Are PVCu Windows Right for your Home?

Taking stock of PVCu’s recent developments, he says: “Profiles are better, with more stringent quality control; the glass has improved in terms of its thermal performance, too; hardware is now being designed to come with a 10-year guarantee rather than what used to be a one-year guarantee. All of this is happening, yet in most cases, market prices today are actually less than they were a decade ago.”

PVCu can also play its part in the creation of an airtight, thermally efficient property. “It’s often easier to get a lower U-value or better energy rating with a PVCu product than is achievable with aluminium,” says Ben. Look out for A-rated windows for good energy efficiency and opt
for triple glazing to have units with top performance.

Traditionally, the steel that reinforced PVCu windows acted as a thermal bridge, but new products are helping combat that. For example Neuffer’s Passivhaus-certified Energeto 8000 range is reinforced with carbon fibre instead. Some makers, such as Internorm, fill the internal cavities with additional granular insulation.

Design considerations

If you want a modern look to your home, with, say, a large, square top-hung or tilt-and-turn design, PVCu is a solid choice. Good-quality units are strong, clean-lined and low-maintenance. The frames will invariably be chunkier than with aluminium, but many self-builders are happy to sacrifice an inch or two of glass for the cost savings they’ll achieve with PVCu. Plus, slimmer-profile frames have been developed, such as Rehau’s Tritec 60mm.

In the past, PVCu fell down when it came to recreating the elegance and specific decorative features of timber period windows, such as sashes. Attention to detail was minimal, partly because of the limitations of what could be done with extruded plastic – too-wide glazing bars stuck on to the outside, sash horns jammed on rather than looking like they were a continuous part of the top sash etc.

The best-looking products, from companies such as Quickslide, Roseview and Residence, now solve all those problems and do a very good job of mimicking timber in terms of their proportions.

Are they durable?

PVCu does not have the life expectancy of an aluminium or a (well-maintained) timber window. But quality has certainly improved, and these days the seals and opening mechanisms are more likely to fail before the actual frame.

“You can argue that plastic may not last as long, but now there are guarantees of 30 years available, which is comparable with what you’d expect from many softwood window suppliers,” says Mike Hardwick. “Make sure it’s an insurance-backed guarantee, though, not just any old cover. This will offer protection if the company goes bust.”

PVCu in protected areas

Houses in a local authority designated conservation area may be subject to an extra layer of planning regulation (referred to as Article 4 direction), which means that you will need permission to change or replace windows and doors. Sometimes (but not always, depending on the authority) PVCu replacements are considered acceptable, but your choice will have to be approved by planners.

Some manufacturers have used the Article 4 guidelines as the basis for improving their product designs, resulting in convincing PVCu frames with all the correct detailing.

Have a chat with your planning department’s conservation officer to discover what they find acceptable – and look around the area to see what others have done. For listed buildings, the more stringent rules mean that PVCu replacements will almost always not be allowed.

Top image: This Nottinghamshire home combines Rehau Total70 PVCu windows in anthracite grey with an oak-framed gable entrance