A Guide to uPVC Windows and Doors
uPVC has become an extremely popular choice when it comes to materials for windows and doors. In fact, most windows found up and down the streets of Britain are made from uPVC.
Why?
uPVC is very cost effective, thermally efficient, non-toxic, and extremely versatile. uPVC offers significant advantages over more traditional materials such as timber or aluminum.
As one of the top uPVC window manufacturers in the UK, Window Supply Company has put together this helpful guide to answer all your questions on supplying uPVC windows and doors for trade and what pros and cons your customers can expect when purchasing uPVC material products.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about uPVC windows and doors.
What is uPVC?
As most tradespeople will know, UPVC stands for unplasticised poly-vinyl chloride. You’ve probably heard and encountered PVC (poly-vinyl chloride) before as it is a highly popular material within the trade and construction industries.
This plasticky material is used in all sorts of things, from clothes to waterproof tarpaulins. PVC is highly malleable, meaning it can be stretched and shaped to suit different needs.
By adding the unplasticised element, the durable plastic becomes rigid, making it an excellent material for construction. uPVC remains lightweight and keeps its durability, but can also be made in thicker, more solid shapes. These combined elements make uPVC a fantastic material for window and door frames and can help your customers get the very most out of their door and window frames.
What are the benefits of uPVC Windows and Doors for your customers?
uPVC windows and doors have several benefits attached to them. There is good reason why uPVC has become the number one choice for window and door frames for UK homeowners.
Some of the primary benefits of selling uPVC windows and doors to your customers are:
- High thermal efficiency
- Energy efficient
- Cost-effective
- Quick and easy to install
- Weather resistant
- Durable and long lasting
- Low maintenance
- Reduced noise pollution from outside
As the number one thing customers look for in their windows and doors is energy efficiency and secondly cost, let’s take a look at these two benefits in more detail.
Energy efficient windows
Windows are necessary in any property. They let in light and air and help keep rooms properly ventilated. However, they are also the main source of heat loss.
Having energy efficient windows can hugely reduce the amount of money spent on heating bills each month and with the current energy crisis, this is now more important than ever. Energy efficient windows mean properties will feel warmer for longer, as the hot air will stay trapped inside instead of escaping outside. The multi-chambered technology in Liniar uPVC window profiles trap air and create a thermal barrier, allowing your customers to save on their energy bills each month.
Combine this technology with double or triple glazing to offer your customers an A or A+ rated window; the best performing windows on the market in terms of energy efficiency, heat retention and overall performance.
Energy efficient doors
Although not as big a culprit of heat loss as windows, doors still offer an easy route for cold air to seep inside and for hot air to escape through.
Front doors are often placed away from the main rooms of a property, meaning energy efficient front doors are less of a concern for homeowners. However, adding that extra layer of uPVC to front doors will still give added protection against the outside elements.
When it comes to the back, patio or conservatory doors, the main living room or kitchen is at higher risk of feeling the bitter outside chill if doors are not thermally efficient.
By choosing to sell uPVC Patio, French or Bi-folding doors, you can provide your customers with the assurance of more energy efficient doors that create a solid, thermal barrier between indoors and the outside.
Cost of uPVC windows and doors
uPVC windows and doors are some of the most cost-effective on the market, but this doesn’t mean lower quality in comparison to other materials.
uPVC is easy to produce and can be made quickly. Unlike timber or aluminium alternatives, there is no need to source this material from other countries or external providers. Window Supply Company manufactures all their windows here in Britain, working closely with market leading uPVC systems provider, Liniar, to offer our trade customers the highest quality uPVC windows and doors at affordable prices, which they can they pass on to their clientele.
When you combine the relatively low cost of uPVC windows and doors with their high energy efficiency, it is no wonder that uPVC is such a popular choice amongst traders and homeowners alike.
Styles of uPVC windows
One of the most common misconceptions of uPVC windows is the limited choice when it comes to style. The unsightly uPVC windows of the 1980’s with chunky white frames is a thing of the past. Window Supply Company offers trade customers a wide range of foils in both solid colours and woodgrain effects. uPVC can deliver the beauty of a traditional timber window without the drawbacks of poor energy efficiency and difficult upkeep.
Due to uPVC’s versatile nature, you can offer your customers all the most popular types of window styles in uPVC, including:
- Casement windows
- Reversible windows
- Tilt and turn windows
UPVC casement windows
UPVC casement windows offer high thermal efficiency, and heightened security. Casement windows are also cost effective to install and come in a huge range of design options, giving your customers a great selection to choose from.
When it comes to casement windows, you can choose to offer your customers:
- Top hung
- Side hung
- Bottom hung
- Double frame
uPVC reversible windows
uPVC reversible windows are the perfect option for commercial projects. As a tradesman, you’ll find them easy to install and customers will find them easy to maintain. The movable pane in reversible windows rotates in a full 180° cycle, engaging on a safety catch that allows the external glass of the window to be reached safely from inside the property.
