rooflight

How A Skylight Will Help You Enjoy Summer More

Now that the equinox (March 20th) has passed, the days are longer than the nights, something that will continue to be increasingly true until the end of June. At the same time, the sun will get higher and higher in the sky in the middle of the day, reaching as high as 62 degrees here in Yorkshire.

The prospect of some warm sunny days will be welcomed by those glad to see the back of winter, but there are ways in which you can enjoy it even more in your home. Fitting a new skylight is a great way of doing just that.

It means when the sun is high in the sky in summer, it won’t slip completely out of sight by rising above the line of the ceiling. Instead, it can shine down on the room below, providing extra illumination.

A bonus element of this is that you can still enjoy at least some of this extra light when it is wet, staying dry indoors while at least having a lot of light to enjoy despite it being diminished to an extent by the rain clouds. The weather can’t be guaranteed, but the planet’s axial tilt can.

If you are planning to have a skylight fitted, a modern aluminium-framed version will provide you with a durable, smart product that will last you for many years, enabling you and your family to enjoy the benefits of the summer sun high in the sky for many years to come.

A key issue, however, is to ensure you plan to install it in the right part of the roof. Ideally, you want to enjoy the direct light in the early to middle part of the day, but less so beyond into the late afternoon, as this is when the heat has built up and the temperatures are at their highest.

By planning this right, you can enjoy the best of the light in summer while not roasting at 3 PM.

Aluminium Tilt & Turn Windows

4 FAQs About Aluminium Doors

Taking the time to research your various options when it comes to door installations for your homes and businesses is advisable, as you  need to have peace of mind that your investment will protect your property and tie in with the rest of your interior design choices.

If you’re interested in aluminium as a product, here are some frequently asked questions about the material that could help you decide if it’s the right choice for you. If you need any further help or advice, get in touch with the Tailored Doors & Windows team today.

Is aluminium strong?

Rest assured that aluminium is strong enough to be used for the manufacturing of both doors and windows, with all our products meeting stringent British standards for security. Our doors feature high security locking systems, but you can choose to make these even more secure if this is something you’re interested in.

Is aluminium sustainable?

It’s becoming increasingly important for us all to be eco-conscious when it comes to purchasing decisions and aluminium represents an excellent sustainable option for interior decorating. The material can be extracted with relatively little impact on the environment and it’s 100 per cent recyclable, as well.

What styles are available for aluminium doors?

The good news is that because aluminium doors are finished with powder paint coating, there are hundreds of different colours, effects and finishes to consider, so you’re sure to be able to find something that suits your home.

Are aluminium doors energy efficient?

Another key consideration for both homeowners and commercial property owners alike is energy efficiency. The right products can make your site more efficient and, thus, cheaper to run, as well as lowering its impact on the planet. Aluminium doors are highly energy efficient, helping to reduce heat loss and supporting your home’s energy performance.

walk on roof light

Hot Trend: Walk-On Rooflights

Maximising the amount of natural light that floods into your home brings with it all sorts of benefits. Of course, there’s the aesthetic quality that cannot be denied and you’re also sure to find that practical use of your living spaces is easier with all the extra light (not to mention the opportunity to reduce your energy bills), but there are also lots of health benefits to be enjoyed, as well, including better mental health, more energy and better sleep, to name just three.

If you have a flat roof at home, you have the perfect opportunity to invite more natural light inside – and one of the most popular ways of achieving this right now is through the installation of walk-on rooflights.

Designed for anyone with a roof terrace, basement conversion or suitable kitchen extension, these design features bring more light into your living areas without affecting how the above space is used, or the thermal integrity of the room below.

They’re made using incredibly tough glass, so you don’t need to worry that they won’t hold your weight and they’re available in anti-slip finishes, as well, so safety isn’t compromised either.

Not only that but these rooflights are also very efficient, designed to reduce thermal bridging to maintain a comfortable living environment, with energy-efficient glazing with a u-value of 1.2 provided as standard. They’re also available as triple glazed units if you want to take it that one step further.

Note that if you plan to have your walk-on rooflight installed outside, you’ll need to carry out a water test prior to fitting. Ideally, you want a gradient of 40mm for every 1,000mm that runs in accordance with the fall of the roof. 

To carry out your water test, pour water on the highest point of the rooflight and see if any of it pools… but this is something we can certainly help you with, so get in touch with the team today to find out more.

Aluminium Bifolding Doors

4 FAQs About Bifold Doors

For home interiors, one of the most popular renovation projects is bifold door installation, with people increasingly keen to create a seamless transition between their indoor and outdoor spaces.

Folding door mechanisms can actually trace their origins all the way back to ancient Egypt, some 3,000 years or so ago – but the modern iteration was first patented by one Guy Edwin Dixon in the early 1950s, featuring full-height flexible hinges for the first time.

