Living on the Queensland coastline comes with its fair share of benefits. The beach is at your doorstep, you’re lulled to sleep by the sound of crashing waves at night, and wake up to those gorgeous sparkling blue views in the morning.
But calling Queensland’s popular beachfront areas such as the Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast, home, also has a few drawbacks. We know, it’s shocking to hear! But that beautiful ocean spray can often wreak havoc on the windows and doors of properties framed with metal. And the salt water borne on those delicious coastal breezes carries with it the promise of corrosion and rust. So how can you combat these evils to ensure that they don’t spoil your airy, open beachfront home? There’s a secret that we’re going to share with you, and it’s all about using uPVC in your window and door frames rather than aluminium.
What’s uPVC?
Ok, so that unveiling probably didn’t have the shock factor that we wished for. Mostly because many Australians aren’t aware of what uPVC (unplasticised polyvinyl chloride) is. This isn’t surprising because uPVC is a material commonly associated with European homes. So what does uPVC, used in homes chiefly from colder climates, have to offer Australian houses? Firstly, uPVC is a durable and incredibly strong type of plastic that is used in window and door frames. Have you guessed its benefits for coastal Aussie homes yet?
It doesn’t rust!
Why replace aluminium door and window frames with uPVC?
So why hasn’t this wonderful corrosion preventer gained widespread popularity in Australia yet? We believe many Aussies may be sceptical about uPVC because aluminium is such a conventional building material here. While it’s true that aluminium is very sturdy, it also has many pitfalls that make it far more costly to maintain in the long run. For one, it rusts quickly when exposed to coastal winds carrying salt in the air, meaning that it needs to be replaced often. Secondly, it isn’t as energy efficient. Because aluminium is a metal, it tends to absorb heat, and then radiate it back into your home, compromising the hard work that your air conditioner is doing on those above thirty degree Summer days.
Using uPVC and double glazing to protect your home from the Australian climate
Another reason that may explain why Australians are late adopters of uPVC is that this type of framing is often associated with double glazed windows, which in turn are almost always linked to colder climates. Why would Aussies need double glazed windows? For a vast variety of reasons! They’re fantastic sound insulators, they’re incredibly energy efficient when it comes to keeping the air-conditioned air in your house and the hot air out, and they can protect your home from storms, damaging winds and even bushfires. Phew! We get a little passionate about advocating the many benefits of double glazing for Australian households. But back to uPVC. Australians often also wonder where their much-loved and needed fly screens would go when installing these types of windows and doors. But the fact is that it’s so easy to fit insect screens into a large variety of windows and doors that enjoy both uPVC frames and double glazing.
Other undeniable benefits of using uPVC
uPVC window frames provide superior insulation for your home (especially when combined with double glazing!). There are no cracks where cool air can escape, or salty air can creep in. This provides protection for all of the lovely homewares you may also enjoy in your house, like that stainless steel antique plate you have hanging on your wall. If you expose metal items such as this to a constant sea breeze, you’ll find that they will corrode quickly. This is why having uPVC windows and doors installed on the wind-facing walls of your home is such a good idea.
Here are just a few more benefits of using uPVC.
- uPVC is easy to clean – you just need a bucket of soapy water and a soft cloth.
- uPVC lasts upwards of 25 years!
- uPVC won’t rot from exposure to moisture, like many wooden window and door frames in coastal homes.
- uPVC can be installed in a variety of windows and doors, from casement and awning to tilt’n’turn, bifold and sliding.
Do you want to banish rust, corrosion and rot from your Australian seaside home? Contact Energy Efficient Windows today for a quote to replace your window and door frames with uPVC!
