The aluminium commercial door is the number one choice for use in just about every type of commercial building.  In commercial environments there are regulatory requirements in addition to aesthetic considerations; in particular doors may be required to open and close in a particular manner.  In this article we’re going to explain why it is so important to select the correct door closer for aluminium doors.

Commercial aluminium doors are designed for high use buildings such as schools, shops, office blocks and hospitals.  Only an aluminium door can perform and last in such demanding conditions.

Building Owners and designers have a legal obligation to ensure entrance doors meet the needs of current legislation.

Commercial doors are required to meet certain design specifications in order to carry out these demanding functions.  Aside from reliability there are certain functions that the door must carry out.  For example the door mechanism must be able to control the door opening and closing speeds, and control when or how the door opens.  One of the critical components in this function is the door closer.

In the vast majority of commercial doors, this door closer will be a transom closer.  This is a door closer hidden in the frame head of the door and connected to the top rail with a suitable top arm and fixings.

So which is the correct door closer for aluminium doors.

If you are ordering commercial doors from a trade manufacturer or specifying commercial doors for a construction project there are two main pieces of legislation that need to be considered.  The first is the Equality Act.  The second is ensuring that if the intended door is a fire door or fire exit door that the relevant Fire Regulations are met.

The door closer plays an important part in ensuring the door that will be installed will meet these regulations.  It is useful therefore to give an overview of the Equality Act, Fire  Regulations and some initial background.

Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 now combines over 100 pieces of legislation.  This new Act is there to ensure that equal opportunity exists in many walks of life from sexual discrimination, disability discrimination, race relations, equal pay and so forth.

In the case of commercial doors it is disability discrimination that needs to be avoided.  Therefore, the Act clearly states that “service providers” and anyone responsible for overall building design and use must provide ease of access and general ease of use around a building. In short any “physical barriers” must be removed that may prevent a disabled person from using or accessing a service provided by the building and its occupier.  You can download the amended Part M “access to and use of buildings” regs here.

Fire Regulations

With regard to fire safety on commercial doors, those installed in a designated fire exit will be the “final exit” on an escape route out of a building.  Fire exit doors must open instantly, very easily and wherever possible in the direction of the escape.  In most cases this will be open out.

Therefore sliding, revolving or bifolding doors are completely unsuitable as fire escape doors.  More importantly, fire exit doors must be operated without a key and without any prior knowledge of how the door operates in a fire situation.

At the same time Fire Exit doors whilst intended to provide unhindered exit out of a building are also required to be secure!

What is the difference between a Fire Exit Door and a Fire Door?

Fire exit doors provide the final escape route out of a building. They must be easy to operate and require no prior knowledge of how they open.

The construction industry may loosely use the term “Fire Door” when in fact they mean a Fire Exit Door.  In simple terms a Fire Door is a door that is designed to close off a section of a building the event of a fire and provide a level of protection for a specific length of time, usually 30 minutes.  Typically these doors will be internal.

The Fire Exit door is as explained above providing exit out of a building in an emergency.

How Door Closers are affected by Legislation

The correct door closer in a commercial door to meet the Equality Act must meet specific opening and closing forces. These are detailed in our Building Regulations, typically BS 8300:2009 and Approved Document M for England and Wales.  In Northern Ireland it is Part R and Section 3 for Scotland.

These Regulations state that a door closer must:

Produce an opening force of below 30N between 0º and 30º degrees and below 22.5N between 30º and 60º degrees

On a typical door a high quality door closer such as those supplied by Dorma Door Controls, this will be a strength 3 and meets all the current standards.

Not all door closers are able to meet current standards and legislation

High quality door closers such as Dorma whilst costing more than a cheaper alternative carry third party accreditation that they meet the required standards. Importantly they also have the ability be adjusted to low opening forces.

What you may not know is that weather seals, hinges, architectural ironmongery, glass weight and door size all play a part in the opening force of the door.  Therefore, whilst you may think your closer will meet the required opening force, only on site testing can prove its compliance to BS8300 and Approved Document M.

It is the complete door set that must be compliant with the opening force not just the closer. 

The door closer market for commercial doors is very competitive with many door closers being poor copy imitations of higher quality ones.  Whilst many are manufactured in China, the quality of the closers varies a lot.

It is important to look out for closers that will not leak if the adjustment screws are loosened too much.  Furthermore the quality of the metals used in the top arms and the associated fixings must be of a good quality to ensure the long term performance of the product.

If you are a manufacturer of commercial doors, obtaining a cheap door closer may prove false economy if you are having to replace them for faults and carrying out service calls.

BS EN 1154 is the standard relating to Controlled Door Closing Devices.

This important standard relates to Fire Exit Doors.  It states the minimum performance requirements for door closers that are fitted to final exit doors such as aluminium commercial doors used in fire exits.  Again high quality closers tested to over a million cycles such as the Dorma RTS 87 to size EN3 will comply.  Does your current door closer?

The meeting of current standards and legislation is complex for installers and specifiers of commercial aluminium doors and not all door closers will comply.  If you would like further information and assistance on the correct products to use, please contact us.

The post Selecting the correct door closer for aluminium doors? appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

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Origin Frames have launched their brand new aluminium window to complement their range of aluminium bifolding doors. The Origin aluminium window is the first all aluminium flush casement window in the market and will address the need for a superior quality flush casement window in aluminium.  Until now this was served by the UPVC industry.

Large windows create additional light and space. Aluminium windows can be made much larger than their PVCu alternatives.

It is a contemporary looking window when needed to match the modern lines of the Origin bifolding door but at the same time is a flush casement to replace the types of windows found in many country properties or to replace traditional timber windows.

With Origin introducing an aluminium casement window to complement perfectly their very successful bifolding doors it was important to ensure this could be made at large sizes.

The aluminium flush casement window means large window sizes

Depending upon the design of your home extension, new build or renovation project, you will want to create something that brings in maximum light.  Bifolding doors or sliding patio doors provide the door option for creating large glass areas but windows are also needed in a home not just doors.

With windows, aluminium can be manufactured much larger than its PVCu window counterparts and the right window system can provide you with large glass screens or opening windows.

A large fixed light window will be ideal for a staircase or landing.  If you are building an extension with several windows and bifolding doors, why not consider putting a large horizontal fixed window on the one elevation?

Large fixed light windows will create maximum light with no interruptions to your view as they won’t have any mullions or transoms either.

Frame Dimensions.

Available as a fixed light or an outward opening casement window, the Origin Window has a frame depth (front to back) of 80mm.  When viewed from the front, a fixed light window has a dimension of 50mm.  A window with an opening sash will have an overall dimension of 88mm.

Origin Window Minimum and Maximum Sizes.

The Flush Casement Window can be manufactured at minimum sizes of 400x400mm.  The Fixed Light casement window can be manufactured at minimum sizes of 350x350mm.

There are various reasons for size limitations on windows.  On opening windows, minimum sizes are governed by the smallest friction stays available. On both casement and fixed light windows other factors come into play such as crimping the window and machining.

For those seeking large fixed light windows, for example to create glazed screens the Origin Window can be manufactured at a maximum frame size of 3metres wide and 2.1metres high.

This is a substantial fixed light window with a maximum area of 6.3m2 which positions it above a product like the SAPA Crown Casement Window which is available in a maximum area of 5m2.

Casement Windows will naturally be the more popular window comprising either top hung opening out vents or side hung vents.  Here the Origin Window can also accommodate large windows.

Top hung windows can be manufactured at a maximum size of 1.5m wide by 1.5m high.
Side hung windows can be manufactured at a maximum size of 1m wide by 1.8m high.

This is an excellent maximum size for an aluminium casement window.  It is worth pointing out that glass weight plays an important part in achieving large windows.  It is the friction hinges that have to take the weight of heavy double glazed units.  The Origin Window wither as a fixed light or an opening window will take a total glass weight of 189kg.

The Origin Window comes with the same advantages as the Origin Bifold.

The Origin Window whatever its configuration or size is offered with the same excellent service levels that have made Origin a leader in bifolding doors.  Now there is a superb window system that will:

• Complement the Origin bifolding door.
• Be available at fast lead times.
• Have a huge choice of standard colours from stock.
• Will comprise the same high quality manufacture as the Origin bifolding door.
• Will have the same level of customer care Origin have pioneered over the last few years.

Contact the website if you would like further information.

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If you are in the market for new windows and doors, you may be considering what is the better window for your home. Our article on what is better, aluminium or pvc explains the differences in the two products.

In this article we explain more about pvcu, aluminium and timber windows to give a balanced view on where every product has it’s place in the market.

Aluminium, PVCu and timber windows all differ.  Here is why.

In making the right choice of which window material to have, you have to overcome any price issues.  PVCu by nature of how cheap the raw material is and how quickly it can be made and supplied will always be the cheaper product.  Therefore if you are concerned only with obtaining new windows at the cheapest possible price, PVCu windows cannot be beaten.

Should you consider Timber Windows?

Timber Windows today such as this excellent Dempsey Dyer Window are a beautiful natural product and with minimal maintenance should last for many decades.

The timber window has never made any attempt to gain market share over pvcu or aluminium simply because of the additional cost of the product.  Therefore if cost is not the deciding factor in your choice of windows and doors, timber is a fantastic natural product to have in your home.

By virtue of the fact that many plastic window companies are bringing out plastic windows to replicate the look and feel of timber demonstrates how even they acknowledge the aesthetics and appeal of real wood.

You should not believe any claim made against timber or any attempt to rubbish the product on the basis of cost or maintenance.  You should already accept that timber windows will be the most expensive window.

On the issue of maintenance, the pvcu industry has criticised timber windows for many years.  The age old arguments and what could be considered timber bashing by the PVC industry that timber windows will rot and will require constant maintenance is no longer true.

Timber windows now offer all the security, protection and weather performance of their pvcu and aluminium counterparts. The timber window industry has made significant changes to their products in recent years to overcome the criticism thrown at it such as that it will require regular maintenance and will rot.

What is fact, is that only timber windows such as those found in listed buildings have outperformed both their pvcu and aluminium counterparts.  Whilst you may not be interested in putting windows in your home that will last two hundred years or more, the case for the long term performance and aesthetics of timber windows and doors is a strong one.

The sustainability argument for timber windows has also been addressed with strict regulatory controls are in place.  Many timber windows today are manufactured from engineered softwood as well as general responsible sourcing of material.

As with all products there are high quality and low quality timber windows.  The low quality timber windows you will often find in new build developments where cost is the primary concern of the developer.  The high quality timber windows in the marketplace have had many of their problem areas designed out to result in windows which come with 20 year guarantees, long life of up to 50 years or more, high security, excellent thermal properties and high quality hardware. Timber windows are ideal in conservation areas where traditional aesthetics are so important.

What to consider with PVCu windows

The huge difference in visible sight lines between an aluminium and a pvc window. Notice how much thicker a plastic window is compared to aluminium.

PVCu doors and windows have also advanced significantly in recent years and one cannot dismiss their market dominance in UK home improvements.  The product is cheap to manufacture, very cheap to buy, gives good margins to installers and is a simple home improvement product. You will find this simplicity evident in the huge number of window companies that only sell pvcu windows and doors.

If quality windows at the lowest possible price are your priority, then PVCu has to be a consideration.

It is only when you view pvcu windows side by side with an aluminium or timber window that the differences in manufacturing and aesthetics can be seen.  With most standard plastic windows having a welded construction, the corners of plastic windows are evident in the often irregular cleaning of the mitred corners.  This is also more evident in woodgrain casement windows where the cleaning process of the welded corner removes the wood effect foil and exposes the bare plastic profile underneath it.  It is for this reason you will not see the foil covering the corner weld.

In considering the right window and door material, aesthetics still play the largest part.  The entire fenestration sector acknowledges that pvcu windows will have thicker sight lines compared to aluminium. This remains the case today and you will not find a plastic window with the slim profiles of an aluminium product.

PVCu Windows in Traditional or Listed Properties.

Generally PVCu windows available today are fitted to properties without planning restrictions.  Windows do actually play a very important role in the overall look of a property and more so where this property is period, listed or traditional.

Some excellent pvcu window companies such as Residence9, Dempsey Dyer Beaumont Range, Evolution Storm and Masterframe Windows have done sterling work in creating pvcu windows of high quality, great design and good engineering to match traditional windows.  Slowly these windows are getting past the stringent minds of some planners and being approved for use in conservation areas.

