Home Improvement Double Glazed Windows Chemical Compatibility

The greater part of world production of plastics is currently manufactured using the chemical compound ethylene. Ethylene (C2H4) is a product of the oil & gas industry. Although it is possible to produce PVC from a range of hydrocarbons including coal, and derivatives of plants such as sugar cane, PVC is generally considered to be a petrochemical product.

The focal chain of the polymer is made by single bonds of carbon atoms; consequently, PVC has excellent chemical resistance (similarly, with other multi purpose plastics such as PE, PP, and PS).

Some engineering plastics and specialty resins are susceptible to acids or alkalis, although there are plastics with excellent chemical resistance properties. PVC has excellent chemical resistance together with good mechanical properties, and it is those superior properties combined with many years of successful use, that make PVC so popular in construction applications and is used for chemical storage tanks, plastic valves/flanges, drainage/sewage pipes, piping and window/ door frames.

Chemical stability is very common among substances containing halogens such as chlorine and fluorine. This applies to PVC resins, which also possess fire retarding properties, durability, and oil/chemical resistance. Plastic double glazed windows and doors have a versatility that helps people meet the various needs of modern architecture. In addition to new projects, vinyl double glazed windows and doors are also widely used in refurbishment where it often replaces traditional materials such as metals and wood.

The ingredients that make PVC stay white after many years of UV exposure, are basically: titanium dioxide (TiO2) and an organic form of tin. Titanium oxide is not only used to give the profile whiteness, is also used heavily by the paint manufacturers to make pure white paints. These two ingredients are expensive and to produce quality profile, they need to be used in a decent quantity.

Upvc extruders and window and door manufacturers who do not use sufficient amounts of titanium oxide and tin or high quality forms of these, will sometimes tint their windows a light blue colour to buy time before they begin to yellow. Of course, some profiles are laminated royal blue as a colour option - but they have been created so with a purpose to colour match rather than to hide bad quality. We have many samples from various Chinese extruders that have turned yellow after exposure to UV radiation. The profile we use for double glazed windows and doors is yet to receive a single complaint after more than a decade of serving its owners.

Key properties of upvc double glazed window and door frames

The abrasion resistance, light weight, good mechanical strength and toughness are key technical advantages in the use of upvc as window and door frame material for building and construction applications.

Upvc can be cut, shaped, welded and joined easily in a variety of styles, which assists in meeting demands of architects for unusual and cutting edge designs that require precision and joint strength.

Pvc window and door frames are resistant to weathering, rotting, chemical corrosion, shock and abrasion. Not surpringly, for customers with different long-life, high performance and aesthetic specifications upvc double glazed windows and doors are the preferred choice. In fact, medium and long-term applications account for some 85 per cent of production in the building and construction sector. Studies indicate that in window and door frames, the upvc profiles, 60 per cent will have working lives of over 40 years.

Plastic has been a popular material for construction applications, such as double glazed windows and doors, for decades due to its physical and technical properties which provide excellent cost-performance advantages. By using upvc window and door frames, our double glazed window products become very competitive in terms of price, this value is also enhanced by the properties such as its durability, lifespan and low maintenance.

Excellent thermal insulation of upvc double glazed windows and doors, (as well as other uses of plastic in cladding and roofing) helps to significantly increase the energy efficiency of buildings. Upvc double glazed window and door products require comparatively less energy and resource use during production, as well as in conversion to finished products. They are lighter than those made of wood or steel, requiring less energy (and thus fewer emissions) to create than aluminium and because they are locally made, less fuel to transport. Upvc double glazed window products are also so durable that frequent replacement is unnecessary. And window and door frames are straightforward to separate from other plastics and then can be easily recycled into new applications. If not recycled, it is possible to recover energy from upvc window and door frames by incineration. Lastly, upvc window and door frames can also safely be deposited in landfill if no recovery solution is available.

The window and door profile for double glazed windows and doors is a non-toxic inert polymer. It is a socially valuable resource that has been used for more than half a century. It is also the world's most researched and thoroughly tested plastic. It meets all international standards for safety and health for both the products and applications for which it is used.

