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Thermal Windows and Doors

No matter whether it is winter or summer, most people wish to control the amount of heat that is entering or leaving the home through the windows and doors.  By using thermal windows and doors, you can increase your home’s energy efficiency substantially, control your home’s temperature and save yourself money.

Selecting Glass for its Thermal Qualities

Glass is used in all of a home’s windows and many of its doors, so it makes sense to get the correct glass for your home.  You will need to weigh up such things as how much light and heat you need to enter a particular room, and also how much fading you are willing to risk when it comes to furniture, paint, and so forth.  Generally, you would want less heat in summer and more heat in winter.

The three most common types of glass that would work for this purpose are:

• Tinted glass – commonly coming in grey, bronze, green or blue, it reduces the amount of heat and light entering the home.  It has better heat and UV protection that regular clear glass.
  
• Reflective glass – looks like mirrored glass from the outside and it is particularly good at reducing solar heat gain.
  
• Double-glazed glass – costs more but is significantly better than a single pane of glass.  In summer, less heat and UV light will enter in home while, in winter, there is better light entry and outward heat loss is reduced.

UPVC Windows and Doors – A Great Thermal Option

UPVC (unplasticised PVC) windows and doors have excellent insulating properties compared to standard aluminium window and door frames.   The heat is retained within the home during winter and kept out in summer.  This means that your energy costs are significantly reduced and, even if you replace all of your existing windows and doors with the UPVC equivalent, you can recoup the cost of doing so on your energy bills within a few years.  This could happen even faster if you used double glazing as well.

As well, UPVC windows and doors can be made and coloured to suit any style, are cheap to manufacture and install, and are very low maintenance.  There is a wide range of design options including shiny, matte or faux woodgrain finishes; and you can choose the number of panes contained within your window or door, how they open, the width of the sill or trim and how they lock.

UPVC never needs to be painted, as they are already stained, finished and sealed before they are delivered to you.  It is also resistant to dirt, stains, mould, scratches, dents and fading, making it a very long lasting option compared to aluminium or wood.

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