uPVC Apertures and other PVC products have been around since the 1970’s
Most homeowners do not know a lot about construction materials and they would have to rely on the building contractor for everything – even interior design, walls, roofing, doors and window finishes. Some building contractors prefer to use aluminum for household finishes which is unsophisticated, bulky, heavy and costly too if you consider other options like PVC-based materials or uPVC apertures. However, this is only prevalent in under developed countries and contractors that have not learned about the benefits of uPVC finishes.
What does uPVC mean?
uPVC stands for un-plasticized polyvinyl chloride and is commonly known uPVC in layman’s terms. The u in uPVC makes a huge difference for weathering as this means there is no actual plastic involved and hence increasing the rigidity and durability.
Industrial and Residential uses of uPVC Apertures
uPVC is used for everything from construction profiles to medical devices, from roofing membranes to credit cards, and from children’s toys to pipes for water and gas. In the European Union it is estimated that about 8 million tons of PVCs are produced annually and they constitute about 15% of all uPVC apertures and applications used in commercial infrastructure projects in all of Europe. PVC has also been replacing traditional building materials such as wood, concrete and clay in many areas all over the world! Roughly 50% of all building materials will be uPVC by 2030 according to experts.
Meanwhile, there have been a lot of uPVC apertures and finishes seen in residential buildings in recent years. uPVC roofing, uPVC ceiling and other uPVC finishes have become essential to interior design and they are not merely for material strength, durability, safety and environmentally friendly purposes, but for aesthetics purposes as well. You may notice that heat is reduced in your house or building and that’s because most uPVC materials now are designed to resist UV (ultraviolet) rays which is the main cause for temperature rise. PVCs are also designed to prevent bacterial growth for up to 99.99%, which is incredibly efficient and aids people in health and wellness.
uPVC vs aluminium
Both the uPVC and aluminum alloy have great benefits and, as a matter of fact, aluminum boasts of reduced carbon footprint compared to uPVC synthetic plastics. Why you ask? Well, since uPVC is a byproduct of crude oil in oil refineries, it burns a substantial amount of CO² in the atmosphere just to get the refined gasoline and other plastic products like uPVC that we need for fuel and raw materials. But this is not to say that creating aluminum alloys do not produce CO² as well, because like any other metals, aluminum is forged in ore refineries and they too produce heat and excess carbon dioxide just as much as uPVC apertures would, maybe lesser than uPVCs, but they still have some carbon footprint.
So let’s see the benefits of uPVC and aluminum for comparison purposes.
uPVC
- Strong and lightweight
- Thermal insulator (UV resistant uPVC)
- Easy to install
- Reusable
- Has antibacterial properties
- Durable and low maintenance
- Sound proof
- Cost-effective
- Energy-efficient
- Safe and secure
- Fire resistant
- Good insulator
- Versatile
Traditional aluminium
- Thermal performance (can gain or lose heat for up to 60% depending on weather conditions)
- Reduces carbon footprint
- Durable and low maintenance
- Affordable
- Design flexibility
- Recyclable
As you can see, from a vantage point, both materials are ideal for building construction materials, although it’s obvious that uPVC is slightly better than aluminum. Aside from being strong and lightweight, durable, safe and reusable, it is also cheaper compared to aluminum. Manufacturers could also mass-produce PVC easily whereas aluminum is limited by the raw metal ores where they are quarried. Plus uPVC apertures and finishes have better aesthetic appeal than aluminum in general.
What do Customers have to Say?
From their Facebook business page, CME Finishes showcases what their customers had to say about the quality of their work as well as the amazing benefits they’ve gained from the uPVC apertures installation. Because PVC is essentially a cheap material to use for building construction and renovation, customers would always note the great service and affordability that the contractor offers. CME also offers a vast range of colours, specifications and possibility of arches for both windows and doors. With regards uPVC doors CME offers a vast range of panel designs. As a result they were able to build a strong reputation as a premiere PVC finishes firm in Malta and have a huge customer base that want to retain their services as well as keeps referring them to their friends, relatives, co-workers and even acquaintances.
The amazing benefits of uPVC are just overwhelming. It is the future and new developments on the product will only make it more desirable as a prime construction material for decades to come.