First impressions count and every effort has been taken to achieve the correct balance between form and functionality - visual appeal and practicality. From the strategic positioning of hardware, unrivalled surface finishing quality to the colour options - the Rehau Prestige Design leads the market in double glazed windows and door systems. Rehau is a German plastics manufacturer with world class facilities and unlimited polymer solutions. Get all the facts on double glazed profile systems.   Get all the facts on double glazed profile systems

Double Glazed Windows and Doors' focus is to keep the costs down - and this is transferred to the client in form of lower prices. Our staff are constantly maintaining and improving our processes for maximum automation and efficiency to maintain leadership and set high standards in the double glazing industry. In order to compete on price, Double Glazed Windows and Doors have created a lean business, and due to almost complete automation using high tech machinery, a considerably better class and value double-glazed product. Continued on the double glazed factory page.   For more information double glazed factory

Double Glazed Windows and Doors uses only quality hardware. Maco Secure guarantees the performance of their double glazed upvc window and door hardware against break-in through failure of their products. Should in the unlikely event of a break-in through the double glazed window hardware Maco Secure will re-imburse any insurance excesses up to a maximum. Get the answers on your questions on double glazed hardware on this page.   Read more on double glazed hardware

We appreciate the need to live in harmony with one's surroundings, both architecturally and environmentally, that is why our extensive range of colour combinations attracts many professionals seeking the combination of an eclectic colour range with a cutting edge technology. Our double glazed window and door colour profiles can be manufactured so that the profile beneath the veneer is not white, but has been made to match the veneer colour. The advantage of this method is, that in the event of an accidental damage to the surface, white fragments will not be visible and the double glazed window or door retains its original aesthetic appearance. Read more on double glazed colours.   Greater detail on double glazed colours can be found here

Purchasing upvc double glazing is not simply a cosmetic improvement, it is about technical advancement, high performance, safety and security, so by having various of our vinyl double glazed products tested in a laboratory to Australian Standards and the building regulations, ensures your double glazed windows comply with the minimum expected from any manufacturer in Australia. In fact, the double glazed window products that were tested have been found to outperform the minimum levels, and sometimes even exceed these levels several times over. Supplementary advice on double glazed test reports.   For more information double glazed test reports

Double Glazed Windows and Doors recognizes every purchase is a significant investment in your home, and we do everything to ensure the double glazed windows and doors you purchase pay for themselves long after you are so comfortable you forget they are there. Double glazed windows and doors will not require replacement for many years and to guarantee superior performance we use only high quality profile, double glazed units and hardware. Our relationship with clients doesn't end when the job is complete, Double Glazed Windows and Doors are available to you for any help. Additional information on double glazed warranty can be found at this location.   For more information double glazed warranty

Self sufficient and allowing for maximum natural ventilation, Double Glazed Stacker Windows slide and fold effortlessly demonstrating the refined taste of an intelligent consumer. Double Glazed Stacker Windows can create a vast amount of space along with an inviting contemporary character, and re-create a glass wall effect because they are not constrained to the same limitations of casement, awning and tilt & turn windows where the openings are restricted. The Double Glazed Stacker Window has two or more (upto six) panels, with one panel sliding past another, and all of the panels resting or being 'stacked' on one or two sides. They are a great alternative to Bifold Double Glazed Windows, when the client prefers the sliding style over the Bifold, or when space is at a premium, since with Stacker or Sliding Double Glazed Windows you need not worry about furniture placement or possible exterior obstacles. These windows feature ease of operation and maintenance, and a universally appealing design that will complement any modern home.   A complete guide for double glazed stacker window can be found here

The Double Glazed Stacker Door has two or more (upto 6) panels, with one panel sliding past another, and all of the panels resting or being 'stacked' on one or two sides. They are a great alternative to Bifold Double Glazed Doors, when the client prefers the sliding style over the Bifold, or when space is at a premium, since with Stacker or Sliding Double Glazed Doors you need not worry about furniture placement or possible exterior obstacles. These doors feature ease of operation and maintenance, a universally appealing design that will complement any modern home.   Additional information on double glazed stacker door can be found at this location

Embrace the beauty and sophistication of our Bifold Double Glazed Door carefully crafted with uncompromising expertise and unsurpassed quality The Double Glazed Doors are the ideal choice for the aspiring or an expert entertainer, offering an awe inspiring effect of an unobstructed opening onto a pool deck, garden, private beach, bushland or conservatory. The superior performance features are maintained in this style, offering acoustic insulation of upto 40 dB, with excellent energy efficiency rating measured by a u-value of 1.8, all while being corrosion resistant and environmentally friendly.   Get the answers on your questions on double glazed bifold door on this page

Our Double Glazed Windows are more than just apertures for light and ventilation - they can be a major spectacle offering a connection to heaven and earth. Functional, intelligent and convenient are the defining characteristics of our Double Glazed Sliding Windows. All our windows are quipped with high quality hardware for effortless opening and closing enhance all these aspects. We combine efficient technology for Double Glazed Sliding Windows with sophisticated design creating that indispensable convenience for your home. Popular with contemporary homes, our Sliding system offers additional benefit of saving space and when used with mirrored glass, can even serve as a room divider for guest privacy.   Extra information about double glazed sliding window can be found here

