doors for homes especially have to look and be very secure, but it is also advisable to have solid uPVC back doors and side doors also.

uPVC double glazed windows and doors are known for their strength in both the frames and the glazing.  It is very difficult to break through a uPVC frame and especially one that has steel strengthening rods added and quality uPVC window handles fitted.  Double glazing is also very hard to break through or remove without creating a lot of disturbance, which is something that a thief does not want.  Some homeowners for additional security opt to fit window screens over their windows also.  If your uPVC doors and windows are properly locked and secure while you are away from your property, a burglar will most likely move on to an easier target without even trying to gain access to your home.  Some homeowners for additional security opt to fit window screens over their windows also.

Maintenance:

Timber windows are very attractive and timber can become even more beautiful with age.  Unfortunately windows made from timber have the disadvantage that homeowners have to constantly maintain them in order to stop them becoming rotted or warped by inclement weather.  If a timber window does get water damaged and either swells, or bends out of shape, it will no longer perform as an efficient unit.

uPVC products such as doors, windows and uPVC cladding on the other hand are classed as maintenance free, given that the uPVC in the frames will not ever need to be painted during its lifetime.  This is a factor that attracts a lot of attention from hard working homeowners, who would rather spend their limited free time with their families than having to maintain windows in order to keep them performing properly.

Under the above headings uPVC windows and doors will either outperform or equal timber or aluminium windows and doors.  Taking the headings as a package it is usually very unlikely to find one of the other two window types that are able to provide the same performance and quality as windows and doors made from uPVC at the same cost competitive price.

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.

There comes a time when all homes need an uplift.  Whether it is just a lick of paint, the repair of some storm damage, or perhaps you want to upgrade your home before you put it on the market for sale, fitting uPVC cladding is one of the ways that you can give your residence a makeover without having to dig too deeply into your pocket.

This cladding has various advantages as a feature for your home and the following are some points to note:

· Cladding in general can be placed and fitted over old plasterwork, brickwork and is considered an inexpensive way to protect these coverings, and to save them from further damage or decay.
· As well as being an attractive feature for your property, exterior cladding uPVC also provides your property with an extra skin of protection against harsh weather conditions.  uPVC ceiling cladding can also be used as an interior insulator.
· PVC cladding is a very lightweight material and therefore is easy to handle and erect and does not put too much extra weight on your building.
· Another advantage of this type of exterior cladding is the fact that it helps to soundproof your home.
· Studies have shown that uPVC exterior cladding is better at insulating your home thermally than other cladding types  (such as concrete or timber cladding).
· Quality uPVC in general is a low maintenance material that does not need to be painted during its lifetime.  In general an infrequent wash is enough to keep your cladding fresh and clean.  This material will not rot, crack or fade due to sunshine and is slow to discolour and will not rust and is resistant to air pollution.
· If these types of cladding are manufactured for the British or Irish market, they should be produced to the various quality standards expected – British Board of Agrement (BBA) or British Standard (BS).  If you want to narrow an internet search for these materials, you could enter ‘uPVC cladding UK’ or ‘uPVC cladding Ireland’ into your search engine.
· uPVC is not a fireproof material, but it does have a higher combustion temperature than some other materials and some are manufactured to be able to self-extinguish.
· There are two popular design types of PVC cladding and these are V Joint Cladding and Shiplap Cladding.  Both systems operate in the same way and the differences between the two are mainly aesthetic.
· Both of these types of cladding can be placed horizontally on the exterior wall, or vertically, depending again on the finish being looked for.  Erection of the cladding is a simple matter of nailing the cladding to timber slats that are pre-fixed to the wall of the residence.  The nails are covered by another adjoining layer of cladding, which means that when the project is completed, the nails cannot be seen.  A gap must be left behind the cladding for ventilation.

