upvc windows – alternatives?

UPVC windows are not enviornmentally friendly. The industrial processes involved in the production of PVCs are highly toxic, with very harmful waste products.
The also look absolutely terrible & yellow under U.V. light, i.e. sunlight.

Alternatives are timber, maybe rationel, expensive but hardwearing.
Aluminium, some pyntha-pulvin coated aluminium windows can look really well and are virtually maintenance free and inexpensive.

Whats most important for your new windows is the overall proportions of the windows and the sizes and proportions of the opening sections.Steer clear of windows with small top hung opening sections and you should be safe enough.

It’s not so much UPVC windows going yellow that worries the industry, so much as the ones that go pink ! Interestingly enough ‘pinking’ usually occurs on north facing elevations so its unlikely that it’s caused by to much sun. Big debate going on within plastics but no definite answers. Some manufacturers are saying that the problem is caused by the use of heavy metal stabilisers such as lead, although the British Plastics Federation has scotched this suggestion. Another suggestion is that the chemical mix is wrong and that re-cycled PVC is adding to the problem. Whatever is causing the problem the only remedy short of replacement is to spray the windows white.

The big problem for UPVC in general is disposal at the end of its life. Recycling is feasible but capacity is hugely behind what is required, the numbers are scary. Incineration as proposed by the industry is even scarier.

I’m not sure about rationel being particularly hardwearing. I see them graying all over the place and unlike fashionable oroka facades, pine is definitely not meant to go gray. I find their frames to be very heavy unless the building has been designed to suit. OK in new build but bulky for a replacement. Try Lowen or Marvin.

On the subject of windows, proposed revisions to Part L are due out by the end of the month. UK has gone for U-values of 2.0 W/SqM/K for timber and UPVC, and 2.2 W/SqM/K for metal. These are not just center-of-glass values either. What that means is LowE as standard on both new and replacement windows. We should be following suit but don’t be surprised if there are shenanigans. The Irish Window association is a CIF ‘client’.

Is mise le meas,

Monty