7 reasons why investing in quality windows and doors makes sense
28 November 2017
Windows and doors are obviously major elements of your home; however, if you aren’t meticulous in choosing residential doors and windows, there is too much scope for things to go wrong. For example, those doors and windows could fail to properly close, look unsightly or simply out of place with the rest of the house, or lack security features that are sufficiently advanced to put you at ease.
Therefore, the onus is on you to select your windows and doors wisely. If you do, you should be able to look forward to utilising powerful benefits like these…
You don’t have to sacrifice functionality for style when choosing windows and doors, which are – for example – available in a range of colours including subtle charcoal and chic black, as The Telegraph notes. Those two particular colours are especially popular for use in modern new-build developments, while the sleek lines of aluminium frames enable them to add style to exteriors.
Aluminium is particularly “in” at the moment. This trend has likely been encouraged by aluminium’s strength, which minimises how much of this metal a frame has to include to sufficiently secure glass and hardware. As a result, the frame can be kept slim and so there is more space for glass.
This is a particularly strong boon when you are seeking new windows, through which you will be able to enjoy even more of a beautiful view that your home may give you.
One aspect of windows’ and doors’ appearance that we would urge you not to overlook is the finish. We advise this because aluminium frames can differ in the quality of finish. On high-quality aluminium, the finish should be immaculately smooth and consistent.
Diligence during the manufacturing process is necessary for achieving a smooth finish. For example, during this process and before the powder is coated, a good finish should be achieved by polishing a die following each extrusion run. This can reduce corrosion while preventing the surface becoming contaminated.
If this all seems like very technical language, it does at least shed light on how carefully manufacturers need to act to avoid leaving their aluminium frames spoilt in finish. At ITF Aluminium, we always achieve a quality finish – due largely to our knowledge of recent industry developments.
Another benefit of an aluminium window mainly comprising glass rather than the frame is that the window’s thermal efficiency will be improved. In fact, thermal technology has advanced to the extent where aluminium windows and doors tend to be the market’s best-insulated.
This is largely because of aluminium’s high stability. Fluctuations in temperature can lead timber and uPVC frames to expand and contract and, as a result, make doors harder to open or close. Also, a large amount of glass that aluminium frames can permit is beneficial due to glass’s excellent insulation, while uPVC doors can suffer in thermal efficiency as they must be steel-lined.
On the subject of steel, you may remain attracted to it as a window frame material due to its aesthetics. However, aluminium windows better prevent heat loss while still looking akin to steel. For this reason, replacing steel with aluminium in your windows and doors would be a great move.
The more thermally efficient your home is, the less money you have to spend heating it – as much of the heat you have previously generated will not quickly escape the building. Hence, once aluminium doors and windows have been installed, these energy-saving home improvements could soon result in appreciable reductions in your energy bills. You could quickly save money in other respects, too.
In fact, aluminium windows and doors are, in many ways, maintenance-free. You won’t have to fret about them rusting, corroding, rotting, peeling or flaking. Compare this to timber, which must be repeatedly painted or stained to keep it weatherproof. Timber frames also tend to have a higher upfront cost than aluminium alternatives; so, aluminium can save you money right from the start.
On 1 October 2015, a new Part Q for the Building Regulations came into force with the requirement that new builds’ accessible windows – including basement and ground floor windows – meet security needs specified by British Standards Publication PAS 24:2012.
Part Q is not applicable for projects where the initial notice was sent ahead of 1 October 2015 and the on-site work was started before 1 October 2016. However, for other projects, it enables you to assess the safety of your windows and doors, says Homebuilding & Renovating.
High-quality windows and doors can include various stringent security measures – including British Standards locks, which BT deems essential. You should check that your doors each have two particular locks: a five-lever mortice deadlock and a dead-latch cylinder lock.
As a burglar can enter a property by forcing the frame of one of its exterior doors, you should check that each of these frames is securely bolted or screwed to the surrounding walls. Outward-opening doors ought to be fitted with hinge bolts to prevent burglars forcing the door off its hinges.
We know that however much any door or window would benefit you depends very much on how you would like to use it. Therefore, it is also the suitability, not just overall quality, of a window or door that you should strongly consider before you purchase it.
The range of products available here at ITF Aluminium include bifold doors. Installed along a wall, these can neatly fold to allow a panoramic view of the outside, thus blurring the boundary between your indoor space and outside one.
You can even blur that boundary when the outside space in question is a patio, as we offer sliding patio doors for use when bifold doors would not seem fitting for particular open spaces. Sliding patio doors can be installed to permit access to not only patios, but also balconies and interior rooms.
It’s also possible to let more light in from the ceiling with roof lanterns provided by our team here at ITF Aluminium. These roof lanterns can largely turn a ceiling into another window, but won’t come with low rod bars or chunky joint covers that distract from an otherwise pleasing overall look.
Seeing particular windows or doors right in front of you could help you judge whether you should definitely choose them for your home. Fortunately, at ITF Aluminium, we have our aluminium products on display at our Ipswich showroom.
At this showroom, you can sip a coffee while seeing our Smarts aluminium doors and windows being demonstrated. Our showroom staff can also if you already know you want particular products that are in our stock, inform you about pricing and how those products can be installed for you. Before you even reach the showroom, we can speak to you if you call 01473 288 898.
13 February 2018
