Protect yourself
Use our comprehensive checklist to ensure your new windows live up to your expectations
- Check for certifications to ensure quality
- Avoid companies unlikely to offer good warranty and guarantees
- Ensure security using Secured By Design
- Save on your energy bill with energy-efficient products
- Protect the planet with ReCo Vinyl programs
British Board of Agrément
Have you heard of the BBA? Many of our customers have not. A relatively unknown organisation, the British Board of Agrément is responsible for certifying construction products and systems to ensure their quality, reliability and security. Windows are in a grey category in which they do not require approval to be installed. As such, many window installation companies are not certified by the BBA, leaving you at risk of unintentionally purchasing a sub-standard product. Always protect yourself, always check for the BBA certificate.
Please take note: Always check the certificate covers the whole product; some companies are sneaky and will produce a BBA certificate that covers only a single component of the window, such as a handle or latch!
National vs Regional Companies
We all want to help support local companies and jobs, but is this always the best path for your windows? Windows are what we like to consider a one-off decision; a good set of windows installed today contain many new innovations in durability and should last for over 25-30 years! Such quality does not come cheap, so it’s a good idea to make sure you have confidence in the company you buy from. Ask yourself:
- Will this company still be trading in 20 years?
A long guarantee is great, but only if the company guaranteeing the product is still operating! Regional companies have a high risk of collapse during hard times, and your guarantee will vanish along with them. - Can this company afford to guarantee my product?
Some regional companies will attempt to solve the former problem by simply not offering a guarantee, or by adding terms to the shortprint to make it hard to claim a refund. Be on the lookout for these practices always – they could cause you serious problems down the line. - Will the company require payment upfront?
National companies tend to offer compelling finance options on very low-interest. Due to inflation, you not only end up paying less this way, but also get more time to pay it. Regional companies will rarely offer these deals as they need the money upfront to buy the windows.
FENSA
FENSA is a government-authorised scheme that monitors building regulation compliance for replacement windows and doors. Every FENSA Approved Installer, from large national brands to small local companies, is assessed regularly to ensure its standards are continually maintained. Choosing a FENSA supplier can help to protect yourself against cowboy builders
Energy Savings Trust (EST)
The Energy Savings Trust is an independent organisation devoted to reducing energy usage in the home, and a major component of this is, surprisingly, windows! It’s well worth giving them a read to learn about how to identify an energy-efficient window and thanks to their high standards any product guaranteed by them carries a serious stamp of approval.
Secured By Design
The Police are called to 526 burglaries across England and Wales every day – that’s 1 every 140 seconds! Over 60% are a result of criminals forcing entry through windows. Many window suppliers save on costs by fitting substandard locking mechanisms that fail under sufficient pressure from a crowbar. To counteract this, the Police launched the Secured By Design program. Whilst the Police cannot be seen to be endorsing any product or company, what they can do is provide advice; any product with the Secured by Design stamp is approved by the police for exceptional home safety having passed rigorous testing conducted by the Police themselves. You can check a supplier’s compliance online using the button below!
BFRC Energy Ratings
All windows in the UK are certified to the BFRC’s energy standards, which ranks them on the grounds of energy efficiency. Ranging from A++ to E, they aim to give you an idea of how well a product will perform and can even go some way to helping you calculate the energy bill savings when upgrading!
Some suppliers will offer only a simplified rating, which does not provide as much information and can conceal areas in which the window may not perform as well, such as UV protection and clarity. Ask your chosen supplier to provide a detailed rating, and if they try to deflect from the question, this is a serious red flag as to the product’s quality – if the supplier isn’t confident enough in their product’s credentials, is it really good enough for your home?
An example is provided on the right, if any information present in this image is missing from your supplier’s documentation, this is a sign of a sub-par product.
There are only two destinations for a used window.
Save the planet, and your wallet!
- Window suppliers who use landfill are often less reputable than those that recycle
Landfill
Most windows end up in landfill
- It takes up to to 1,000 years for a window to decompose in landfill
- The production of new glass uses finite resources and is energy-intensive
- Glass can be infinitely recycled, but most companies won’t bother
ReCo Vinyl Recycling
Windows can be infinitely recycled
- Specialist companies can recycle windows, often at a profit
- Most reputable sellers will offer to recycle your old windows for you
- Some companies will even pay you the profits from the recycling process and take it off your bill!