The high cost of living is increasingly prompting people to look more closely at the products they purchase, with many wanting to invest in better energy efficiency and lower maintenance costs for the life of the products they choose. Andrew Cross, Marketing Manager of Kestrel Aluminium Systems, explains how aluminium windows and doors can help.
The current cost-of-living crisis is encouraging people to re-evaluate their spending, particularly when it comes to reducing the money they spend in their homes and businesses.
Sustainability and energy efficiency have understandably become hot topics, with everyone looking for ways to make their buildings warmer and more comfortable while also reducing heating and other maintenance costs where possible. This is especially the case for commercial businesses, landlords and housing associations, for example, many of whom struggled during the pandemic and are still recovering from those difficult years.
As a result, budgets are shrinking for everyone, with limited funds having to be spread further as basic living costs spiral. Whether people own their own home, are landlords, or commercial property owners, ongoing investment and long-term maintenance costs are important to keep their properties in the best possible condition.
Low-maintenance costs
Aluminium door and window systems can be a great option for people looking to upgrade their properties, both in terms of improving energy efficiency and reducing ongoing maintenance costs.
As a metal aluminium is extremely low maintenance, requiring very little ongoing work to keep it in tip-top shape. Unlike other materials often used for window frames, such as timber, they do not need to be sanded, treated or repainted once in situ. Instead, aluminium sections from manufacturers such as Kestrel Aluminium Systems are supplied pre-prepared with either a single or dual-colour powder coating that will further improve the product’s overall strength.
Most of Kestrel’s aluminium sections are stocked in mill and white powder-coated finishes, and we also have our own powder-coating facility in operation at our factory, which means our customers can request a wide range of standard colours to suit any commercial or domestic décor, and have them delivered with industry leading turnaround times of just seven working days.
These coatings are available in a wide range of colours to suit any style of building, and will look like new for the lifetime of the window itself. That means, even after 30 or 40 years, the owners will have no maintenance costs other than a routine clean – potentially saving them thousands of pounds over the course of the building’s use.
Aluminium’s natural protective oxide coating also makes it corrosion resistant, again helping to improve its durability, even in coastal environments, for example, or those where external windows and doors are exposed to more severe weathers.
Boosting sustainability
It is also a very sustainable metal, and can be recycled many times without loss of quality, with very little energy required to extract the raw material and reform it into another product.
This helps make any building more sustainable in terms of either the carbon footprint of its initial build, or its ongoing renovations if aluminium windows and doors are added at a later date, something which could well be important giving the government’s growing push for sustainability and the need for many rental and commercial properties to meet ever-tighter Energy Performance Certificate ratings, for example.
Kestrel supplies aluminium sections for the fabrication of shopfronts, commercial doors, curtain walling, windows, doors and glazed roofs. Its window systems bring quality, contemporary design to any building, using slim profiles that will suit almost any desired window configuration, while its door suites can be installed in both commercial and residential environments.
An extensive range of sections are available, with various lengths including half and quarter lengths and up to six options to choose from on many products. This means customers can choose the most economical options for their project.
Kestrel Aluminium Systems has been supplying aluminium fenestration products for more than 30 years, and we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service and reputation for high-quality, reliable products. For more information on our systems and how we can support your business, visit www.kestrelaluminium.co.uk or call 0121 333 3575.
This article was originally published in the April issue of Glass Times magazine.