When design and utility are a priority, our cutting edge technology is sure to impress! For exceptional thermal and acoustic performance coupled with trouble free maintenance and ingenious design, this Door will exceed your expectations. The inward swinging Tilt and Turn Double Glazed Door, operates in the same way as the Tilt and Turn Double Glezed Window, and is built with the same care and precision that any window and door deserves. Special high quality hardware allow a single handle to operate all three functions: multiple security locking points for safety when locked, special hinges allowing the window to tilt inside for gentle air flow, and of course, the fully opening 'turn' function for maximum air flow and ventilation.   Read more on double glazed tilt & turn door

Combining the mastery of old world craftsmanship and progressive German engineering technologies, we create the most sophisticated upvc windows for the intelligent consumer who has the capacity to discern between a cheap imitation which creates disappointment, and our exceptional double glazed windows which will please and delight for years to come. Specified by architects as attributes of buildings, bifold windows bring out qualities of creativity, intelligence and magnificence that are easy to recognize but difficult to quantify or replicate by an inferior product. By making choices one transfers to the material assemblage of a building those attributes which really belong to one's personality. It is inevitable that qualities that feature in the buildings' owners' characters are read into architecture. What do your windows say about you?   Additional information on double glazed bifold window can be found at this location

The Casement Double Glazed Door is essentially a single panel double glazed hinged door that has one panel swinging in or out. This style is our best performing Double Glazed Door against wind, rain, fire, and even snow, the casement style is energy efficient and practical, which will have an instant impact on your home. This product is suitable for both internal and external uses and is also available for specialised commercial and architectural applications.   For more information double glazed casement door

Double Glazed Awning Windows allow the window sash to swing outward rather than inward or up and down, so they can be located in may places around the home and easily arranged next to other window types. The awning window is the ideal window type for homes in the temperate climate zone, or homes that are positioned to take advantage of natural ventilation or breeze. Double Glazed Awning windows are made with compression and weather seal and provide higher air-tightness, energy-efficiency and acoustic insulation than other window types such as sliding and double-hung windows. Double Glazed Awning windows have a variety of applications due to their versatility and durability, and are particularly attractive option for contemporary homes because our Awning windows are manufactured locally to an indisputably imposing standard, impressing even the most discerning clientele.   To obtain additional information on double glazed awning window

Our Double Glazed Doors are more than just apertures for light and ventilation - they can be a major spectacle offering a connection to heaven and earth. With the right advice about placement and size, our Double Glazed Tilt and Slide Doors can improve comfort, utilize daylight and natural ventilation for improvement in overall health and well being. Window Factory Tilt and Slide Doors are the most innovative and attractive deck/ garden or balcony doors available. Not only do they boast the tilt option of other popular styles, but the Tilt and Slide Doors were also designed to maintain our reputation for high performance.   Continued on the double glazed tilt & slide door page

Nothing can maximise cross ventilation without crating a draft like Bay Windows. They are more than just a period feature - when strategically placed they can replace air conditioning and provide a lovely feature for your home. They also make the room feel more spacious and appear larger, so they have been known to increase the value of a property. Typically, the bay windows are very large, even covering almost the entire distance from floor to ceiling. The effect of prolific natural light and stunning outdoor views from any angle in the room can be filtered or softened with window treatments.   Continued on the double glazed bay window page

Rehau quality stands for ambition and power, and these ideas are represented well in the Prestige casement upvc window and door system. The thickness of glazing ranges from 5mm to 33 mm. This double glazed window and door system comes with an overlap that measures 8 to 10 mm located between frame and sash, and this overlap not only helps to eliminate water infiltration and dust penetration, but also aids in saving energy consumption. Design optimisation of reinforcement chambers makes the double glazed window and door made of this profile highly resistant to high wind pressure.   For more information double glazed prestiged t84

Ordinary tinted glass is popular because it reduces heat gain and carbon emmissions, although it also marginally reduces visible light transmission. High Performance or Low-e tinted glass or spectrally selective tinted glass reduces solar heat gain to below that of ordinary bronze/ gray tint but has a visible transmittance closer to clear glass. The tint has little effect on the U-factor but reduces solar gain considerably, which can reduce the need for air conditioning in the summer. Tinted glass is useful in controlling glare - especially for those windows facing east or north east. Return the sunlight not glare into your home.   Read more on double glazed tinted glass

Your satisfaction is of paramount importance to us and we do all we can to ensure a trouble free installation and operation for many years to come. It is easy for us because we are supremely confident that our windows and doors will withstand the test of time even in a harsh environment because we use materials of unsurpassed quality. Knowledge, experience and ingenuity identify our technicians who are experts in their field. We constantly serve customers whose problems were rejected by our competitors due to being 'too hard' or 'impossible'! Whether it is a new construction or a renovation, you can expect the windows and doors to be designed, manufactured and installed in a timely, efficient and clean manner.   For a detailed discussion on the subject of double glazed stress free installation click here