The unique rotating mechanism keeps the moving pane from intruding inside the room so wont snag on blinds, curtains, or furniture, which is a prime selling point for home owners living in flats or high-rise buildings.
uPVC tilt and turn windows
Tilt and turn windows are perfect windows for ventilating properties. Tilt and turn windows tend to open inwards, either on a vertical or horizontal axis.
The great thing about tilt and turn windows is that your customers won’t be stuck with just one way of opening their windows. Their convenient mechanism allows users to open the same window either from the top or from the side, providing an element of choice that most window styles lack.
The tight seal of tilt and turn windows makes them one of the most thermally efficient windows on the market, another prime selling point if you opt to include double glazed uPVC tilt and turn windows as an option for your customers.
Styles of uPVC doors
Like uPVC windows, there are also a range of types and styles of uPVC doors. External uPVC doors are commonplace in the UK, with the majority of front and back doors in UK homes being made by uPVC. uPVC external doors give more protection from the cold outside air and offer a lightweight door frame that is durable, low maintenance and easy on the eye.
Other common types of uPVC doors are:
- uPVC bi-fold doors
- uPVC French doors
- uPVC patio doors (also known as sliding doors)
UPVC Bi-fold doors
Bi-fold doors are offered in either uPVC or aluminum dependent on individual requirements.
Bi-fold doors are a series of framed glass panels that fold together when opened. You can easily choose how large an opening you would like by folding back one, two or all panels.
Bi-fold doors are great for accommodating the outside area of a property with the inside, as they can conveniently lead into a garden or outdoor space from a living room, kitchen or conservatory. Bi-fold doors maintain sleek lines for a modern contemporary style, making them an increasingly popular option amongst UK homeowners.
The fact that they most often act as an external door means that high thermal efficiency is essential for bi-folds. Opting for double glazed uPVC bi-fold doors is the best way to give assurances to your client that their property will stay warm whilst still providing the extra light and space that bi-fold doors offer.
UPVC French doors
French doors are a highly desirable and stylish set of doors that consist of two doors set side by side, meeting and locking in the middle. They tend to open outward by default, but can be configured to open inward if requested.
French doors are also a popular choice for leading out into a patio space, back garden or conservatory. Some homeowners also install internal French doors to separate the space between two rooms, such as a living room and a dining room. If you offer your customers high-quality uPVC French Doors from Window Supply Company, you can highlight the great versatility and attractive design as prime selling points.
In addition, French doors let in lots of light due to their large glass panels, but this can also be a concern for heat loss. By choosing to sell double glazed uPVC French doors to your clients, you can ensure that their property will be protected from cold air, whilst still giving an open, elegant look.
UPVC Patio doors
Patio doors are perfect doors for uPVC frames. In fact, it would be uncommon to see a set of sliding doors or patio doors that aren’t made of uPVC. This is for a few reasons.
Firstly, it’s important that sliding doors are lightweight, as they regularly need to be moved back and forth. Having heavy timber sliding doors could be a real struggle for certain homeowners. uPVC sliding doors offer a lightweight frame that many homeowners are looking for.
Secondly, patio doors tend to lead into a colder area, be that a conservatory, an outdoor balcony or a back garden. This means that a highly energy efficient door is essential to keep the cold air out of properties.
Double glazed uPVC patio doors offer just that, an energy efficient barrier between a warm house and outdoor space, making them the perfect uPVC product to market to your local clients.
How much will uPVC doors and windows cost your customers?
As with any installation, the price will vary depending on the amount of work that is required and the style of windows and doors chosen.
However, one thing is for certain, and that is uPVC windows and doors are significantly less expensive than timber or aluminium alternatives. uPVC offers:
- A lower purchase price
- Lower installation costs
- Higher energy savings
- Lower maintenance costs
uPVC is a lighter material than alternatives and thanks to its lightweight nature, uPVC windows are easier to handle and install, reducing your time spent on site.
With a lifespan of up to 35 years, uPVC is the long-term solution property owners are looking for. Windows fabricated with uPVC with not rot, split or corrode.
If you would like to discuss the costs of uPVC windows and doors contact our expert team today.
Window Supply Company partners with Liniar
Liniar are renowned for their high-quality uPVC door and window profiles. The award-winning Liniar windows possess unrivalled energy efficiency and are widely thought of as the most innovative and stylish window designs on the market.
The unique, custom-built Liniar uPVC window uses a multi-chambered profile that acts as a barrier to keep out cold air and retain heat inside. This innovative design has made Liniar windows the most thermally efficient windows available.
To ensure that our customers get the very best in uPVC windows and doors, Window Supply Company has become the first and largest trade fabricator of Liniar window and door profiles in Scotland.
To find out more about the high-quality uPVC windows provided by Liniar, contact your nearest Window Supply Company trade counter, or leave an inquiry via our attached contact form.