Such windows designed to replicate the original traditional are authentic in many respects and only very close up inspection will highlight that these are in fact plastic windows.  Whether it is right for these windows to be approved in conservation areas is a different debate.  The plastics window industry will argue that they serve an excellent need in providing a cost effective window to for homes in conservation areas where many homeowners could not afford to replace timber or steel windows with like for like.  The opposing argument could be that in purchasing a listed or protected property, the homeowner should be aware of the responsibilities that come with it and this extends to the windows and doors.

A final argument is despite the authentic look of these products, their long lifespan is yet to be proven. Can a replica PVCu window last as many years as an original Crittall or timber window? The Building Research Establishment was commissioned by the British Plastics Federation and reported in 2006 that:

pvcu windows should now expect to have a service life at least 35 years under normal urban and non aggressive conditions. The double glazing units, gaskets and weatherstripping and the mastic seals may need to be replaced within the life of the window.  Ironmongery should be cleaned and lubricated periodically.

The case for aluminium windows and doors.

Aluminium Windows help you create stunning panoramic and dramatic glass walls as shown here by the AluK Aluminium Window.

In the same way that the timber sector has been unfairly criticised by the plastic window industry, aluminium windows also continue to receive unfair criticism by those who are unaware of how advanced aluminium windows and doors are today.

Similar to the incorrect arguments about timber windows, here are some incorrect facts you may hear about aluminium windows:

Condensation.  Aluminium does not condensate more than pvc – there are many factors that cause condensation as explained by the Glass and Glazing Federation.

Security. You may be told that externally beaded windows are less secure than internally beaded windows.  This again is not true as demonstrated by the many aluminium window systems that have passed Secured by Design, KiteMark and BS7950 standards as externally beaded windows.  The testing of these windows to enable them to pass is exactly the same as the test carried out on internally beaded windows.

Aluminium is only used commercially. Again this is a myth. Aluminium has been used in residential homes for many decades already and is further demonstrated by the growth in aluminium products year on year.  You will rarely see PVCu windows installed in high end homes, bespoke builds or properties designed by an architect.  All these projects demand qualities and performance where aluminium is the most suitable product.  Aluminium has been used commercially for many years testament to the long term performance of the product. You will very rarely see PVCu windows and doors installed in demanding environments such as schools, offices, hospitals or shops.

Aluminium requires maintenance. All windows regardless of their material will require routine cleaning and routine checking of the hardware, handles and general operation.  No window product is “maintenance free”.  This is demonstrated in warranty and guarantee paperwork that often states there will be no warranty if the product has not been routinely maintained.  A good example is bird droppings.  These are well documented in causing deterioration of all kinds of paint finishes and prompt cleaning recommended to avoid causing damage to the finish.

Aluminium requires hardwood subframes. There have been a variety of direct fix window systems available for many years that have done away with the need for hardwood subframes.  It is also worth bearing in mind that many homes in the UK do have black oak or stained hardwood subframes that are a feature of the home and many people wish to retain them aware they will require periodic maintenance.  There are many modern aluminium systems designed to fit into new or existing hardwood subframes but certainly not requiring them.

Where aluminium is better than PVCu.

Inside view of typical plastic window with welded mullion.  Notice the irregularity of how the welds have been cleaned.

There are several advantages that aluminium have over pvcu, that are acknowledged by the entire window sector and these advantages can bring benefits to the homeowner that chooses aluminium.

Maximum Light and Slimmest Frames.  Aluminium will always be a slimmer window than it’s upvc or timber counterparts.  If you are interested in having the maximum possible glass area from your window frames, aluminium cannot be beaten.

Crittall Replacements.  Aluminium is the only window product able to match closely or replicate the appearance of old Crittall Windows. No plastic window or timber alternative has the sight lines to achieve this.  In properties where such windows are an integral part of the design and appearance, only aluminium will do.

Size and Strength. By nature of its inherent strength, aluminium windows and doors can be made wider, taller and larger than pvcu.  Opening vent sizes of 1600mm square are possible with some systems as are the sizes that fixed light windows can be made.  With bifolding doors where maximum light is critical when all the door leaves are shut, aluminium is acknowledged to be the material that creates larger and taller bifolding door leaves and a greater glass area owing to slimmer door profiles.

With aluminium roofs and lanterns, the natural strength of aluminium enables you to have larger roofs with more glass and less roof bars.

Colour.  By far the biggest advantage of aluminium is the sheer diversity of colour available.  With well over 200 colours available, choice has never been greater.  This also extends to dual colour capability as well as colours that are metallic in appearance as well as textured, grained, granite effects and much more.  Importantly the powder coating process is far superior than any foil or paint process on upvc.  It is only powder coated aluminium that can offer extended guarantees in harsh environments such as coastal, environmental, swimming pool enclosures and so forth.  In these “harsh” environments only powder coated aluminium can offer your windows and doors the right level of protection.

Hardware. The additional strength of aluminium as a material means that less bulky handles, hinges and other hardware can be fitted.  UPVC requires internal reinforcement to hold hinges in place as one example which is why you will always see bulkier and less attractive door hinges on a pvcu door than you will on an aluminium door.

The case for aluminium is evident with bifolding doors.

Bifolding doors in aluminium such as the market leading Origin Bifolding Doors are acknowledged even by many PVCu window companies as the superior product.

The bifolding door continues its market dominance year on year and this is demonstrated by the continued upward sales of aluminium bifolding doors.  Companies such as Origin that only manufacture aluminium bifolds are the market leader in this specialist product testament to how aluminium is the preferred material.

PVCu bifolds are much improved over the earlier systems but they still have issues in south facing elevations, ongoing performance issues, far thicker sight lines than aluminium and very bulky hardware.  However just like pvcu windows, they remain the first choice where budget is the primary consideration over aesthetics, performance and reliability for those who simply want a bifolding door at the cheapest possible price.

With bifolding doors, aluminium offers aesthetics and performance that timber or pvcu bifolds simply cannot match.

Summary

The consumer today has without doubt, the largest choice in windows and doors with products available in aluminium, timber, pvcu, hybrid windows and even fibreglass. This is only good news for the consumer.

All quality and well designed windows and doors, regardless of material will meet the latest and the same standards for energy efficiency, high security and minimum performance.  Therefore one material cannot be regarded better than the other in this respect.

Whether plastic, timber or aluminium, windows and doors will come with extended guarantees subject them being regularly maintained and cleaned.  No window is a “fit and forget” product and all will require some kind of routine checks to the hardware and routine cleaning to maintain the external finish and appearance.

If new windows at the cheapest possible price are required, PVCu windows cannot be beaten on price.  If the right window for your property and needs is more important than budget then there are better alternatives.

The performance, benefits and aesthetics of aluminium windows and doors are also evident as follows:

• Crittall replacements
• High End Homes
• Bespoke Designs
• Can be made slimmer, larger and wider than any pvcu product with a greater profile strength
• The advantages of aluminium windows and doors as a long term performance product for your home is the reason it has been used commercially and in demanding environments for decades.
• Whilst an expensive process, timber and aluminium windows can have their colour changed if needed.
• All windows of a quality design and manufacture and fitted with high quality hardware will give a long service life.

By virtue of its cheap cost and simplicity, the plastic window will dominate the home improvement market for many years to come.  It is cheap, it works and serves a basic need for new windows.  Given the diversity of housing in the UK it will also be suitable for all types of homes well into the future.  Aluminium on the other hand has demonstrated itself for many years as the superior product amongst discerning homeowners who want attractive, non mass produced products that have already proven their reliability, high quality of paint finish and individual characteristics.

The post Helping you decide between aluminium, pvcu or timber windows appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

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Have you started noticing condensation on your double glazed windows?  Double glazing condensation can occur the outside pane of glass or elsewhere on the window.  Naturally this can be alarming, particularly if the windows or doors are new, but it is not necessarily something to be concerned about.

There are many factors causing condensation but double glazing will never eliminate it.

Where new double glazed windows have replaced old single glazed windows such as old Crittall Steel windows or single glazed timber windows you may be  surprised at the presence of condensation.  After all, double glazing is supposed to eliminate condensation isn’t it?

The presence of condensation may also be particularly evident in the Autumn. But why is this, what is condensation and should your new aluminium double glazed windows even be allowing double glazed condensation in the first place?

Should new windows suffer from double glazing condensation?

Firstly, it is important to understand that all windows will condensate in some way.  You must never believe any double glazing salesperson that says “our windows will eliminate condensation”. This is untrue and completely misleading. New windows can never completely eliminate condensation.

What new double glazing will do is improve the current level of condensation on your old windows.  This is because the thermal properties of modern aluminium frames and the high specification of modern double or triple glazing will be far superior than single glazed windows and non insulated frames.  All the modern aspects of today’s windows  play a part in reducing condensation but nothing can eliminate it.

The presence of condensation is down to several factors but the main ones are how we live in our homes and what we do that causes moisture in the air.

Modern buildings are now very well insulated both in their construction and of course windows.  In older buildings that are less well insulated air flow changes are more frequent.  In modern buildings the water vapour that causes condensation is unable to escape through old windows, chimneys or the structure and has to settle on the first cold surface. This will often be the windows but can also be on bathroom tiles or walls.

Water vapour is the cause of condensation.

It is modern life and the advances in construction products that all play a part in causing condensation in the home.  Here are some common cause of double glazing condensation:

• Simple cooking and the steam generated from pots on on the stove all generate water vapour.
• New build properties contain a huge amount of moisture until they dry out completely.  Consider how exposed to the elements the building was during its construction and until it was sealed by the roof or windows.  Over 6000 litres of water are estimated to have been absorbed by a typical dwelling during its construction.
• Heaters are also a cause of moisture in the air.
• Breathing whilst we sleep is well known to produce several litres of water vapour during the night.
• Drying washing indoors are also significant sources of water.

What benefits have double glazed windows brought to the improvement of condensation?

Single glass found in old single glazed windows simply cannot retain any heat.  As the glass has a lower temperature this lets moisture in the air condensate on the cold surface.  This is why single glazed windows condensate.

By comparison, double glazed windows offer two pieces of glass and therefore retain the heat inside the room.  Old double glazed units were simply two pieces of glass with an air space.

These still let out some heat but performed better than single glass.  Modern double glazing with sophisticated glass coating technology, high specification sealants and spacer bars and the presence of argon gas between the two pieces of glass all substantially reduce the loss of heat from inside the room.

Therefore the presence of condensation is unavoidable in our dwellings but there are of course steps you can take through adequate ventilation to reduce it as much as possible.

What to check for when your double glazed windows have condensation:

So, hopefully you can now see that there is always the possibility of some condensation forming on double glazed windows.  Condensation on the outside of double glazed windows is nothing to worry about, as is condensation on the inside of the window.  However, if the glass inside the window is misting up or showing signs of moisture then the window may be failing and should be investigated as a matter of urgency.

Condensation on the inside of your windows may be a sign that there is excessive moisture in the air, aside from the inconvenience of having condensation, you should consider what effect this could have on the plaster work and wood in your home.  Ensuring that there is plenty of ventilation flowing through your home is good for the building and your general health!

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Today’s modern double glazed windows come with very well insulated frames that are designed to be as energy efficient as possible.  This energy efficiency has come about through changes in Building Regulations and government commitment over recent years to reduce the carbon footprint generally as well as heat loss through our homes. However one unintended consequence of these improvements is the possibility of Condensation on the Outside of Double Glazing.

Modern double glazing is very sophisticated in keeping heat in the home and cold out.

Therefore if you are purchasing new windows today, whether in aluminium, pvcu or timber, you can be assured that they will all meet the latest window energy ratings and current standards for thermal efficiency.

What is it that makes windows thermally efficient?

With aluminium windows this insulation is achieved by a sophisticated material called polyamide that creates thermally broken windows. 

In pvcu windows it is the multi chamber design within the frame that creates an insulated frame.  In timber windows, the solid nature of wood also acts as a great insulator.

The insulated frames available in aluminium, pvcu or timber windows are also complemented by very high specification double glazed units.  When double glazing first came about, the two panes of glass were simply standard glass with a hermetic seal around the double glazed unit and a normal air space in between.

Glass technology has now advanced significantly and your glass will now comprise either a Low Emissivity (low E) coating, K Glass and further enhanced by argon gas between the two panes of glass and a warm edge spacer bar that is far superior than the standard plastic or aluminium spacer bar that held the sealed unit together.

Modern replacement windows ensure heat is kept in and cold kept out.

So you can be confident that today’s energy efficient A, B or C rated and highly secure windows will help to retain heat in the home and keep the cold out.  One phenomenon that cannot be avoided is the presence of condensation and particularly on the outside face of your new windows.

