UK households are being warned over using uPVC windows instead of traditional wood frames – because of the impact on your energy bills.
In the past 20 years, the plastic windowframes have become increasingly popular as homeowners ditch their old wooden windowframes and install shiny new PVC options.
Many people also think that uPVC windows are better insulating and will keep your house warmer than wood, but that’s not actually the case according to experts.
In fact, having a uPVC window on your house may actually be adding money to your British Gas, E.On, OVO, Octopus or EDF Energy bill without you realising.
Not only that, but wood frames last much longer than uPVC, around 20 to 30 years if treated with wood protector every decade or so.
And uPVC windows are much worse for the environment. When they do need to be replaced, there’s a whole host of unrecyclable plastic that will be dumped in landfill where it will remain for the next 1,000 years.
As Reddish Joinery explains: “Despite common misconceptions wood is a natural insulator, therefore making the material a great candidate for any home’s windows and doors.
“Once installed, any present heat in the home will always have a tough time escaping, meaning homeowners can rely less on artificial warming methods and instead enjoy a comfortable and lower cost living space.”
Redditer @woxy_lutz added: “Timber is better insulating so will save you a marginal amount on your energy bills. The other thing to consider is that if the current frames are timber they might be load-bearing, so if you replace with uPVC you may need to get lintels installed which will add to the cost.
“From a sustainability point of view I would go timber all the way, but obviously it comes with an additional cost so you need to decide if it’s worth it to you.”
And window fitter Andrew Jaynes added: “Certainly, uPVC does have some merits; it’s cheap, fairly robust and provides good insulation for your home.
“However, those benefits are weighted toward short-term gains, and, eventually, they will cost you more in the future. Take their lifespan, for instance – uPVC lasts just a third of the time timber windows do which means they’ll likely need replacing far sooner than expected.
“They could also have a detrimental effect on the value of your home, particularly if yours is a period property, and as for their carbon footprint and sustainability scores, well, they’re less than desirable.
“Clearly, there are some drawbacks to timber windows. They’re more expensive and they do require a general maintenance coat of paint every eight to 10 years. However, as it’s already been touched on, timber windows offer far better longevity and are an investment that could potentially save you money in the long-term.
“As well as immediately adding value to your home, the environmental credentials of timber windows cannot be beaten; not only is wood renewable but with some light maintenance, timber windows could outlast you.”
