What are uPVC windows and doors?
What are the 5 secrets?
uPVC (unplasticized polyvinyl chloride), is a recycled plastic, which forms into an extrusion for a window or door, utilizing it to improve the energy efficiency and comfort of dwellings.
There are a multitude of benefits to uPVC, due to the nature of the product. It helps improve the condition of your home in these 5 major ways that are kept secret from Australians:
Improves energy efficiency.
uPVC is Bushfire rated (BAL 40 rating).
An increase in home safety (from break ins).
uPVC is more sustainable than other window materials.
A major increase inn thermal insulation and noise reduction.
Secret #1 - Energy efficiency
What is energy efficiency?
Energy efficiency means to perform the same, or create a better result, using less energy to obtain that result.
For example, to create cooler living conditions within your home on a hot day, we tend to use air conditioners, which increases our energy use.
If we wanted to become more 'energy efficient', we would seek to use other alternatives, like an electric fan, or a geothermal air conditioner. This uses less energy, making these suggested alternatives more energy efficient.
Why is energy efficiency important?
Energy efficiency is monumentally important, as being more energy efficient can prevent greenhouse gasses and decrease water usage.
Energy efficiency also comes with economic value too. Using less energy = Less money spent on energy bills.
It can also improve the health of those living within the environment, like improving upon allergies, cardiovascular issues, and respiratory problems.
How do uPVC windows and doors improve energy efficiency?
uPVC improves a home’s energy efficiency astronomically, as the density of uPVC, and poor conduction response to natural energy, uPVC windows and doors naturally deflect the external weather of a dwelling away from having an impact on the dwellings internal thermal state.
This allows the occupants to use less of their heating and cooling units, whilst enjoying the same result these units provide without the energy usage, making the dwelling become more energy efficient.
Secret #2 - Bushfire rating (BAL 40)
What is a bushfire attack rating (or BAL)?
A bushfire attack rating (Otherwise referred to as a Bushfire Attack Level - BAL), is the measurement that demonstrates a buildings exposure to a direct flame, ember attack and radiant heat.
How its measured, is through incremental takes of radiant heat. The expression of a BAL rating is done through kilowatts/m2.
The 6 BAL ratings, include:
BAL Low: There is not enough risk to present your home with a threat of a fire. (Meaning there are no specific building requirements to act against a fire threat.)
BAL 12.5: Embar attacks are considered a threat to a BAL 12.5 rated home. (BAL 12.5 rated building materials are required for the home).
BAL 19: This is a higher level of ember attacks, being encouraged to ignite with the association of windborne embers, included with a heat flux. (BAL 19 rated building materials are required for the home).
BAL 29: This is an increasing amount of ember attacks combines with burning debris becoming ignited by windborne embers, combined with an increase of heat flux. (BAL 29 rated building materials are required for the home).
BAL 40: This is an even more increased amount of ember attacks and burning debris combined with heat flux, with exposure to an increased likelihood of flames. (BAL 40 rated building materials are required for the home).
BAL FZ: This is the highest BAL rating of the 6. BAL FZ indicates direct exposure to fire and flames, inclusive of an ember attack a heat flux. (BAL FZ rated building materials are required for the home).
Why is a BAL rating important?
A BAL rating is critical to understand about a new home building location, as a BAL rating dictates a home’s exposure to certain types of fires (as shown above). Understanding the BAL rating of your home’s location, helps builders purchase the correct materials for the dwelling to act accordingly in a potential fire threat to the home.
How is uPVC ranked in BAL ratings?
Depending on the design and details of custom-made uPVC windows and doors, they can achieve a BAL rating of 40, ensuring that any house rated at a BAL 40 or lower, can have uPVC windows and doors installed for their home.
There have been fire tests of uPVC show casing that uPVC is naturally flame retardant. uPVC proves that it will not encourage a fire, cause a fire, or even support an ongoing fire.
Here's a link to show a uPVC undergoing testing: https://www.instagram.com/p/CzfdSbKovLO
Secret #3 - In home safety
What type of safety does uPVC provide?
uPVC windows and doors provide safety away from break ins. In Australia, it is found that the most common ways to break into a home, is through the front door, windows, a pet door, and a garage. With 40% of break ins occur from forced entry, 32% find themselves walking through an unlocked door.
How does uPVC windows and doors improve the safety of a home?
uPVC Windows and doors (The ideal 4000 series from Aluplast) has a rating of RSC2 burglary protection.
The RC2 rating is influenced by the locking mechanisms and mechanics of uPVC windows and doors, as there are several interlocking systems around the sash of the door or window which needs to be engaged, prior to locking the sash. If a security screen door is included, there can be up to 8 individual locking points on a front door.
uPVC Tilt and Turn safety:
The uPVC Tilt and Turn window is a european designed window, that is a brand new concept the the Australian window and door marketplace.
The way the tilt and turn works, is by having a series of locking points around the edges of the sash to the frame, which allows the sash to act as a door, and aslo tilt from the top of the window, to allow for overhead airflow.