If you do see condensation on the outside pane of your new windows, do not be concerned, the windows are simply doing their job. In simple terms you will see surface condensation where the temperature on the external pane of glass is lower than the temperature outside or where there external temperature is higher than the temperature of the glass.

The presence of Condensation on the Outside of Double Glazing is not a sign of a faulty window or glass.

But if you do see condensation between the two panes of glass on the inside of the sealed unit, this indicates that your double glazed unit has failed and needs replacement.  In most cases the hermetic seal that bonds the unit together and seals it will have failed, letting in air and moisture.

The presence of condensation on the inside of double glazed windows is not a fault but in many cases just a consequence of how we live.

What should you do if you see condensation on the outside of your window?

At certain times of the year, you will see condensation on the outside of your window.  This is a similar phenomenon to your car having condensation on seemingly dry nights or when only certain parts of your car are wet and others are dry.  Moisture will adhere itself to the first cold surface it finds.  The double glazed windows are actually doing their job of keeping the heat in and the cold out.

In most cases the condensation may only be visible on the centre area of your window rather than the edges where glass meets the frame. This again is a sign that the window is performing as it should be.  The condensation will disappear as the external temperature increases during the day.

 Should you be told about condensation before you sign up for new windows?

That will depend on your salesman.  The experience and knowledge of double glazing salespeople varies significantly from company to company.  You will find that many of the independent local double glazing firms will probably adopt a more professional approach to this issue.

Other national companies employing commission only salespeople keen to close a sale on the night are unlikely to highlight any kind of “negative” with their product and will choose to say nothing.

If you need further impartial and independent information about condensation on new windows or any other aspect of buying replacement windows, please contact us using the form below.

The post Condensation on the Outside of Double Glazing appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

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Schueco UK Ltd, has introduced it’s brand new aluminium window for the UK residential market.

The new Schuco AWS 70SC Outward Opening Window is competitively priced and suitable for replacement or new build applications.

The new Schuco AWS 70 SC is a new window system aimed at the residential and light commercial market, available as an outward opening casement window with several features setting it aside from other Schuco Aluminium Windows.

Schuco is targeting the growing residential aluminium window market.

The residential aluminium market sector is continuing to grow with increased sales of aluminium window compared to the pvcu sector that has not experienced the same level of growth or demand for it’s products in recent years.

For the residential sector, the new Schuco AWS 70 SC window has been designed with a 70mm outer frame depth that will make it ideal for new or replacement window applications and sets it alongside other aluminium systems with either a 70mm or 75mm frame depth. This makes it suitable for simple out and in window replacements.

It is a very contemporary looking window with flat modern profiles, but also one that will blend in well with the older properties.  There are no chamfered or ovolo profiles available with the system but this in no way sets the product at a disadvantage compared to other systems.  The trend in aluminium windows is very much towards the contemporary, flat and modern aesthetic.

What are the key features of the new Schuco AWS 70 SC?

The Schuco aluminium casement window brings slim sight lines and a variety of vent and frame sections as well as internally and externally beaded options.  Other key features include:

• The reputation synonymous with the Schuco Brand, engineering and superb design.
• A very attractive and slim aluminium window combining real economy with Schuco quality.
• Ideal for new and replacement windows in homes and apartments.
• 70mm frame depth with slim 63.5mm sight lines from outer frame to vent.
• Five different sash profiles
• Will suit double or triple glazing.
• High Security with PAS 24 rating.
• Ease of fabrication and uses proprietary hardware instead of bespoke Schuco.
• Can be installed as a stand-alone window or integrated into curtain walling or ribbon windows.
• Will complement the class leading Schuco Bifolding and Sliding Doors.

The Schuco aluminium window is available in a large range of colours and finishes including dual colour options giving different colours inside and out.  There are also a variety of cill sections available and ancillary profiles to create bay windows and angled constructions.

Five different configurations are available in the window range. These are:

Slimline profiles internally glazed
Slimline profiles externally glazed
Standard profiles internally glazed
Heavy duty profiles for internal glazing as well as internal multi point locking options.

There are several reasons to consider the Schuco AWS 70 SC window.

Schuco as a brand have market dominance especially in the architectual sector with a group turnover of 1.5bn euros in 2013.

With Schuco windows and doors found in the finest high end homes, apartments and projects the industry recognises Schuco as a high end brand and this will only serve to make this aluminium window desirable.

The Schuco brand is now gaining increased awareness with homeowners as well. Many consumers are now looking at high end systems and considering what top brands of windows and doors to have in their home.

The window itself is very well designed and using the slim vent section remains an ultra slim window that will give maximum sight lines and minimal aluminium sections.

Where the window is bound to do well is to complement the Schuco Bifolding Door. The high quality and expertly engineered Schuco bifolding door now has a complimentary and reasonably priced Schuco window which will be good news for those consumers looking for the same brand of windows and doors in their entire extension or renovation project.

Schuco have designed the window with excellent thermal properties.

The facility for double or triple glazed units has been designed into the window system.  Typical U Values and Document L compliance are 1.5 W/m2K.  This rating is with double glazed units meeting 1.0 W/m2K.  An A rated window is also available.

KAT UK are a nationwide fabricator of high quality and market leading home improvement products.

KAT UK is one of the first fabricators to make the new Schuco AWS 70b SC window available either to the trade or for consumers through their network of Design Partners.  If you are interested in further information about the Schuco window or would like a brochure, please contact the website.

The post Schuco introduce New AWS 70 SC Window appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

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Schuco launched the brand new AWS 70 SC casement window in late September as a cost effective aluminium window for the residential and light commercial market, whilst retaining the engineering and high quality construction that Schuco is renowned for.

The new Schuco AWS 70SC Outward Opening Window is competitively priced and suitable for replacement or new build applications.

Schuco already have a very diverse window range with several window types available but traditionally these have been targeted at the commercial market despite being installed in many prestigious apartments and high end homes.  The new AWS 70 SC window Schuco is offering  as a cost effective window for residential window replacements and new installations as well as the light commercial sector.

Overview of the Schuco AWS 70 SC.

The window is an outward opening casement available in either internally or externally beaded formats.  Designed around a minimum number of profiles, this means that it will be easy for manufacturers to fabricate alongside their other window ranges and easy for installers to sell.

Schuco traditionally have very highly engineered and top quality products available with a huge range of additional sections and options, even down to the design of bespoke extrusions.  The introduction of this new window simplifies the product substantially with five possible vent options and simple standard or heavy duty formats.

All window sections are flat and modern in appearance and presently there is no ovolo, chamfered or profiled options available.  Many retail companies will consider this an omission on Schuco’s part, but they are missing the point of the window if they do.

The expert and knowledgable window companies will already offer an alternative window system that can provide “featured” window sections therefore the contemporary appearance of the AWS 70 SC should complement existing product ranges.

Advantages of the Schuco AWS 70 SC for the Homeowner

The new Schuco aluminium window is now available at competitive prices for homeowners looking for the ultimate in aluminium windows.

If you are in the market for a premium aluminium window, the new Schuco Aluminium Window offers several advantages:

It is a very slim and compact aluminium window with maximum security, excellent thermal performance and with the advantage of the industry renowned Schuco name.

The  slim sight lines of the window ensure maximum glass area in a flat, modern and aesthetically pleasing design that will suit both modern houses and traditional properties.

Available in double or triple glazing up to 34mm glass thicknesses with optional square or chamfered glazing beads and  internally and externally beaded options. Both meet PAS 24 security standards.

Compatible with the excellent Schuco Aluminium Entrance doors that are far superior to composite or GRP doors

Advantages of the Schuco AWS 70 SC for Manufacturers

Window Fabricators such as KAT UK that are supplying the window to both trade and consumer markets, report that fabrication of the window is simple.  There is a choice of nailed or crimped options for the corners of the window whilst retaining the robust T-Joint Technology that Schuco uses on this new window.

There are minimal tooling requirements, optional components to enhance the thermal efficiency of the window and hardware location points that assist with locking accuracy.

Five differing vent options are available with the new Schuco Aluminium Window.

With a 70mm front to back frame depth, the window is ideal for window replacements as well as new build applications. Outer frames are available in standard and heavy duty types with five complimentary sash/vent sections.  This simplified suite of sections still gives customers a choice between ultra slim aluminium windows and larger framed windows.

The design of the Schuco window once again demonstrates the superiority aluminium has over PVCu windows given the maximum sash sizes that can be achieved of up to 1.8×1.8m in a single top hung opening vent.

Window Sight Lines and Sizes:

51mm slim internally glazed vent giving an overall frame and vent size to the glass line of 63.5mm

Slim outer frame with 51mm internally glazed vent:
Overall sight line 63.5mm
Maximum Top hung vent size 1200mm x 1000mm
Maximum side hung vent size 650mm x 1200mm

Slim outer frame with 56.5mm externally glazed vent:
Overall sight line 69.5mm
Maximum Top hung vent size 1400mm x 1200mm
Maximum side hung vent size 700mm x 1400mm

Deep outer frame with 70.5mm internally glazed vent:
Overall sight line 83mm
Maximum Top hung vent size 1400mm x 1200mm
Maximum side hung vent size 700mm x 1400mm

Deep outer frame with 70mm internally glazed heavy duty vent:
Overall sight line 89mm
Maximum Top hung vent size 1400mm x 1200mm
Maximum side hung vent size 700mm x 1400mm

Deep outer frame with 74mm internally glazed vent and multipoint locking:
Overall sight line 93mm
Maximum Top hung vent size 1800mm x 1800mm
Maximum side hung vent size 700mm x 1600mm

 Regardless of vent or frame options, all configurations will meet PAS 24:2014 for maximum security as well as offering Class 4 for Air Permeability and Class 9A for Water tightness.

KAT UK are one of the first fabricators to manufacture the excellent AWS 70 SC window from Schuco. If you would like further information or a brochure, please contact us using the form below.

The post Exploring the New Schuco AWS 70 SC Aluminium Window appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

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Designing any new aluminium window brings various technical challenges and in particular when this is a brand new product rather than a modification of an existing window.  For those that wish to improve an existing aluminium window it is easier to improve on the current design than bring out something completely new.

In creating a brand new aluminium window system, designers must look at a large number of technical, manufacturing, installation and design issues in order to create a window that will not only look good to sell to various markets, but one that will be suitable for any kind of property. The window must also be be good to work with for window installers.  If a window has been badly designed and creates installation problems, window companies will be reluctant to sell it.

Origin have introduced a unique aluminium window designed to match the exacting standards of the market leading Origin aluminium bifolding door. It is also designed to be a stand alone window system for new or replacement window applications as well as complementing the market leading Origin bifolding door.

Origin already have a market leading product so creating a window to the same standards was vital

The new origin aluminium window is a bespoke window manufactured to the same exacting standards as their successful bifolding doors.

The Origin door was introduced nearly 14 years ago and since its launch, Origin have led the market, challenged and changed the old perceptions of the traditional double glazing supply chain.  No longer are customers having to wait 8, 10 or 12 weeks for their new doors to arrive since the introduction of Origin’s pioneering “your lead time, not ours” service. Added to this were exceptional levels of after care and a brand image that continues to get stronger year on year.

If you are going to introduce a complementary product such as a window, the challenges are far greater.  The Origin door is an excellent bifolding door in terms of design, aesthetics and quality.  However with doors, the range of profiles are far less than with a new window.  Doors generally will comprise one outer frame, the door leaf profiles themselves, thresholds and a small number of accessory sections such as sub-cills, add on sections and the corner post arrangement that has created the excellent open corner bifolding door.

In bringing out a premium quality aluminium window there will be bigger challenges as the suite of aluminium profiles is far greater.  Now you have to consider outer frames, vent sections, additional mullion and transom sections and much more.  Added to this is the ability to install windows in bay or bow arrangements as well as shaped windows in any desired angle. This brings a different thought process to the design of the window compared to a bifolding door.

Origin not only created a new aluminium window system but also a totally unique one.

The Origin Aluminium Window is the first all aluminium window that has completely flush casements. For decades casement windows consisted of the sash section sitting over the outer frame.  This has never presented problems for consumers or installers and the design of casement windows over the years has changed a lot to make aluminium windows less obtrusive externally and more flush in appearance.  But until now there was never a completely flush casement window available where the sashes sat inside the outer frame rather than over it.

The introduction of a flush casement aluminium window brings several advantages.

The first is that consumers now have a choice of a completely unique product.  This enables them to have a window that will be nothing like any other premium aluminium window installed. The design of the window is completely different from any other casement window.

