New Advances in UPVC Doors

New Advances in UPVC Doors

UPVC doors have long been the most popular choice of replacement door for homeowners. Over the years there have been many improvements to the design, production and the quality of these doors. New designs mean there are a vast array of elegant designs with contemporary glazing options to choose from to enhance the look of your home.

A UPVC door can now be expected to last around 20 years and retain its good looks throughout this time. They require no time consuming or regular maintenance other than a wipe down with a clean damp cloth.

Early UPVC doors were prone to weathering problems such as cracking and discolouration, particularly when installed on south facing aspects. This is caused by excessive solar absorption of the door skin, which is due to inadequate protection afforded by the hot stamp foils and conventional PVC based foils used today. To help combat this new methods of production have been developed with additions like Coolskin. Coolskin is a range of PVC sheets which are laminated with a semi rigid PVC based foil. This is easily vacuum formed to the door, has no moisture problems and is more resistant to scratches and everyday abrasions than standard UPVC coverings.

The suns harmful UV and IR rays attack the PVC molecules and can cause undesirable colour development and eventual structural breakdown. The nature and composition of door skin surfaces in the market today define how much heat is absorbed onto and into the door structure. Changes in surface temperature lead to expansion of the surface skin and once this becomes significant, distortion and other undesirable effects can and do easily occur. The Coolskin special heat reflective sheet minimises the amount of infra-red heat absorbed from the sun thereby reducing the amount of heat passing through to the base, helping eliminating warping, bowing and cracking.

New UK regulations mean that all doors and windows have to meet thermal efficiency standards. Thermal efficiency measures the amount of heat lost through the door and the solar gain of heat allowed through. This is measured in U values with the lower the U value the more efficient the door. Buying thermally efficient windows and doors can save significant amounts on your heating bills.

So when looking for a new UPVC door once you have chosen the design you like you should also check to make sure the door is reinforced, has a multi point locking system, is thermally efficient, has a 10 year guarantee and is protected by Coolskin.