As you can see from the above points, uPVC cladding has many features that allows uPVC cladding suppliers to recommend it to a homeowner as an excellent cladding option.  The fitting of cladding can be undertaken as a stand alone project or can be done in conjunction with the installation of other energy saving and home enhancing features such as uPVC windows and doors.

If you are considering purchasing windows for your new home, or replacing your older windows with a more energy efficient type, you might be interested in the following 9 brief points which are made regarding PVC.  A quality PVC window with good double or triple glazing will provide you with a window unit that will raise the thermal capacity of your home, if other factors such as attic insulation are also considered.

As with any product on the market, there are always questions regarding the effectiveness of PVC as a product and its possible detrimental effects on the environment.  The following points will hopefully answer some of the queries that homeowners may have.

1.    Value: The PVC in a PVC window will outlast most of the materials in other windows and performs better than them.  When it comes therefore to getting value for money with uPVC window prices you are gaining on two fronts.  Because PVC windows are long lasting you will not have to change them for a long time and because they are very energy efficient your fuel bills will be lower over the lifetime of the windows and subsequently you will save money.
2.    Durability: About 90% of the applications PVC is used for are what would be called ‘long life’ applications.  This description aptly applies to PVC windows and doors and also to such products as uPVC cladding.  Some studies have shown that in relation to windows and their profiles, 40 years is the projected lifespan.  This is more than any manufacturers will give a warranty for – in fact most will only cover the windows for ten to twenty years – but that is to be expected.  uPVC windows and doors will survive well against corrosion, inclement, prolonged weather and impact damage.
3.    Good for the environment: Advanced production technology has meant that the resin manufacture for PVC now can save a lot of energy in the production of PVC and this means less greenhouse gases are being produced when manufacturing companies are producing PVC.
4.    Part-produced from renewable resources: About half of the ‘feedstock’ required to produce PVC comes from salt.  As salt is abundant and renewable resource, PVC doors and windows are being produced from ‘feedstock’ that can be renewed and the same cannot be said for some other commonly used building materials.
5.    Low maintenance: PVC or vinyl windows will require little or no maintenance throughout their lifespan.  This is a fact that is both beneficial to the homeowner and to the environment, as for example, other window types will require painting every few years, which will produce undesirable paint emissions.  Over the lifetime of a timber window for example, a homeowner could have to paint the window possibly a dozen times.  This can lead to a large accumulation of emissions and leftover paint, brushes and paint tins that all have to be disposed of.
6.    Recyclable: Improvements are being made every day worldwide with regard to recycling PVC.  There have been various initiatives introduced  by governments involving PVC manufacturers and the building industry and these initiatives have seen a dramatic rise in the ability of  PVC recycling.  Vinyl2010 is one such major voluntary initiative taken by the PVC industry, which looks at all parts of the PVC cycle, raises awareness of issues that need to be addressed within the industry and promotes action where necessary.
7.    Tested fire performance: Due to the fact that PVC has a chlorine base, it is an inherently flame retardant material, which does not easily catch fire.  For example the ignition temperature of PVC is circa 390 degrees celcius as against an ignition temperature of circa 250 degrees celcius for timber.
8.    High Standards of manufacture: Manufacturing PVC is a process that, like most processes of production, is strictly monitored to ensure that consumer health and welfare is protected.  Emissions that are produced during the production of PVC have to be monitored by the Environmental Protection Agencies of the various countries involved.
9.    Versatility: PVC is a highly versatile product that can be used to produce a PVC window of almost any style.  Whether a homeowner requires PVC sash windows,  casement windows or bay windows does not matter – all of these window types are easily manufactured and marketed at a competitive price.

If you are undertaking to renovate a home, you should know that one of the first items in the home that will need upgrading are your exterior doors.  This is because firstly you want your home to look smart and attractive and there is nothing like a spanking new front door to make a good impression on your neighbours and any visitors.  Secondly you will want to install highly efficient doors such as PVCu doors that will raise the energy efficiency of your home and that will save you money over the lifetime of these doors.