The unmatched and singular design in aluminium also gives the company the product to compete with plastic flush casement windows.  The advantages of aluminium windows are already well documented within this website and elsewhere.  Until now consumers that desired a flush casement window only had plastic window options or the much more expensive hybrid windows constructed of wood inside and aluminium outside.  Now there is a totally credible and individual all aluminium alternative that brings the manufacturing, strength, longevity of colour and aesthetic advantages that aluminium has over PVCu windows.

But not only this, there is now a very attractive, exceptionally well made aluminium window that takes inspiration from 19th Century timber windows. Therefore those seeking new windows, replacement windows or an aluminium alternative for their old timber window now have a solution.  The window benefits from slim sight lines, only 3mm shadow lines between the sash and the frame and high quality hardware.

Those seeking the same ethos behind the bifolding door can now have a window made by the same company under the same stringent manufacturing processes, customer care and high product quality.

The Origin Aluminium Window is suitable for any kind of property.

Large windows create additional light and space. Aluminium windows can be made much larger than their PVCu alternatives.

For new build or replacement window installations, Origin Windows are available in top or side hung opening vents, fixed lights, dummy sashes as well as angled or shaped frames. There are also dummy sashes available, variable bay poles and the window can be made much wider and taller than any PVCu window alternative.

Colour choice is one of the major advantages of having your new windows made of aluminium.  Whilst plastic and timber windows are available in a variety of colours, only aluminium windows are available in textured finishes, metallic shades and colours in satin, matt or gloss.

Aluminium windows are available in over 200 different colours including different colours on the inside and outside.  Added to this, if your windows are in any kind of “severe environment” such as a coastal property, one exposed to city centre pollutants or windows in a swimming pool environment, there are specific paint guarantees available that will give your aluminium windows long service life for decades to come.  Syntha Pulvin for example is one manufacturer of polyester powder that can offer paint guarantees of up to 40 years! No plastic or timber window can match this for its paint finish.

 It is not just about design.  Security and Performance are also important.

In designing a window there is a Research and Development balancing act to create not only a window that look good but also performs to the standards required by Industry Bodies, Security Testing Centres and the consumer.  The Origin Aluminium Window meets or exceeds performance requirements for security, thermal performance, longevity of its hardware and energy ratings.

It is a technologically advanced window that benefits from:

• the very latest in polyamide thermal break technology
• high security  glazing
• excellent locking systems by Yale featuring bi directional locking
• an impressive  U-value of 1.5 that exceeds Building Regulations
• night vent options
• handles in a variety of colours

The Origin bifolding door remains with a 20 year guarantee and this impressive guarantee also now extends to the Origin Window as well. If you would like further information on the new and unique Origin Flush Casement Aluminium Window, please contact us using the form below.

The post What’s behind the new Origin Aluminium Window? appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

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The Sunday Times British Home Awards are an annual event that have been instrumental in promoting great change in the way new homes are designed.

AluK windows, doors and sliding doors feature throughout this award winning property

Over the years The British Home awards has created several themes for the participants and winners such as Zero Carbon, homes for an ageing population, classic and regency homes, Smart Homes and homes designed around actual needs not what developers wanted to build.

AluK Systems were installed for the winner of the 2014 “One Off House” Category

Designed by Architects AR Design Studio, this ultra modern Hampshire home is situated in the countryside and takes full advantage of the view overlooking Winchester City.

The Architects specified AluK Systems that would make the most of the views as well as meeting the requirements for long lasting life in accordance with the specifications.

The property is constructed as an upside down house, with the living spaces upstairs taking full advantage of the scenery through slim, powder coated AluK Aluminium Systems.  These were further complemented by cedar cladding, bricks that were dark grey in colour and all to complement the doors and windows.

What AluK products feature in this modern award winning home?

Patio doors obviously form a critical part of a property designed in this way. AluK BSC94 double track and BSC94 triple track sliding patio doors were used.

The AluK BSC94 aluminium sliding patio door is an inline patio door system that enables many different configurations. A cleverly designed triple chamber system also enables these slimline sliding doors to create large sliding panels of 200kg or even 400kg depending on the product.

These are one of the few aluminium patio doors available also featuring a lift and slide option if required.  Lift and slide was previously available with PVCu sliding doors but they proved unpopular over the years as they were regarded as unreliable as a PVCu product.  In aluminium they remain durable, functional and are once again gaining popularity.

Horizontal Sliding windows are not just for commercial properties

AluK are highly respected for the flexibility of their aluminium window systems.  For this award winning project the 58BW ST Steel Replacement Window System was specified.

In a Duo Rail format, these windows are horizontal sliding windows and have been used throughout the property.  The advantage of horizontal sliding windows is that they enable the same uninterrupted views to be achieved without the interruption of mullions and transoms that feature in the casement windows most people install in their homes.

Laura Locke, architect at AR Design Studio said

At 4Views the design aims to maximise the views by giving each key room a significant outlook across the landscape. Selecting the window systems to frame the views was important to us and to our client. The modern frames with clean lines of the floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and windows reinforced our contemporary design philosophy.

And how about an AluK  door used as the main entrance door to the home?

An aluminium entrance door enhanced with timber accessories to provide a unique door

In a home improvement market dominated by “me too” products such as composite doors that offer the homeowner little imagination or anything unique, aluminium products once again prove their versatility to be adapted to suit specific applications.

The Aluk entrance door was used as the entrance door to the property but cleverly glazed in a different way to offer the privacy need from a main door.

What the architects refer to as “hit and miss” timber was used that enabled the door to still offer the privacy needed whatever the angle people looked at the door from.  But at the same time, the slim aluminium profiles did their job of allowing as much light as possible to flood into the home.

PVCu products could never have contributed to the design of this home.

Whilst there are many PVCu sliding patio doors available and arguably cut down versions of patio doors to create horizontal sliding windows, it is obvious no PVCu product could have played a part in the overall design of this home.

It is also highly unlikely had grey plastic windows and doors been specified and installed that the home would even have been considered as a contender for a British Homes Award.

This particular case study featuring AluK aluminium door and window products demonstrates again how aluminium remains the first choice for any architect or client wishing to build a bespoke home.

Consider that PVCu products have rarely been featured in any case study such as this, in any Grand Designs programme or similar build project.   PVCu windows and doors whilst fit for purpose as a replacement window product, simply do not have the characteristics of aluminium.  They cannot provide the slimmest sight lines, ultimate design freedom and to be modified as needed without compromising on the design.

If you require further information on the AluK products used in this winning project, are building or renovating your property and need independent and impartial advice on the right products to use that will complement your project, please contact us.

The post AluK Systems win in The Sunday Times British Home Awards appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

The way architects design their buildings has changed over recent years as technology improves with sophisticated software, 3d Printing and the availability of large volumes of information in electronic format.

Commercial buildings designed by architects now feature many glazed elements such as windows, doors and curtain walling

Business Information Modelling or BIM offers a real time computer modelling programmes that is 3-Dimensional, visual and dynamic.  It has over the last few years enabled the process of creating and managing building data to become more productive.

All the many aspects and properties of designing a building can now be brought together to connect building components, relationships of common parts, location information and much more.  Importantly BIM now gives designers a clear representation of the building cycle and usage well into the future.

Business Information Modelling is miles ahead of traditional CAD methods

BIM is a major shift away from traditional methods of building design using typical Computer Aided Design or draughtsmanship methods.

It takes the best of digital technology and provides an overview that could not be previously visualised.  This overview of the finished project at such an early stage enables changes to be made if needed faster than ever before.  Importantly BIM indicates the entire construction process, operation and life cycle of the building being proposed.

AluK have fully embraced the advantages of BIM

AluK Systems embraced the advantages of 3D and BIM from the outset and over the last few years have steadily increased the products available for BIM.

AluK recenty added the GT55 system. This is a thermally broken commercial door for installation into commercial buildings, schools and any other high traffic building.  Naturally this is required given the requirement for commercial doors to be used commercially.

The BSF 70 folding door has also been added. This BIM addition acknowledges the importance of bifolding doors to the UK home improvement and commercial market and now makes it available.

Russell Yates, AluK’s Managing Director says:

With an increase in calls for BIM compliance from architects and contractors, AluK is assisting its customer base to adhere to the requirements of level 2 BIM by 2016. We were one of the first UK manufacturers to provide 3D content – an essential part of being able to contribute to the BIM process – and currently offer 3D content for our windows, doors and curtain walling in Revit format. With the addition of IFC files in October 2014, AluK data will be truly interoperable.

We know that BIM content is not all about the 3D modelling; it is the information within the model that is essential. We have invested heavily into BIM training. Our specialised team has been trained by BRE and has achieved Accredited Professional status for BIM and principles of BS1192.

Windows, doors and curtain walling are major building components

With aluminium products featuring so prominently in building design compared to PVCu, windows, doors, glazing and curtain walling now need to provide the facility for architects and designers to also have fenestration materials included in the Building Information Modelling process alongside the core construction components is valuable.

AluK also have in-house specialists available to assist with any aspect of incorporating aluminium door and window systems into architecture, BIM and general specification.

The post Aluk and Business Information Modelling appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Are you a consumer about to embark on buying new double glazing?  For some customers the thought of purchasing double glazing is not something they look forward to.  Typical reservations and negative perceptions of buying new double glazing will include:

• Not knowing what is available out of the many products in the market
• persistent double glazing salesmen that may not leave the house
• pressure to buy on the night with seemingly too good to be true discounts
• fear that the installation will go wrong and cause disruption to your home
• the negative perception of double glazing firms

The vast majority of double glazing firms are ethical and professional.

With 12,500 window and door companies in the UK, you are bound to have questions.

In the UK there are around 12,500 companies supplying doors and windows to the consumer, including the big four (Everest, Anglian, Safestyle and Zenith).  Generally speaking people do not set up in business to rip the customer off or carry out bad installations.  The home improvement industry is worth billions of pounds in overall sales across the entire supply chain in the UK and abroad employing hundreds of thousands of people.  Despite this, the image of double glazing firms and the people that represent them remains a negative one.

Visit any window company website, read any double glazing brochure and the messages across all publications will be positive and very similar.  Double glazing messages will be about customer confidence, selling a lifestyle and about transforming your home.

You will often read on websites, brochures and social media channels articles such as “questions to ask your double glazing firm” or “ questions to ask before buying a window or door”.

Some of these questions are of course important and pertinent.  But if one window company is extolling the virtues of what they do, their products and their brand, does that mean anyone else is bad? What is the fair and balanced alternative point of view to common questions or statements about double glazing?

6 Questions Consumers Should Ask Double Glazing Companies – And The Answers

1. How long have you been trading?
2. Are your fitters employed or subcontractors?
3. Are your salespeople commission only
4. Are your doors/windows/conservatories manufactured in the UK?
5. Do you have a showroom?
6. Are you a member of a trade body?

Does it really matter how long your window company has been trading?

You will often read companies promoting that they have been trading for 10, 20 or 30 years.  With many double glazing firms large and small having gone into administration in recent years, a solid history  is certainly something to shout about.

But this does not necessarily mean that a window company trading only a few years should not be considered.  Anyone who starts their own business does not set up to let down their customers.  If you’re concerned about a newer company have a chat with the owner or senior staff, you may well find that there are many years of experience behind the company.

“Buyer beware” is generally the principle with any purchase and the same is true of home improvements.  It could be argued that new companies will be even more focused on serving you well in order to build up the satisfied customer base and their testimonials.  Therefore the fact that a double glazing firm has not been trading for many years is not a bad thing.  Simply do your research.

Does it really matter if  a window company employs sub contract or self employed fitters?

The answer is no.  A window company may promote that they are somehow at an advantage over their competition because they employ their own window fitters and don’t use subcontract labour.  This doesn’t mean they’re lying but how do you actually know this unless this is proved to you?

Even self employed fitters are  local, community based and reputable installers

What is true is that the home improvement industry is very buoyant presently with many firms reporting excellent trading.  A byproduct of this success is that many double glazing firms are  struggling to find good window and door installers to keep up with demand. With window fitting being a trade that few people choose as a career, how do these firms find additional labour?

There is little by way of apprenticeships  in door and window installations either.  Therefore when a window company is busy and needs installers it is natural that they will outsource this labour just like any other business would.

Here are some facts about sub contract fitters:

• Many window companies actually use subcontract self employed fitters that are given branded window company vans.
• Reputable self employed window fitters rely on regular work for their living and many choose to work for good window companies to keep earning.
• The quality of window company installations speaks for itself regardless whether fitters were employed or self employed.
• The national companies may pay their fitters on a “per window per day” basis hence possible issues with bad installations.  Local firms pay day rates instead.
• Many self employed fitters have been working for over 20 years and many for the same company. They are very good at what they do.
• Many window fitters that work for the national companies often approach small local firms because that is who they would prefer to work for.