Contemporary interior design schemes feature these doors more often than not these days, but are they right for you and your home? Here are just some of the more frequently asked questions about these products to help you decide if they’d work well for you.

What are the benefits of bifold doors?

There are many associated benefits to having bifold doors installed, everything from increasing the amount of natural light that floods your home to how low maintenance they are, the fact that they don’t take up much space because they concertina up when open, their energy efficiency standards and how secure they are… not to mention how attractive they are when both open and closed.

Which are better, sliding or bifold doors?

We’re often asked whether sliding doors or bifold doors are better, but it will depend on what it is you’re hoping to achieve. If you want doors that open up fully and blur the boundaries between the inside and the out, bifolds would be the best option. It will also depend on how wide your doorway is. If it’s over 5m wide, sliding doors may be better.

Can doors open outwards, or do they always open into the room?

You can decide whether you want your doors to open outwards or into your home. It will depend on how the space is set up and how much room you have to play with, but we can advise you on the best option for your home.

Does the entire door have to open up or can just sections be opened?

You can opt for a single traffic door system so you can nip in and out quickly if you don’t want to open the entire door every time you want to go outside.

Of course, these are just a few questions about these doors – so if you need any further help or advice, get in touch with the Tailored Doors & Windows team today.

Elegance Composite Door

What Is Secured By Design And Why Is It Important For Doors?

Whilst people want a beautiful front door, the priority for many homeowners is safety, and a tailored aluminium door installation allows for both.

The most recent version of the Building Regulations (Approved Document Q, section 1.2) requires front doors to reach a minimum security standard, but the easiest way to know that your door is secure is to choose one with Secured by Design accreditation.

The Secured by Design initiative was launched by the UK Police Service to help people choose security products that help to prevent crime by improving their security credentials.

They focus on a wide number of security systems and whilst they do not undertake any testing themselves, they recommend suitable security standards that ensure that the door is not only secure but also provides fire resistance to stop a burglar from simply burning the door down to get in.

The accreditation consists of a series of security parameters alongside a test designed to mimic an opportunistic burglar and how they would attempt to break in using tools that could be easily bought and concealed on their person.

The most common test is PAS 24:2022 a Product Assessment Specification overseen by the British Standards Institution (BSI), with a simple pass or fail test but there are other systems available which can describe a much wider range of security products.

The most common security standard other than PAS 24 approved by Secured by Design is LPS (Loss Prevention Standard) 1175, with the most recent version of the guidance being Issue 8.2.

Before Issue 8, LPS 1175 featured eight security ratings (SR1-8), of which SR6 was the highest given to a door and lock system.

This has since been replaced by a letter and number combination, the former describing a set of increasingly complex, loud and sophisticated tools, whilst the latter is the time in minutes the door survives a forced entry attempt using these tools.

For the building regulations, the minimum standard was B3 (the old SR2), but some metal doors have higher ratings than this.

Aluminium Glass Veranda

Why Choose Aluminium Instead Of Wood Or PVC?

If you are looking for a new skylight or conservatory, your first thought will be about the benefits of a glass roof in providing natural illumination for the space below. But you should never overlook the importance of the frames that the glass is attached to. They make up much of the aesthetic appearance as well as being a practical part of it.

Both the aesthetic and the practical are reasons to choose carefully when it comes to the materials involved. When you do this, you may soon find lots of reasons to pick aluminium over alternatives such as wood or PVC.

The relative benefits of wood and aluminium are often compared. It is true that wood is organic and it can look good, although only with a lot of maintenance. Besides, while wood may be organic, its production still involves chopping a tree down, even if a new one is planted in its stead, whereas aluminium, while an alloy, can be recycled.

Compared to those, PVC comes out worst as it is plastic, the product of fossil fuels and, while it can be recycled, can only be used six or seven times. Given it is less robust than aluminium, it will tend to have a shorter useful working life.

PVC also tends to look dated, with many seeing plastic as being a tacky option, which is worth bearing in mind because the better your conservatory looks, the more it may add value to your property.

Aluminium is also stronger than wood, not prone to rotting or shrinkage and, as a stainless metal, it will not rust. This means it is by far the most practical option. Add to that the range of colours it is available in and there is a strong argument for saying it is the most aesthetic choice as well.

door installation

Which Direction And Way Should A Door Open Into A Room?

There is a lot of thought that goes into door installation, and many people have stories of installing a door that does not swing the right way or needs to be pulled open instead of pushed.

The tragic Victoria Hall incident in 1883 mandated that public buildings needed to have exterior doors that opened outwards, but for homes it is often the opposite, and most house doors open inwards.