Please note that delays by you of delivery of any order of double glazed windows and doors by more than 2 months will not be processed online, and you must speak to your sales representative to make a new arrangement. Please note that you may be required to pay a storage fee for lengthy and/or repeated delays. Failure to advise us of the changes in your availability at least 2 days before the delivery date, may make it difficult for us to make a timely change and if you are a part of multi point delivery, inconvenience other customers.   Read more on double glazed change your schedule

Low-e glass brings out the best that technology has to offer for improving your views and comfort! A cool, metal oxide coating is applied to clear or tinted glass, so that the appearance and performance are the same regardless of glass thickness. Low-e glass is recommended by many energy efficiency experts as a result of high performance combined with aesthetics. Low-E glass typically cost about 15% more than ordinary glass, but they reduce energy use by as much as 30-50%, by using most of the heat gain in winter but keep the harmful UV rays out during the summer, and when used in insulated glass units - can have even better benefits.
For hot climates, low-E coating should be applied to the outside pane of glass. If the windows are designed to provide heat energy in the winter and keep heat inside the house typical of cold climates, the Low-E coating will maximise benefit by being on the inside pane of glass.   For a detailed discussion on the subject of double glazed low e glass click here

Rehau quality stands for ambition and power, and these ideas are represented well in the Prestige casement upvc window and door system. The thickness of glazing ranges from 5mm to 33 mm. This double glazed window and door system comes with an overlap that measures 8 to 10 mm located between frame and sash, and this overlap not only helps to eliminate water infiltration and dust penetration, but also aids in saving energy consumption. Design optimisation of reinforcement chambers makes the double glazed window and door made of this profile highly resistant to high wind pressure.   For a detailed discussion on the subject of double glazed prestiged z84 click here

Installation of replacement double glazed windows and doors or for new constructions includes removal but not disposal of existing windows, and includes glazing, which involves fitting glass into the frame.
If you hired a builder to manage the installation, but they are unfamiliar with upvc, we provide consulting services to ensure the windows installation is trouble free.   For more information double glazed replacement

Installation of Secondary Double Glazed Windows and Doors involves installing the new Double Glazed Window behind the original window frame, which is retained, so the secondary window becomes adjacent to the existing window.
Installations of Secondary Double Glazed Windows usually take less time than replacement double glazed windows depending on window size, shape and glazing and without the inconvenience that can occur during window replacement such as delays on site because of architrave removal/replacement, other site works such as painting etc.   Greater detail on double glazed secondary can be found here

Delivery of double glazed windows, doors and products within 100km of the Sydney Metropolitan Region does not attract a fuel surcharge. If your order is comprised of only a few double glazing items, we can operate a multi drop delivery system to save you money. This method allows us to service multiple customers in the same area who share the truck and the delivery cost. This is optional and customers who have urgent needs for delivery of their double glazed upvc windows and doors can always opt for a direct delivery. Check the Delivery Schedule page for more information.   Continued on the double glazed delivery areas page

Our team has a diverse background in both commercial and residential design and we offer a unique combination of value, personal attention, and tailored services to all our clients. Our experience in successfully aligning clients requirements with their values to bring out a successful design solution for challenging work ranging from religious facilities, medical and dental offices, retail, sound studios and of course luxury homes. We foster a creative cooperation with your architect, builder and interior designer and work on joint solutions for a consistent approach that matches the clients requirements and considers specifiers recommendations. Thin and economical aluminium frames that are inevitably drafty and offer poor insulation can make even a good quality home seem cheaply built. We believe that our clients are intelligent people with discerning taste who can resist temptation of cheap imitations.   For a detailed discussion on the subject of double glazed stylish modern design click here

Many people have the impression that all silicone gels on the market are the same, but we have found that their properties and, therefore, suitability varies dramatically. Generally, the descriptions of silicone offer little information as to the correct grade and type for a given application, and because of performance variability, there is no one type of silicone sealant that should be used for everything. Using the incorrect silicone or improper use may cause joint failure, contamination of surfaces because of poor application, excessive movement in the sealed joint.   For supplementary material on double glazed sealing click here

or Double Glazing is described as two or more lites of glass spaced apart and hermetically sealed to form a single glazed unit with an air gap between each lite. As the name suggests, the most important function of and IGU is to improve the thermal performance of glass when used in architectural applications. It is common to find two panel of glass and they are therefore also referred to as double glazing units. Triple glazing units are rare but serve their owners well in very cold climates. Insulated glazing may be framed in a sash or frame. IGU made of glass is called insulated glass.   A complete guide for double glazed igunit glass can be found here