Ultimately it is up to each window company to extol the virtues of their own installation teams regardless of whether they are employed or self employed.  It may build trust that fitters are employed by the company but the reality is the vast majority of the double glazing sector will use self employed fitters.  So if a window company promotes it employs its own fitters, this does not mean you will necessarily get a bad installation elsewhere.

What you should know about double glazing salesmen.

The double glazing salesman may be the first link you will have with your window firm.  Ask questions and do your research.

The double glazing salesman is sometimes derided and ridiculed by the public but from the comments and emails received into this website, sometimes there is good reason.  The large double glazing firms employ commission only salespeople with minimal training on products as they largely supply a limited product range.  The majority of the training given to commission only sales people from the national double glazing firms is focused on sales tactics and closing the sale – preferably on the night.

By comparison the independent and local double glazing firms whilst some will employ commission only salespeople, will rarely put the pressure on their sales people in the way the larger companies do.

Beware the double glazing salesman that will attempt to rubbish any other product.  Whilst modern double glazing does of course differ in specification from product to product, the truth is that with British Standards, CE Marking, Secured by Design and Building Regulations, all window and door products available today will meet or exceed standards for manufacturing, security, building regulations, longevity of foils, colours and glass.  Yes some products are far superior to others but by and large, current industry standards are met.  All manufacturers publish the performance figures and reports for their products so it is very easy if you do your research to compare like for like products.

Beware also the double glazing salesman that tells you aluminium suffers from condensation or that timber rots. All products regardless of material come with guarantees and routine maintenance guidelines to ensure long service life.  Disregard anyone that tells you their products are maintenance free.  No door or window is a “fit and forget” product and all will require some form of cleaning, lubrication or adjustment.

The way the double glazing industry chooses to employ and remunerate its salespeople is largely to blame for much of the negative perception and the pressure salespeople feel to close a sale on the night.  As a customer you should exercise buyer beware and ensure anything a salesman may promise is agreed in writing.  Our experience in this industry has proved time and again that many sales people will promise the earth in order to close a sale.  A salesman will rarely highlight anything negative. Check your contract terms and conditions and if there are extras to your job that a standard window contract may not have room to list, ask for these to be written separately and signed.

An excellent example is bathroom tiles.  It is sometimes the case that bathroom tiles on the window reveal may crack when the old steel window is removed.  A salesman may promise that the tiles will be replaced but how can tiles in old properties be replaced if they are no longer made? For a window company this is a major problem but for a salesman it will not be brought up as a possible problem should this happen. Most double glazing salespeople will rarely have contact with their customers after the contract is signed as their job is done.

Many salesmen believe certain responsibilities are down to the surveyor and many surveyors believe it is down to the salesman.  This conflict in who should finalise the specification can cause problems for the customer.  Often customers will complain the window handles are different from what they thought, window profiles should have been chamfered and not ovolo, glass patterns in bathrooms are different from what the salesman said and so forth.  You must remember that double glazing salesmen are not not surveyors or fitters.

The surveyor may find something upon survey that counteracts something the salesman may have told you.  The structural nature of your property may prevent the product you thought you were having being installed.  It is very important that you check your survey and not let your surveyor just get on with it.  Ask for a copy of the survey and ask questions if you are unsure about anything.  Similarly for a window company it is very good practice to get your customers to sign the survey as this will avoid issues upon installation that something was not as they thought.

Does it really matter where your windows and doors come from?

Aluminium doors and windows remain hand crafted after cutting and machining.  PVCu windows are now largely mass produced.

Over the last 10-15 years the number of small PVCu window manufacturers has diminished to very small numbers. This is because “super fabricators” as the double glazing industry refers to them set up in business to manufacture thousands of windows a week.  The very low cost of these windows meant window companies could buy in the same window system they were manufacturing for much less than it cost them to make it!  With machinery, factory labour and factory overheads this did not make it viable for small to medium sized firms to continue making their own PVCu windows and doors.  Once a marketing advantage that a company made their own windows this is no longer the case.

Aluminium windows by comparison will never be supplied by super fabricators.  Whilst there are large trade manufacturers of aluminium windows in the UK, the hand made nature of manufacturing aluminium means the supply chain is more specialist and less mass produced.  PVCu windows are mass produced, aluminium windows remain a hand made product.

Therefore with few exceptions such as timber look plastic windows or specialist sash windows, your PVCu windows will probably come from a large super fabricator.

Some window companies claim on their websites that competitors windows come from abroad.  This is highly unlikely and should not be believed unless proved.  There are some timber windows that do come from Europe but virtually all windows and doors are manufactured in the UK. The profile itself used to make the windows may be extruded and produced abroad, but the physical windows will be made in the UK.

As long as the product quality is good and you are getting the product you want, there is little to fear about where your windows will come from.

Does it really matter if your window company does not have a showroom?

If you are buying windows, doors, bifolding doors or patio doors a visit to a showroom is essential.

The major national double glazing firms such as Everest (Turnover approximately £150m), Safestyle (Turnover approximately £140m) and Anglian Windows (Turnover approximately £200m) do not have showrooms.  With such multi million pound turnover this proves that these large window firms clearly have no need for showrooms.

It also proves that there are hundreds of thousands of double glazing buyers happy to buy from commission only salespeople that they will meet only once.  It proves that they are happy to make a buying decision based upon someone in their home presenting a battered tiny little window sample, some brochures and small pieces of glass.  It proves that many people commit to spending thousands of pounds on this basis.

Double glazing remains one of a handful of industries where customers are happy to commit a lot of money without ever visiting a shop or seeing the actual full sized product they are buying, see it installed or visit the premises of the company they are about to do business with.

Our advice is to always visit a double glazing showroom.  Especially with large products like entrance doors, bifolding doors or patio doors, surely it makes absolute sense to see these large products installed and functioning to be absolutely certain you are getting the product you want?

Visiting a showroom makes absolute sense to get a feel of your double glazing supplier, their staff, knowledge and range of products available.

How important are memberships of the Glass and Glazing Federation and other professional organisations?

The Glass and Glazing Federation is an important representative of the UK glass and glazing industry and does excellent work in representing it’s members, working to raise standards as well as helping members of the public.  Many of the UK double glazing firms choose to be members of the GGF  for the help, support and representation it provides them in many areas of the sector.  The GGF is also very useful to consumers ensuring they have adequate consumer protection.

We would always recommend that you do your research to ensure you are well protected before signing any contract for new double glazing.  The financial stability of the double glazing firm is important as you will have to pay a deposit and you will expect completed work as a result.  Insurance backed guarantees also provide protection for consumers should a business cease to trade.

There are also other organisations such as the Double Glazing Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme that also exist to provide consumers and window companies levels of protection.

It is not a legal requirement to be a member of any professional organisation, although regulations now exist for the certification of installations via FENSA or Certass.  Indeed there are many window companies that trade profitably, responsibly and reputably without being members of the GGF or other trade organisations.

With “consumer protection” being the focus of these Organisations a negative implication exists that customers somehow need protecting from double glazing companies! The important point to remember is reputable window companies do not set up in business to take your money, carry out shoddy installations and leave themselves liable to claims, litigation and involvement of arbitrators and others.   Similarly most window companies will do their utmost to resolve issues fairly, promptly and responsibly. Window and door installations generally go well but the onus is also on you the consumer to be fair in your dealings with your window company.

The removal of windows and doors and the installation of new ones is significant building work and not as simple as fitting a new carpet.  Vital elements of your home’s structure are being removed and replaced and it is reasonable to expect that when this type of work is carried out things sometimes won’t go to plan.

Consumers should also bear in mind that double glazing is one of the few products that they can obtain before full payment.  In most other business transactions you are expected to pay for your goods before you receive them not after.  Certain double glazing firms have absolute faith in their work and won’t even ask for a deposit wishing you to pay when you’re happy.

In the same way the public complains about double glazing firms, we too complain about how we are treated by the public who see it fit to withhold thousands of pounds because a handle cover may be missing or a piece of glass is marked.  In the same way you expect your window company to be professional in its dealings with you, so the window company expects you to be fair with regards to installation issues and payment upon installation, whether this is partial or complete.

Are you really being sold a lifestyle?

Is your window firm or salesman is trying to sell you that double glazing will transform your home or give you a dramatic change in lifestyle? This must depend upon what you want your new windows and doors for and very importantly what they are part of.  Windows and doors can do nothing on their own without the building they are being fitted to, the room they are part of and their intended use.

Home extensions with large windows and bifolding doors are vogue.  Windows and doors such as these made by Origin can play a part in how you use your home.

If you are a landlord refurbishing a rental property the reality is you will want the cheapest possible windows that will simply do the job of providing a solution to your old windows and making your rental property lettable. You do not care about bells and whistles.

It is highly unlikely as a professional landlord that you will care about energy efficiency, U Values, aesthetics and what your window looks like or whether the new windows will somehow improve the lifestyle of your tenants.  Professional landlords in particular are in business.  In the same way smart landlords will fit the budget carpet and budget kitchen in a rental property, the same can be said for the windows and doors.

If you’re a homeowner installing new windows and doors in your own home it may be a different matter.  Again if you are restricted by budget you may simply want the cheapest and best windows you can afford only to replace your old draughty or rotten windows.

If you are building your dream extension, then naturally the purpose of the extension will be to give you a larger kitchen, an additional family room or simply more living space.  You may be having a new kitchen, a larger living space, roof lantern, windows and bifolding doors.

With building and design trends moving to more natural light, the glazing in your extension is important but it is the windows and doors in harmony with the whole extension and your fixtures and fittings that may give you the change of lifestyle and alter how you use your home.  But not on their own.

You can buy double glazing with confidence

We hope the above has given you a balanced and alternative view to many of the typical questions and statements made about double glazing.  The consumer today has much more information at their fingertips than ever before.  Gone are the days when you only relied upon a window salesman to tell you what products where available and what you could have.

There are now a multitude of new windows and doors in aluminium, timber and plastic that will blend in with your property whether you are looking for simple window replacements or something more bespoke.  Please use the contact form below if we can assist you with any aspect of buying new windows and doors or if you would like information about good double glazing firms where you live.

The post 6 Questions Consumers Should Ask Double Glazing Companies – And The Answers appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

A new commercial door has been launched by the well respected Senior Architectural Aluminium that offers several improvements over their existing well designed commercial door.

Any entrance that is not a dwelling must have a commercial door fitted that will meet the requirements for high traffic usage.

Commercial doors must be used in any non dwelling environments where a reliable high traffic entrance door is required.  If you are an installer that continues to provide PVCu or aluminium domestic entrance doors to commercial premises such as shops, you are not installing a fit for purpose product.

Commercial doors by their design and the hardware they use are designed to provide long term reliable usage in commercial premises.  Added to this they meet the now legal requirements of the Equalities Act specified with the correct door closer and hardware.

The Senior Aluminium SPW501 enhances their already successful commercial door

For existing manufacturers of the Senior SP500 system, this is still available with the new SP501 offering cleverly designed polyamide thermal break profiles.

These include narrow and deep top rails, bottom rails and midrails.  These narrow and deep variants of common door sections are necessary to meet different door functions such as the facility to incorporate large and small letter boxes in the rail sections and top rails that can be suitable for doors fitted with automatic operators.

What about anti-finger trap commercial doors?

Many trade manufacturers and installers have now incorporated the anti finger trap hinge stile as part of the standard product despite this not being a legal requirement in any shop or school.  With the anti finger trap hinge stile now being commonplace in commercial doors, Senior Architectural Systems have accommodated the two most common types of anti finger trap stile.

Doors that are fitted with standard locking systems, access control systems or latch locks can use the fully rounded SPW57373 anti finger trap stile which will suit all types of door configurations.

Fire exit doors fitted with horizontal panic bars will require the SPW57369 panic bar stile.  This is flat on the inside of the door designed to provide the flat face needed for suitable fixing of any proprietary horizontal panic bar whether this is a push bar type or recessed bar type.

Senior Systems also offer flexible thresholds with the new SPW501 thermal commercial door.

The low threshold or ramp type threshold is a critical component of commercial doors.  Doors in public places must never have the rebated “step over” threshold typical of residential entrance doors.

With the SPW501 commercial aluminium door, Senior Systems offer four different threshold variants.

