Description

UPVC, also known as Unplasticized Polyvinyl Chloride, is a low-maintenance building material used as a substitute for painted wood, mostly for window frames and sills when installing double glazing in new buildings, or to replace older single glazed windows. It has many other uses including fascia, and siding or weatherboarding. The same material has almost entirely replaced the use of cast iron for plumbing and drainage, being used for waste pipes, drain pipes, guttering and downpipes. These products are often referred to collectively in the home improvement industry as “Roofline“. What is good to know, is that UPVC is a cheaper alternative to expensive hardwood timber and aluminium. It is a popular material due to its durability and it being a cost-effective option. It can also be known as PVC and PVCU. The amazing strength, versatility and low maintenance comes from being manufactured using vinyl polymer which is bound to chlorine atoms so the window frames are not actually plastic and can work well with steel. This means that homeowners won’t have high ongoing costs. Currently, all UPVC windows and doors must be energy rated to conform with the Building Regulations, and are available in choice of attractive colours and woodgrain timber effect finishes. If you’re looking for energy efficiency, UPVC is the perfect choice, as energy rated UPVC windows are extremely thermally efficient. They have a very low thermal conductivity as a result of the type of materials used in manufacturing. This stops heat escaping as easily as it can do with some other building materials. The main advantage of all high quality UPVC products is that they never need painting, plus the only maintenance they really tend to need is a wipe down with a damp cloth once every couple of years or so.