To tilt down into the home for maximum airflow, the Tilt is also a great design for security purposes. This is because, if we were to leave the dwelling unattended for the day, with the tilt operation active, it allows airflow through the top of the window whilst the occupant is out, and makes it nearly impossible for people to break in, as they can't access the handle to change it to a tilt, and must have the door closed from the inside to change it into a turn.
To found out more about the Tilt and Turn, click on the button below:
Secret #4 - Sustainability
What is sustainability?
Sustainability is our international society’s ability to develop and exist without rapidly depleting all the world’s natural recourses, to be used for the future.
Sustainability also requires us to create and implement certain sustainability frameworks within our business practices and day to lives. For example:
Avoiding the use of disposable items.
Buying products with less packaging.
Shopping local and supporting local business.
Reducing energy use.
What's the importance of sustainability?
Sustainability is critical to the preservation of natural recourses, improving upon the quality of everyone’s lives, and preserves our ecosystems.
Each of these critical components (listed above) are so monumental to supporting the environment, as they have a mega negative domino effect if we do not continue with sustainable practices in business and our personal lives.
The negative implications of each include the following:
Lack of natural recourses:
A decrease and lack in natural recourses can harm the world for a multitude of reasons.
Some of the most important being that if we run out of quality natural resources, we run out of things like building materials for homes with a growing population, which can ultimately lead to negative building practices and lack of shelter to provide for the ever-growing population.
High energy usage:
One of the biggest impacts high energy usage has, is air pollution. Air pollution of itself is so destructive, that it spreads to having a negative effect on the enviroment, and subsequently on humans within the enviroment.
Air pollution:
Air pollution can be caused by a variety of things, like manufacturing, power generation, fuel oils and gas to heat dwellings. Air pollution can have negative implications by introducing copious amounts of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur oxides.
In serious areas impacted by air pollutions, humans can be severely impacted in a series of ways. These pollutants can enter the bloodstreams of people immediately effected, and help contribute to itchy eyes, coughing, or create lung/breathing diseases.
Hoe does uPVC improve sustainability?
uPVC's plastic properties allow the material to be recycled up to 10 times and be reused to create more energy efficient homes when turned into windows and doors.
With every turn you take in uPVC, whether it be manufacturing, recycling, or installing it in a dwelling, it always has a positive impact on the sustainability of the planet.
This is due to uPVC being recyclable and reused up to 10 times. That’s 10 lifetimes of uPVC. uPVC also provides dwellings with a thermal break to the home, meaning that it can maintain the thermal comfort of your home by blocking external climates, using less energy from heating and air conditioning units.
Secret #5 - Thermal comfort and noise reduction
What is thermal insulation?
Thermal insulation refers to the reduction of hot or cold energy transfer between two objects/places in thermal contact or in range of radiative influence.
For example, if it is a hot day outside, and you are looking to maintain a cooler atmosphere within your home to become more comfortable, you would use an air conditioning unit. Although, if your home had more 'thermal insulation' materials instead, you would become just as cool, or cooler with insulated materials like polyurethane as a sealant, mineral wool insulation within walls, or spray foam.
What is noise reduction?
Noise reduction refers to the reduction of loud or amplified sounds through insulated items and materials like noise cancelling earphones and insulated building materials.
An example where noise reduction can be used is by trying to study a book or subject in a library where there can be small irritating noise of others around you. To increase the focus and concentration of the student, they may want to use noise cancelling headphones. Whilst this level of noise reduction improves focus, it also improves the comfort of the person as their singled focus is to now study without concern of external distractions or annoyances.
How does uPVC improve thermal insulation?
Regardless of the external climate of a dwelling, whether it be cold or hot, uPVC windows and doors improve thermal insulation by being a poor conductor of energy and having a thick layered extrusion of angled air pockets within the windows extrusion, preventing any thermal bridging.
To combine uPVC with double or triple glazing within the window, will only improve the thermal insulating properties, as the glass is filled with argon gas between the glass panels, and glass can also be coated with Low-E, which allows the light of the sun to come through a dwelling, without transferring most of the heat that comes from the sun.
How does uPVC improve noise reduction?
uPVC with double or triple glazed glass units can dramatically improve the decrease in noise pollution from your home. Some of the greatest issues face with people in homes who have the problem of noise, is between both loud traffic, and noisy neighbours.
With uPVC windows, you can also double on the installation. By this, we mean that you can install a uPVC window, and install the same uPVC window right Infront of it, deepening any unwanted noise from the external of a dwelling. Combine this will a thick Sikaflex sealant around the sides of the window, noise pollution becomes a thing of the past instantaneously.
Conclusion
To conclude this blog, we have found that uPVC windows and doors are multidimensional in its benefits for its positive impact on sustainability, humans health, fire protection, criminal protection, and improving upon your lifestyle using less energy to sustain a more comfortable/liveable space.
If you are interested in uPVC windows yourself, and have any other questions regarding uPVC windows, book a free consultation with one of our installers who will be able to answer any questions you may have about uPVC windows and doors and provide a measure up to give you a free quote.
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