The standard double ramped non thermal threshold will be suitable for most applications.  Where doors and thresholds are required to sit on a subcill, there is the SD598 square back threshold.  This threshold is ideal as it will sit against the rear upstand of all cill sections whilst providing a good seal and removing the common dirt trap in this location.

For those that require thermal or drained thresholds, these are also available.

The other benefits of the improved SPW 501 commercial door include the availability of cut lengths already powder coated by Seniors.  This is very advantageous to fabricators of say, a single door in one special colour that would otherwise require complete 5 or 6 metre bars to be purchased when only one metre of a particular section may be required.

This painted cut lengths availability ensures special colour commercial doors remain competitively priced for the customer and cheap to make for the manufacturer and reducing off-cut material wastage.

Senior Aluminium also promote that the SPW501 is a development of the SPW500 thermal commercial door therefore existing tooling can be used.

Any type of sidelight, toplight or angled framing combination can be created as the system also has an excellent range of pocket glazed thermal profiles including corner posts and other special sections.

If you would like prices and further details on the new Senior Commercial Aluminium Door, please contact the website using the form below.

The post New Commercial Door From Senior Architectural Systems appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Kloeber UK has been trading for nearly 10 years and can be credited with being one of the first companies to realise the potential of exhibiting products at shows like Grand Designs and getting their name well known with the consumer.

Kloeber have expanded into a further bespoke showroom demonstrating their range of multi use doors, windows and roof lights

Other achievements of Kloeber include being the first company to ever achieve Secured by Design Accreditation for their timber bifolding doors and FunkyFront door ranges.  Their products have also appeared on many prime time television programmes including Channel 4’s Grand Designs, DIY SOS shown on BBC1.

Kloeber continue to bring their brand to the end user by investing heavily in exhibitions such as The Home Building and Renovation Show, Grand Designs Live and others.

Kloeber have an excellent reputation with timber and aluminium windows, sliding doors and bifolding doors.

The growth in Kloeber as one of the premier suppliers and installers of modern, high technology and top quality home improvement products have enabled them to expand into opening a further showroom early next year.

Having completely refurbished an old building near Bicester, Kloeber cleverly installed all their own products into the entire building.

The home improvement industry will typically demonstrate their products in stands and other temporary displays and some will even just leave free standing window samples in the showroom.

This may be useful in simply “showing the product” but what it doesn’t sometimes do is show the customer how that window will look in a fully installed, trimmed, finished off and usable application.

Installing your product in a complete building enables your customer base to see how those windows and doors will function as fully working windows in different rooms or set themes.

Matt Higgs, Kloeber’s Sales Director says.

We can meet clients and answer their questions face-to-face as this allows us to guide them to the best product at the best prices to suit their individual project.

We have heavily invested in this new flagship showroom as be believe that it is logistically in the right place for a large number of our client base. We are thrilled that for the first time we are able to have our own doors and windows fitted into the building to enable us to showcase them as fully active glazing rather than just displaying them in the showroom.

Kloeber Bifolding doors are already well known and respected.

Kloeber offer engineered timber and low maintenance aluminium bi-fold doors.

The Kustomfold range is the build to order bespoke range that is tailored to precise sizes and details. This system is very slim, aesthetically appealing and enables large panelled bifolding doors to be created.

For developers or builders working to budgets and deadlines, there is a standard size product available.  Eurofold remains a high quality product but will be particularly appealing to those builders who are able to construct a clear opening to suit a standard sized bifolding door, rather than the other way round.  This will be appealing for those on a set build budget and wishing to have their doors installed as quickly as possible.

If you would like further information on the quality Kloeber bifolding doors, windows, and many other home improvement products that can be fitted to an entire project, please contact us using the form below.

The post Kloeber success in bifolding doors brings new bespoke showroom appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

For many years the home improvement industry has been trying to change the way double glazing is viewed by planners and those making decisions about new windows in listed or traditional buildings.  Now a test case is being brought about by a Hampshire resident and owner of a listed home whereby he is challenging the planning decision that prevents him from replacing his windows with double glazing.

Should old metal windows that are vital in retaining the look of a listed building ever be replaced?

Timothy Guinness the owner of a 16th Century property in Ellisfield, Hampshire has commenced with legal action against his local authority after his application to change the windows was rejected.  It is reported he is applying to replace his original metal windows with timber double glazed windows claiming the new windows he wishes to install will make the property more energy efficient as well as enhancing it’s appearance.

Owners of many traditional properties in conservation areas and those in listed buildings are restricted when it comes to the replacement of their old windows.   Conservation areas and planners have already forced homeowners to change their windows when they replaced them without making the necessary checks to ensure that they would approved by their local council.

Somewhat frustratingly for property owners there is no discretion relaxing the rules.  The rejection is based on rigid rules and no reason has to be given, other than that the proposed alterations do not comply with the regulations.

Should owners of listed buildings be restricted from the benefits of new windows and double glazing?

The window industry is of course in the business of selling windows and doors and will be keen for a positive outcome whereby restrictions on new windows are relaxed.  One needs only to look at Edwardian and Victorian houses not subject to planning restrictions where for decades the original look of  these properties has been changed with the installation of new casement windows in both aluminium and upvc.  Many will already live in streets that no longer look the same due to the many different materials and styles of new windows that have been installed.

With so many window replacements having been carried out during the last 30 or 40 years with new double glazing, some experts also believe that some poorly designed replacement windows have actually done more harm than good.  Listed building experts have claimed that installing new windows in properties that were not originally designed to be completely sealed has resulted in damage and other issues including destroying period features such as box sashes, timber and plaster mouldings and other beautiful window features.  Other issues caused by new double glazing in older buildings have been the creation of condensation traps, additional humidity and much reduced ventilation into the property.

Where commercial interests of some double glazing firms have often come before preserving our historic buildings is it right that Mr Guinness is challenging the planning decision by taking it to the high court? If he wins, would we see many historic buildings such as Royal Crescent in Bath, or many Cheltenham Regency Terraces changed forever with the installation of new PVCu or timber windows?

For years window companies and some homeowners have not really cared. The double glazing salesman will simply want to sell a customer new windows and in many cases the customer will also not consider that their new windows in a different style or material will compromise their property in any way.

Some window companies such as Masterframe Windows with their sliding sash windows and Liniar with their flush sash upvc windows have already convinced a few local authorities to approve their windows.  Both these companies and others have done a lot of design and development work over the years to try and make their plastic windows as representative as possible of the old ones they are replacing.  But for many Planners, the fact that they remain PVCu windows is reason enough to refuse them.

Aluminium window systems companies have also done the same.

Balancing the need for energy efficient modern windows whilst retaining the look of our historic buildings has always been a hard for homeowners and local authorities.  Some local authorities understand the need of homeowners to have even older properties as energy efficient as possible whilst not compromising the original look of the property.  In the case of aluminium windows there are already several systems that have Crittall Replacement Windows designed to replicate the original look of old metal windows with all the advantages of double glazing, high security and window energy ratings.

What is the solution to improving the windows in a listed property?

Many historic terraces would not look the same again if their windows were replaced.

When you make a decision to buy and live in a listed or conservation area property it can be argued that with it comes a responsibility to look after the property for future generations.  With the original metal or timber windows being vital to keeping with the original features of the building, is replacing the windows with anything other than an exact match the only solution? What are feasible and reasonable options?

Refurbishment of the existing windows is one option whereby the original metal windows can be improved with new seals, draught proofing and adjustment to ensure any opening sashes close firmly and tightly against the frame, helping to reduce any draughts.  There are specialist window companies that are very experienced in refurbishing old metal windows even those that are hundreds of years old. Today, most old windows can be refurbished in this way and removes the need for them to be unnecessarily replaced.

Similarly there are specialist companies that could make new replica metal windows that would be a substantial improvement over the old metal windows whilst retaining the original look.  What is not explained in the reporting of the test case brought on by Mr Guinness is why he believed a timber replacement of his old metal windows was suitable.

Secondary Glazing is also one of the best options for listed buildings.

Secondary Double glazing offers a perfect solution to improving original sash windows such as these period timber windows

Secondary double glazing is the ideal solution to improving the performance of the existing windows in listed properties. It has not been reported whether secondary double glazing was suggested as a solution to Mr Guinness or whether he himself considered it.

Secondary double glazing is already well known to have solved the problem of old draughty and poor performing windows in all types of period buildings such as Grade 1 and Grade 2 listed, buildings in conservation areas, Georgian buildings with casement or sash windows, Crittall or other metal windows in art deco or listed buildings, Edwardian or Victorian buildings with sliding or casement windows.

If you live in a listed or conservation area property, aluminium secondary double glazing will solve many of the concerns of planning officers and homeowners.  Here is why:

Secondary double glazing regularly does not fall under the strict controls of local authorities, planning officers and conservation officers.

The installation of secondary double glazing protects the vital external fabric of the buildings and keeps the original windows in situ

Secondary double glazing whether standard or specifically designed for listed properties is virtually invisible from the outside.  It is also substantially slimmer than any new aluminium or metal window and is equally discreet from the inside of the window.

Secondary double glazing actually helps preserve our listed buildings. Not only do they help these buildings remain in use, warm, insulated and secure, but they also enhance their value by continuing to make them desirable for years to come.

The installation of secondary double glazing in any listed building should always be checked with the Planning Department of any local council however there are countless examples where aluminium secondary double glazing has been approved time and time again for use in these properties.

Whilst the needs of any homeowner to reduce their heating bills and make their property more energy efficient is totally understood, the historic nature of our buildings must be preserved for generations to come and without the need for new aluminium, timber or PVCu windows, no matter how similar they may be to the original.  There are always solutions such as aluminium secondary double glazing.

The post What is the solution to old windows in listed buildings? appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Door closing devices have been in use on doors virtually since doors themselves were first invented. The first patent for a door closing device was issued in 1873 in America, prior to this door closing devices took many different shapes and forms.

There has been a requirement to control the closing of doors since doors were first invented.

Originally, door closers were very simple devices consisting of springs or weights but until technology and design took over, they remained unreliable in terms of how quickly doors were closed and still resulted in slamming doors.

Why do we need door closers on doors?

The invention of the door closer and the reason for using them remains the same today as it was with the first door. A simple need to either keep a door closed or control how it closed.

1880 saw the invention of the first pneumatic door closer using air pressure that offered one of the first mechanical solutions to preventing doors from slamming shut.  Further enhancements in the late 1800’s saw door closers being fitted with arms having external torsion springs as well as other developments.

Liquid was soon being used in many face mounted door closers from 1889 and this liquid closer technology was further developed into the first concealed door closer using liquid to control the closing speed in 1916.

Today, effective door control remains the primary reason for door closers.

In any public building and some residential, you will see door closers of many different forms fitted to wood, metal, composite, fire or plastic doors.

Not only does a door closer prevent a free swinging door from causing damage or injury due to possibly being flung open, but there are other criteria as well as legal requirements today that make choosing the right door closer absolutely essential.

There are several considerations in choosing the correct door closer for a door.

Doors in hospitals are one example where doors must be safe, secure and perform reliably day after day

Effective door control is now much more than just closing a door or keeping it shut.  Building regulations, public safety and providing buildings that are easy to use for users and occupiers remain important reasons for fitting door closers to doors but there are other important considerations.  These include:

• The requirement for doors to latch shut and be secure every time
• How doors are to perform in the event of a fire
• How the elderly, disabled or infirm are able to use a door
• Long term reliability of any door
• Preventing vandalism or damage
• Maintaining building temperatures
• Aesthetics and design.

Door closers today, come in many different types and forms and offer different features, styles, strengths and functions.

You will find door closers that will be either surface mounted, hidden in the door frame, hidden in the door itself or hidden in the floor.

Regardless of how a door closer is fitted, it is how it is used and how it enhances any door and how we use a door that remains important.  We all use doors every day in our working and normal lives but rarely give a thought to what goes into keeping that door safe, secure and easy to use.

The post What is a door closer? appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

If you are currently looking for a new front door for your home what door choices do you think are available to you?

Composite doors form the majority of what you will see in double glazing showrooms but many other door options are available.

Like many customers looking to buy a new front door, you will visit your local double glazing showroom. What doors did you see? Quite likely you will have been offered two options –  composite doors and timber doors.  But did you know with the right research there are more than timber and composite doors available?

Of course there are companies that are specialist door suppliers but the reality is that most people will go to see doors at a local double glazing firm.

The way doors are marketed today would make you think you only have two options.

If you went to a double glazing showroom recently, what did you see? In most typical double glazing  showrooms you will have seen modern or traditional designs again of composite doors. Most showrooms will only offer a limited product range.  They may not have access to the whole of the market and what is actually available to you.