There are many well researched reasons why uPVC is an excellent material for the construction of doors and windows and why such products as uPVC cladding are so popular.  This material is highly energy efficient if used properly and in combination with quality double or triple glazing.  In this present financially and environmentally challenging times it is important to save as much energy as possible in our homes for the good of the planet and also for our own financial wellbeing.

Residential carbon taxes are being discussed and proposed by several environmental groups and it is probably only a matter of time before they are introduced. When that time comes, homeowners that have taken action in order to have energy efficient homes will be in a much better position to minimize these taxes.

If you are concerned that PVCu double glazing doors and windows are limited in their appearance and style then put those worries to rest.  In recent years production technology has improved to such an extent with regard to uPVC windows and doors that they are available on the market in almost and style and colour, so whether you need front, side or uPVC patio doors it is easy to get a doors that are suitable to your type of residence.

It is always suggested that if you are considering changing either your windows or doors, that you weigh up the option of replacing them both at the same time.  This will give you better purchasing power with the supplier and will also ensure that you are able to get your doors and windows to match.

PVCu front doors for homes need not be solid doors that leave your entrance hallway dark and forbidding.  These doors can be produced with as much or as little of a glazing insert as you desire.  You can have small diamond glazing inserts at head height in your door, that allows in some light and lets you also see who is calling at your door.  You can also choose a half glazed door or even a door that has one full panel of glazing taking up almost the entire door.  Whereas this may not be suitable for a front door, PVCu French doors often come in this style.

Remember also that the glazing that is used in these doors is especially strong in order to prevent accidental damage if a door slams in the wind.  This also makes the door more secure if a burglar tries to force entry into your home.

There are PVCu doors available for any part of your home.  In fact if you are considering upgrading your doors, be sure to install a PVCu backdoor as well as changing your front door.  Cold air will enter into your home through the back door as easily as the front and burglars are more likely to try to break into your home at the rear of the house, where they can operate better out of public view, but uPVC back doors and side doors should ensure that homes are secure at every side.

So exactly how long have you been waiting for a new back door.  Many years ago your back door was not a problem, as all back doors were simple wooden pieces that took a lot of abuse and soldiered on.  However, over the intervening time your door has been slammed , kicked, scratched by your pets, weather beaten and has suffered all sorts of other hardship – and it is showing it.  The time has come to put your old back door to rest and to start looking at uPVC back doors to find a replacement.

There are various advantages to selecting a back door that is made from uPVC over other materials.
•    They are very energy efficient.  Obviously the installation of a back door for energy conservation purposes has to be carried out in conjunction with other energy saving measures, but installing one of these doors is a good start.
•    They are much more sound proofed than timber doors.
•    uPVC in general, whether it be in uPVC windows or doors, is a relatively maintenance free material.  It looks well when it is cleaned, but does not require any painting maintenance.  This is why uPVC cladding and other similar products are popular with homeowners.
•    These double glazing doors are much more secure than timber doors.  This is due to the multi-point locks that are present in any quality PVCu doors.  In many cases a strong back door is more important than having a secure front door, because invariably burglars will try the back of the house first in an attempt to gain access.
•    uPVC exterior doors, uPVC patio doors and uPVC French doors are relative easily to fit.  That is not to say that you should attempt to fit one your self unless you have some DIY experience, but it will not take an experienced fitter long to complete the installation of a new back door.
•    There are many different types and styles of PVC back doors to select from.  It will be easy for you to select a style that fits in with your existing windows and house style.
•    A uPVC back door can be as expensive or as affordable as you want.  There are huge variations in price of these doors and you can find one to suit your budget.

By going online and searching for uPVC back doors or uPVC windows and doors, you will be able to compare prices and styles of doors and windows and consider shipping costs, all from the comfort of your home.  Even if you decide to purchase from a local supplier, the knowledge that you gain from the internet will help you to be able to compare accurately what is on offer from your local supplier.