The window that never rots, never splits

We've already talked about what makes upvc double glazing so energy efficient, but of course lowering energy bills is only part of the appeal of modern upvc windows.

Homeowners are equally attracted by the low maintenance and long life of upvc installations, and with good reason.

Upvc windows have been with us for over 25 years now and many of those early installations are still going strong.

But tastes and technology moves on in leaps and bounds and many homeowners are now replacing first-generation upvc windows with new installations.

Aside from a little cleaning and the occasional lubrication of moving parts like hinges and locks, you can expect a long life from your 'plastic' windows.

Compared to wooden windows, which require a re-coat or fresh paint every few years, and it's not hard to see why so many of us choose upvc windows.

They never rot or split, and the first generation problems of some warping occurring have long been addressed with frame design and installation techniques.

Discolouration? That's another problem from another era. Modern plastic extrusion - the stuff frames are made from - includes ingredients that fix the colour and prevent the fading effects of strong sunlight.

Culturally, the amount of 'free' time we now get and how we spend that free time has changed dramatically. One sign of this is the increase in low-maintenance gardens with larger patio and decked areas. In the modern age, we simply don't seem to have the time to do all those exterior maintenance jobs we once used to. This included stripping, prepping and re-painting the exterior of wooden windows.

*This article first appeared in our weekly homeowner newsletter - issue 21st February 2011.

More posts at Home Improvement Quotes Blog

We've been re-jigging how we get the latest double glazing and replacement window news to our army of followers, following the continued success of our weekly newsletters.

We'll still continue to make the odd upvc window related post here but for all the latest home improvement news, why not head over to our dedicated blog - Home Improvement Quotes Blog.

In addition to regular news articles, we also repeat the headlines and articles from those weekly newsletters.

If renewable energy is your thing, then we have a special renewable energy blog which has daily posts on the world of renewables, including the latest on Government feed-in tariffs and other renewables incentives.

Last chance to beat the VAT increase when buying double glazing

A quick reminder that if you're considering, even thinking, of getting some new double glazing (or a conservatory) installed on your home, act now and you should be able to get the job done before Christmas, avoiding the VAT increase on the 1st January.

And if you can't go ahead till the New Year, then there are some stunning deals around at the moment with many featuring buy now, pay later or 0% interest.

If you'd like to find out how much it will cost you to install double glazing, doors or a conservatory, then use WindowQuoter and get an instant online price in minutes, without the need for a double glazing company to call round.

photo credit: richard child