If you are one of those customers that have not visited a showroom but have recently had a double glazing salesman visit your home what did he show you?  Obviously he didn’t bring you a door to view.  All you were shown was a door brochure with the various styles and possibly a small cut down door sample to demonstrate the core of the door and just how secure it was.

If you are choosing a front door from a brochure and not visiting a showroom what about colours?  You must be aware that the printing process in paper brochures, the screen resolution on iPads and modern monitors does not give you an accurate representation of the real colour.

Here the salesman will take out a small colour swatch and show you available colours.  With nearly 30 years experience in the home improvement sector, we know of customers frustrated that the finished product was not the colour they expected.  Therefore our advice is always try and view a full size product.  Most good companies will have doors waiting to go out in their storage facility.

Even the national names like Everest, Anglian or Safestyle will largely promote their composite doors.

Composite doors are of course fit for purpose as entrance doors to dwellings.  Available in both traditional and contemporary designs they are constructed from a solid or engineered timber core of varying thicknesses or a synthetic material.  Whatever the core will be made of these composite doors will be surrounded by a PVCu outer frame.

Ranging in price from £900 up to £1500 or more for a typical composite door they are affordable, reliable and secure.

Timber doors you will find superior in quality, weight and feel compared to composite doors.  A natural real wood door with a matching not plastic outer frame will provide many decades of service in the same way the original wood doors fitted to UK properties have.

Timber doors will typically start from approximately £2000 depending on the style and size.  They are the more expensive product.  But it is unreasonable to compare a timber door to a composite door as they are not the same.

You are fitting aluminium windows throughout your home, what door options are available to you?

If you have already made the decision to install aluminium windows in your home are you aware of the door options in aluminium available to you? Or do you think you can only have a composite or timber door?  Even window companies that offer PVCu, aluminium and timber windows may only offer you composite or timber doors.

Do not be convinced to make a buying decision on security alone.  No self respecting window company would offer you a door that didn’t meet minimum security standards.  Whatever door option you are faced with, security is not the issue.  Modern home improvement products including composite and timber doors are designed to meet or exceed the latest standards for security such as Secured by Design, BS7950, PAS23 or 24, LPS1175 etc.

What about aluminium entrance doors?

Aluminium Entrance doors are also available from a variety of manufacturers that can bring a different dimension to the “me too” composite doors available today.

For example, if you are having grey aluminium windows installed and ask for a composite door with a grey not white outer frame you are still not getting an exact colour match or look.  A composite door with a grey outer frame will be foiled.  Foiled PVCu, looks nothing like powder coated aluminium! Even if they are ordered in the same RAL 7016, RAL 7032 or other grey colour.

Therefore if you are set on a composite door but are concerned about matching the colour of adjoining windows, SAPA Crown Composite Doors could be a solution as they are available with an aluminium outer frame.

Aluminium Doors give you something composite doors can’t – no visible hinges!

An aluminium entrance door enhanced with timber accessories to provide a unique door

Schuco are one of the finest aluminium designers of doors.  You will find their products in the best homes around the world and they are also available in the UK. Schuco products have excellent design and engineering at the core of what they do.

Schuco provide a range of entrance doors that bring the advantage of no visible hinges.  Look on other doors and externally the hinges are clearly visible.  Schuco entrance doors are available without visible hinges, giving you clean lines throughout.

Dutemann UK are a supplier of contemporary doors and provide an excellent selection of Schuco entrance doors that are arguably nothing like you’ve seen before.

AluK Systems were recently installed in a modern home awarded in the Sunday Times British Home Awards.  A high security aluminium entrance door enhanced with red cedar to create something dramatically different.

Aluminium Doors can help you create one off designs easily.

There are a range of mullion and transom profiles available with aluminium doors that can create one off designs.  This coupled with clever use of glass such as acid etched or sandblasted can help you create something unique to your home and nothing like the standard designs you will see in so many brochures.

With mullions and transoms ranging from 45mm up to 120mm on most typical aluminium systems, you can have squares, rectangles, bars or many other options.

Let us help you find a door you really want.

We have access to products you will not see in your typical double glazing showrooms and products that can offer you something different to the composite doors you’ve seen just about everywhere.  Contact us and we can help you.

The post There is more to doors than composite doors. appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Concealed door closers, transom closers or concealed overhead closers as they are also known are today widely used in all types of metal, wood or steel doors.

Concealed overhead closers are ideal as they provide a hidden closer with no visible hinges or closer arms.

Designed to provide a hidden solution to visible door closers they remain the first choice for shop doors particularly in aluminium, otherwise known as commercial aluminium doors.

What are the benefits of concealed transom closers?

The big advantage of concealed overhead closers is that there is no external closer arm or door hinges visible as with other doors.

The concealed overhead closer works completely differently to typical face mounted door closers insofar as doors using concealed overhead closers will pivot rather than swing on hinges.

The use of a concealed door closer in doors has also enabled doors to open in and out whereby doors on face fixed closers and hinges can typically only open in or out.

Concealed overhead closers will today normally be hidden in the frame of the door but other types also exist that can be floor mounted. These types of closers work with hidden “arms” that assist with controlling the closing of the door as well as helping limit the travel of the door leaf. As concealed closers are effectively the “door hinges” that typical doors hang on, they also work to keep the door connected to the closer at all times.

A quality transom closer also has other features built in.

With doors being required to perform different functions depending upon their application, concealed overhead door closers have advanced in recent years to offer several features. These include:

• Different strength closers to suit the size or weight of the door they are to fit to.
• Can either hold a door open or ensure it never holds open and latches shut every time.
• Has adjustable closing speeds
• Enables a door to open in or out as well as in and out
• Provides a clean uniform appearance with no other visible hinges or hardware

How overhead closers have reduce costs for building owners and tenants.

Commercial shop doors fitted with concealed closers can be quickly changed to open in, out or double swing doors.

With concealed door closers enabling doors to open both ways, as well as in or out, this has resulted in substantial cost savings for shop owners as just one example. Here is why.

With a rebated door fitted on traditional hinges and a face mounted overhead closer, these doors can only open in the direction they were intended when they were first made. Therefore if that door was originally intended to be and ordered as an opening in door, it can only ever remain an opening in door.

This is because doors on face fixed closers are more often than not rebated doors meaning when the door is closed it shuts onto a purpose designed rebate. It is very difficult to convert an open in rebated door to an open out door without substantial modification and cost to the existing door and its outer frame. Where this door is connected to a top-light or sidelight such as a big shop window, the costs are even greater.

With doors fitted with concealed closers, they automatically give the shop owner the choice of which direction their door can open and this choice can be determined or changed at any time.

Concealed overhead closers are fitted to pivoting doors not rebated doors and instead of a complete rebate, only a simple door stop is ever required to control whether a door opens in or out. If you remove this simple stop the door is instantly converted to a double action (opens in and out door). If you position it on the outside the door opens it, if you position it on the inside the door will open out.

This simple feature of doors with concealed transom closers means that shop owners can change the direction of their door which is of huge advantage when a shop unit is taken over by a new occupier that wishes his door to open differently.

Concealed closers continue to save money in years to come.

Visit any old hinged door and you will often see visible screw holes, or new metal plates fitted where the original old face fixed closer has been replaced. Often older face fixed closers that are no longer manufactured must be replaced with a new closer, but this new closer does not use the original fixing holes and positions.

A solution is either to drill new holes and leave the old ones exposed or fit a metal plate over the door to accommodate the new fixings. Whilst this will solve the problem, it can leave an existing door leave looking damaged with obvious signs of repair.

With advancements in transom closers over recent years this means that old transom closers can be replaced with brand new ones that leave virtually no visible signs of repair or replacement. This again is a huge advantage of concealed overhead closers.

What to be aware of with concealed overhead closers.

These concealed overhead or transom closers may all look the same but they all differ substantially from high quality closers

The first thing to be aware of is cheap imitations. There are many different types of door closers available but they all differ substantially in quality, design and long term reliability. It is often the case that cheaper door closers can leak oil if over adjusted, rendering the door closer useless.

High quality door closers such as the RTS 85 or RTS87 from Dorma are high quality door closers that have undergone extensive cycle testing and have proven their reliability in commercial doors for over 30 years.

Importantly these high quality closers also have features built in that prevent over adjustment and the leaking of closer oils.

Whilst door closers may all look the same, our experience having worked with doors and door closers for over 25 years tells us that whilst the cheaper closer may be cost effective initially, longer term choosing the cheap door closer can actually cost you more money in service calls or closer replacements.

It is also important to remember that many door closers can look the same to the inexperienced, but often will not be the correct replacement for a faulty door.

If you are thinking of changing a concealed door closer to one of the cheaper brands you may encounter possible problems such as:

• the closer may be over or under powered for the size of door and can cause problems opening the door as well as damage to the door leaf
• the incorrect door closer can cause the door to open past it’s intended stop point or even have an incorrect swing altogether. This will cause damage to the door.
• The fitting of a cheap or incorrect door closer can cause the door to fall away causing injury
• Beware of cheap concealed closers that do not meet current requirements for CE Marking, fire safety or compliance with the Equalities Act which is a legal requirement.

Routine maintenance on doors and door closers is also essential.

With concealed door closers being hidden it can be the case that the building owner or user many not be aware of a developing fault or that the door closer may need simple maintenance.

This is particularly the case in high traffic doors and those in heavy use environments such as schools. It is therefore important to observe a regular maintenance programme not only to ensure that the door closer is functioning correctly but that the door set itself is adjusted, correctly aligned and working satisfactorily.

High quality transom closers have been in use daily for over three decades, but as with any high quality product it must be correctly maintained to ensure long service life.

The post Hidden Secrets of Concealed Door Closers. appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Many businesses might consider automatic doors as a luxury or unnecessary expense when designing or refurbishing their building. But installing automatic doors to even a small shop can bring advantages you may not have considered before.

You may think that automatic doors are only installed in large hotels, shopping centres or other public buildings, However we’re going to explain how smaller businesses can benefit from automatic entrance doors.

What benefits do automatic doors bring to businesses large and small?

Automatic sliding doors such as this from Dorma can enhance the customer experience of large and small businesses.

If you run any kind of business and of course one that is open to the public, then the ability for your customers to enter and leave your premises with ease should be an important consideration. Look at your business and think about how easy it is for people to get in and out of your premises.

If you run a business close to a train station, a school, a bus stop or other busy place you may have experienced an increased flow of traffic during certain periods of the day that causes problems for your incoming and outgoing customers going through a typical manual swing door. In something like a cafe, restaurant or shop automatic doors can prevent the people jams that often occur in busy periods as well.  Automatic doors can provide a solution for simple accessibility to your business that is open and of course, welcoming to the public.

Automatic doors for businesses and the law

Are you aware that public buildings are required to provide unrestricted access and make reasonable adjustments so that the disabled can access their services? This is law and covers businesses in the retail, health, financial, education, transport and other sectors. Breach of the Equality Act 2010 can result in unlimited fines.

Automatic doors are one solution of many whereby the disabled, infirm and elderly can gain entry to your premises without having heavy metal or glass doors to open as well as making you easily compliant with the Equality Act 2010. But it is not just meeting the needs of the disabled. If you have a business that is frequented by people with pushchairs, or even those that are carrying goods, their shopping or even their mobile phone, they can all be assisted greatly by automatic doors.

It therefore makes a lot of sense that automatic doors can not only offer excellent solutions to your business but they can actually enhance how your customers experience your business.

Despite the increased cost of automatic doors, they can actually save you money.

In many shops and commercial buildings, doors will often be left open or jammed open because they are convenient to do so. In winter you will often walk through a set of open doors to be greeted by a door heater above them that is blowing hot air over an open door. This just adds to the heating bills of the premises.

Doors that will open and close only when needed have long been proven to save money in heating bills and air conditioning costs as well as reducing noise pollution from busy town centre streets, constant energy in heating a building that loses heat through permanently open doors and not to mention constantly trying to keep your premises at the right temperature for your customers.

There are obvious energy savings to be had with the installation of automatic entrance doors. They ensure that doors remain closed and only opened when needed. Another big advantage of automatic doors whilst still providing energy savings is that closed doors in winter can make your business appear closed for business. But as soon as someone walks up to a closed set of automatic doors, they will swing or slide open and tell that customer that you are very much open and are inviting them to step into your shop.

Automatic sliding or swing doors remain one of the most cost effective ways of improving your energy efficiency and designed right will also let lots of natural light into your premises.

Better for your customers and better for you.