The reason for this is a straightforward matter of security; an outward opening door would expose the hinge, which an enterprising burglar could simply unscrew or break open and easily get into your house. It also helps avoid problems with weather blowing a door open.

As for internal doors, this can often depend on the design of the house itself and where the doors are least in the way once opened. Typically, this means that they will open inward, as an open door into a room is not in the way of anyone in the hallway.

This could be different for under-stairs rooms, which tend to have oddly-shaped doors that necessarily have to open outwards, and other small rooms such as storage cupboards, walk-in wardrobes and en-suite bathrooms will tend to have doors that open outward.

As for which direction the door should swing, this can depend on a wide variety of factors, but the general rule of thumb is that the door should swing away from the wall closest to the light switch.

If people have to walk around the door to turn on the lights, this is not only frustrating but could potentially be rather hazardous.

The rules also are somewhat less clear for sliding and bi-fold doors, which can open a wide variety of ways depending on the most convenient place for them to rest in a given place in the home.

Ultimately, a trusted expert will let you know the best way to have a door open in a given situation based on the layout of your home.

aluminium bifolding doors

4 FAQs About Bifold Doors

For home interiors, one of the most popular renovation projects is bifold door installation, with people increasingly keen to create a seamless transition between their indoor and outdoor spaces.

Folding door mechanisms can actually trace their origins all the way back to ancient Egypt, some 3,000 years or so ago – but the modern iteration was first patented by one Guy Edwin Dixon in the early 1950s, featuring full-height flexible hinges for the first time.

Contemporary interior design schemes feature these doors more often than not these days, but are they right for you and your home? Here are just some of the more frequently asked questions about these products to help you decide if they’d work well for you.

What are the benefits of bifold doors?

There are many associated benefits to having bifold doors installed, everything from increasing the amount of natural light that floods your home to how low maintenance they are, the fact that they don’t take up much space because they concertina up when open, their energy efficiency standards and how secure they are… not to mention how attractive they are when both open and closed.

Which are better, sliding or bifold doors?

We’re often asked whether sliding doors or bifold doors are better, but it will depend on what it is you’re hoping to achieve. If you want doors that open up fully and blur the boundaries between the inside and the out, bifolds would be the best option. It will also depend on how wide your doorway is. If it’s over 5m wide, sliding doors may be better.

Can doors open outwards, or do they always open into the room?

You can decide whether you want your doors to open outwards or into your home. It will depend on how the space is set up and how much room you have to play with, but we can advise you on the best option for your home.

Does the entire door have to open up or can just sections be opened?

You can opt for a single traffic door system so you can nip in and out quickly if you don’t want to open the entire door every time you want to go outside.

Of course, these are just a few questions about these doors – so if you need any further help or advice, get in touch with the Tailored Doors & Windows team today.

COR Vision Cross Section

Why Choose Aluminium Bifold Door?

If you’re looking for a door that’s modern, stylish, and practical, an aluminum bifold door might just be the perfect choice. Not only do they provide an attractive and contemporary look, but they also offer a range of other benefits that make them a popular option for homeowners.

Here are just a few reasons why you might want to choose an aluminum bifold door for your home:

  1. Style and Aesthetics Aluminum bifold doors are available in a wide range of styles, colors, and finishes. They can be customized to fit your home’s architectural style and design, allowing you to create a truly unique look that complements your home’s overall aesthetic. Whether you prefer a sleek and modern look or something more traditional, an aluminum bifold door can be designed to meet your needs.
  2. Space-Saving Bifold doors are designed to fold in on themselves, which means they take up much less space than traditional doors. This makes them an excellent choice for homes with limited space or where you want to maximize your usable floor space. Bifold doors can also be used to create a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces, making them ideal for entertaining and hosting events.
  3. Energy Efficiency Aluminum bifold doors are highly energy-efficient, thanks to their superior thermal insulation. This means they can help to reduce your home’s energy bills by keeping your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. They are also highly durable and require very little maintenance, which means they can provide long-lasting energy savings over the lifetime of your home.
  4. Security Aluminum bifold doors are highly secure, with a range of locking mechanisms and hardware designed to prevent unauthorized access. This makes them an excellent choice for homes where security is a priority. They are also highly resistant to weather damage and corrosion, which means they can provide long-lasting protection against the elements.
  5. Versatility Aluminum bifold doors can be used in a wide range of applications, from exterior doors to room dividers and interior partitions. This makes them a versatile and flexible option for homeowners who want to create a unique and functional living space.

In conclusion, an aluminum bifold door is a great choice for homeowners looking for a modern, stylish, and practical door option. With their range of benefits, from space-saving design to energy efficiency and security, they are a popular choice for homes of all types and styles.