Automatic swing or sliding doors can be made much larger than their manual counterparts. This means that larger goods coming into your building can easily be taken through automatic doors. For your customers who may have bought large items from you, these doors also make it easy for them to leave your building with their purchases.

Safe and Secure

Automatic doors also perform much needed safety and security functions. Many automatic doors can be fitted with “panic breakout facility” which enables a sliding door to swing open in the event of an emergency.

They can also be controlled at closing time to ensure that nobody enters the premises but customers who are still in your store can leave unhindered. This is much more cost effective than having a member of staff at a set of manual doors locking and unlocking them as required.

Dorma are one company that specialise in complete automatic entrance systems as well as operators for aluminium, timber or glass doors.  Whether you are looking for a framed or frameless automatic door solution contact us and we can provide you with further information and assistance.

The post The advantages of automatic doors for businesses large and small appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Any service provider must ensure they make reasonable adjustments so that their doors can comply with their legal obligations under the Equalities Act. If you are a door and window company that is involved in either the specification of products or helping your customer choose doors for commercial premises are you informing them of their obligations under the Equalities Act 2010?

This is an excellent example of a non compliant shop door

Whilst it is true that the responsibility will fall on the business owner or occupier to comply and at the design stage specification and compliance will be done by an Architect or building designer what about new doors in older buildings?

If you are replacing doors in an existing building then it is unlikely an architect will be involved. The local business owner will contact you as the local experienced door company to provide the right door for their premises. They may be completely unaware about their obligations to make reasonable adjustments to their premises so that they can be accessed by the disabled. Who should make them aware?

Do double glazing firms installing doors in commercial premises have a responsibility?

It is our belief that you do have a responsibility to make your customers aware if their door will not comply with the law. And here is why.

• Are you already advising your customers of their legal requirement to have trickle vents in windows to meet building regulations
• Are you already telling your domestic customer of the legal requirement that upstairs windows have egress hinges for fire escape
• Are you already telling your customers why all residential doors and critical areas should have safety glass in them as a legal requirement?

If you are already giving your customers this important information as an experienced window company why are you not doing the same for your commercial doors?

What is a typical installation where the responsibility for compliance falls on the installer?

Let us say you are a window company that is installing a new door to your local small shop.  You as the installer are still subjected to Building Regulations.  The Equality Act comes into force once the building is in use but if you are doing any works that are covered by Building Regulations then you need to comply with BS8300 and Approved Document M.

Let us assume a disabled member of the public has also complained to a shop about how heavy their doors are and the shop owner takes action to remedy the situation.  He will call upon you as the door installer to rectify the door or make improvements.  Again in undertaking this work you are subject to Building Regulations, Approved Document M applies and the door must therefore then comply with the Equality Act.

What you need to know about manual doors

The RTS 87 Dorma closer features adjustable power and can help you comply.

If you are fitting a commercial door with a door closer, it is a requirement under Part M and BS 8300 that the force required to open a door should not exceed 30N between 0 and 30˚ and must fall below 22.5N between 30˚ and 60˚.

It is of course important that the door latches shut and locks correctly, particularly in the case of security doors that are required to remain locked shut when not in use. BS EN1154 also states that a minimum closing force is required to ensure the door closes correctly.

If you are one of the many companies that specifies their commercial aluminium doors with a concealed transom closer, we recommend you specify in every case a Dorma RTS 87.

The Dorma RTS87 is a high quality closer that is power adjustable from EN1 to EN4. This power adjustment will give you fine tuning of the door opening and closing force that will ensure your commercial door opens and closes correctly to help it comply with Approved Document M and BS8300.

Many window companies will make the mistake of accepting a budget and non compliant closer because they are cheaper. What you should know is that whilst a premium closer such as the Dorma RTS 87 might be a little more expensive, this will obviously work out cheaper that having to return to your installation to fit a compliant closer when your door is discovered as not having the correct opening and closing forces!

We recommend when you order your door from your trade manufacturer that you make them aware that you want the door fitted with a compliant closer. All reputable door manufacturers should be able to provide this for you.

What about doors with face fixed closers?

The Dorma TS93 closer with cam action is also able to help you comply with rebated doors

Face fixed closers are also sometimes called rack and pinion closers. Today there are several types of face fixed door closers available from those with traditional “scissor arms” to more sophisticated models with slide arms or cam action to give a more sleek appearance.

A rack and pinion closer is unlikely to meet the opening and closing forces required as these are primarily designed so that the door closes firmly past any latching point and locks shut. Also you will always feel a greater degree of resistance with a face fixed closer within the first few degrees of opening a door.

A solution to this is to specify your face fixed closer as a cam action closer with a slide arm rather than the scissor arm. This will avoid the additional tension that scissor arms exert upon first opening and final closing.

A typical quality and compliant door closer that will help meet the requirements of BS8300 and Part M is the Dorma TS93.

Do not assume your door supplier is providing you with compliant doors.

Do not assume that because it is a commercial door you are ordering your supplier presume it has to be going into a commercial building and therefore must be provided with a compliant closer.

Many manufacturers of commercial doors that supply fabricated products to window companies that only install will require you to fill out their order form.

In the same way your supplier expects you to to provide and will not guess the manufacturing sizes, the colour or what locks or handles you require, It is your responsibility to ask your supplier to provide you with a closer whether a concealed or face fixed that will help meet the requirements of Part M of the Building Regulations and BS83000 both of which fall under the Equality Act 2010.

Do not assume a correct door closer means a compliant door.

You must remember that is is the complete glazed and installed door that has to comply with the opening and closing forces needed and not just that it is fitted with a compliant door closer.

Hinges, weatherstrips and gaskets, handles and ironmongery and of course the weight of the glass will all play a part.  Only on site testing once the door is installed and completed will demonstrate  its compliance to BS8300 and Approved Document M.

So how do you measure whether your door is compliant?

The Pesola Testing Gauge is a simple device that can test your completed door for compliance.

To measure the opening a closing forces on site, you can use a Pesola Guage up to 100Nm.  This is a very simple device that is very useful for door installers or installation Managers to test that their commercial doors complies with the Building Regulations and British Standards.

The 100N Pesola Audit Kit is recommended for either Document M or BS8300 testing of your installed commercial door and will test the door pressure on either opening or closing.

Contact us if you would like to purchase one.

The post Doors for commercial premises and the Equalities Act appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.

Do you give thought to compliance with the regulations concerning commercial doors, are you breaking the law?

Approved Document M and BS8300 are part of the current Building Regulations therefore doors must meet the design considerations laid down in these documents.  In this article we explain how different regulations apply to the specification and installation of commercial doors.

If you are installing commercial doors what are you doing to ensure they meet Building Regulations?

Therefore if you are manufacturing or installing commercial aluminium doors that are being installed in any building that is not a dwelling you have an obligation to ensure entrance doors meet certain criteria.  Once the doors are installed and the shop or office building is in use then the building owner, occupier or “service provider” has an obligation to comply with the Equality Act 2010.

What do you need to be compliant with?

Equality law and the Building Regulations apply to every business that provides a service, goods or any facilities to the public.  These Building Regulations clearly state that doors to buildings that are not dwellings must avoid creating access difficulties for disabled people whilst taking all steps possible to provide effective barriers against smoke and fire.

It is actually very simple.  You as the door installer are providing an entrance door to a building that must meet these legal obligations.  This means the door must not be difficult to use by wheelchair users, people with guide dogs, low upper body strength, dexterity problems or any other disability whether physical or mental.

In most cases it is the opening and closing strength of the door, the handles and hardware fitted and the size of the door that will make it difficult to use.

Who has the responsibility for ensuring compliance with commercial doors regulations?

You as the manufacturer or installer must comply with the current regulations. If you are also involved in the specification of commercial doors are you meeting your obligations in specifying these so they are compliant?  In this article we are discussing replacement doors to existing buildings rather than new doors to new buildings.

In the case of a new building the architect will normally be aware of building regulations and have specified new doors accordingly.  But what about if you are one of the many window companies in the business of replacing old doors to old buildings with new ones?

Where are you currently installing your commercial doors?

If you are typical of thousands of window companies that buy in commercial aluminium doors from one of the many trade manufacturers in the door and window industry, where are you fitting your doors?

It is already accepted by professional window companies that in non dwelling or “commercial” applications only a commercial door is the fit for purpose and the most reliable product.

But in specifying a commercial door are you forgetting to take into consideration Approved Document M and BS8300 of the Building Regulations?  Chances are that you have recently provided doors that are non compliant.

If you have recently fitted a commercial door in any of the business premises below it must have met the current Building Regulations.

• Local newsagent or other local shop
• A door to a bank, post office or other financial services provider
• A door to an estate agent, a gym, a health club, a church or a community centre
• A new door to a hairdressers, tanning shop or barber shop
• New single or double front doors to a hotel or restaurant, cafe or public house
• A door to a school, doctors surgery, nursery or kindergarten

The law still applies even a type of business is not listed above.

Why your door supplier is not responsible but you are.

Most professional trade manufacturers of commercial doors will have an order form whereby they need specific information from you in order to manufacture your doors correctly.  This is no different from the way you currently complete window order forms and detail the sizes, specification, hardware requirement, colour and design.

You may ask, if the trade manufacturer knows commercial doors will in virtually all cases be fitted in a commercial building, why don’t they just provide a compliant product? The answer is that it is up to you to provide the correct specification for a product not your trade manufacturer.  This is no different to your trade manufacturer of windows never guessing if your windows must have a trickle vent or egress hinges or guessing the window handle colour you need.

You may argue that if the hardware changes to a commercial door to help it comply are so small why don’t commercial door manufacturers simply provide a legally compliant door as standard? After all they will automatically assume a glazed commercial door must have toughened or laminated glass, why not just provide a door closer such as the Dorma RTS87  or Dorma TS93 as well as contrasting colour handles?  Many commercial door suppliers already provide doors with an anti-finger trap as standard even though this is not a legal requirement so why can’t they extend this to hardware?

If you are a trade manufacturer reading this then this is something you may wish to consider.  Simple changes to the type of door closer and the type of door handles you provide as standard would ensure you are selling a door that will help it meet the current Regulations.  But like most trade manufacturers you will believe it is up to your customers to specify a product, not you.

Price, lack of information, bad salespeople and lack of education are the reasons.

A PVCu door to a busy local shop is typical of an installation by your local PVCu companies that mainly deal with houses and supply completely the wrong product in a commercial application.

The reason why so many non compliant doors are being supplied is down to how they are sold, lack of knowledge and lack of awareness.

The door and window industry is a very competitive one and frequently governed by price.  For years customers have been told to “get more than one window and door quotation” or “get a local recommendation”.  Therefore are they contacting window companies that simply don’t know or aren’t aware?

We know of many cases where a professional window company is asked to quote for a new door to a local shop and has rightly made their customer aware of their obligations to provide a compliant door and priced for one accordingly.  Yet the next window company that also provides a quote will either say nothing about compliance or when asked about it may even respond that the other window company “doesn’t know what it’s talking about”. They will invariably provide a cheaper quotation as they have not allowed for the necessary hardware and will probably get the order on the basis of a lower price alone.

The business owner paying for a new shop door invariably won’t know either.  After all, they come to you for your expertise when they required new doors and windows for their house.  And don’t forget how many local double glazing firms are commercially unaware of what the right product is for a commercial installation judging by how many PVCu residential doors have been supplied to commercial premises.  Next time you walk though a PVCu door to a shop you can be certain it was installed by a window company that didn’t know what it was doing.

How did you order and install your most recent commercial door?

If your most recent installation of a commercial door consisted of:

• The door and framing all in the same colour
• Door handles the same colour as the door leaf
• A budget door closer
• No final testing of the opening and closing forces of the door

then the chances are it was a non compliant product.  Was your most recent installation like this?

Let us help you provide the right commercial door.

Simple hardware changes such as the right door closer, the right type and colour of door handles can all work together to help your door comply.  If you install commercial doors to any shop, commercial building or simply any building that is not a dwelling you are welcome to contact us for advice.

We can help you specify your next commercial aluminium door with the right door closer, the right hardware and handles as well as give you information that will help your door to comply with current Building Regulations.  Getting this right will help your customers comply with the Equality Act. We can even put you in touch with the right manufacturers to supply it.

You must remember though that it is the complete door that must comply and this will take into account factors such as weather seals, gaskets, weight of glass, size of the door and much more.  But these need not be complicated and we can offer advice about this too.

Obviously this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal advice.  If you have any concerns about how the law affects your business you should consult your own legal advisers.

The post Are You Complying With Commercial Door Regulations? appeared first on Aluminium Trade Supply.