Focus On Glazing

When designing a conservatory, the choice of whether to use glass or polycarbonate in the roof is an important one and when it comes to interpreting your needs and budgets, the glazing specification in a conservatory roof is a major consideration for homeowners and installers alike. It stands as an important point of discussion when choosing your ideal home improvement.

We understand that people in general are becoming more aware of energy efficiency and want a conservatory that allows maximum light into the home, which can be also used comfortably all year round. Our market-leading products have been designed to offer just that, excelling in performance and design.

Many of today’s conservatory buyers are also installing their second or even third conservatory and may be wary of the pitfalls of heat loss and heat gain through a conservatory roof which can result in many conservatories remaining unused for up to half the year, considered too cold in winter and too warm in summer. We discuss how some of the latest glazing options help to meet demands.

Polycarbonate Conservatory Roof

The benefits of polycarbonate glazing has made itself known to homeowners and it is currently an incredibly popular conservatory roof glazing material. It is very durable, easy to install, cost-effective and comes in a range of thicknesses with various coloured tints or anti-glare properties.

However, whilst lightweight polycarbonate glazing has been very popular, inappropriately specified polycarbonate can contribute to overheating. The process of solar heat gain occurs when sunlight enters a building and is absorbed by its surfaces and contents and reflected back again.

During the course of this absorption and reflection more infra red light, heat-bearing radiation, is produced. Glazing materials, such as polycarbonate, reflect a large proportion of this back into the conservatory where it is trapped and builds up inside, potentially causing an uncomfortable interior.

In order to help combat the issue of overheating, Ultraframe now offers a polycarbonate conservatory roof with the best solar control properties on the market. The use of secondary ventilation solutions such as controllable trickle ventilation, available on all Ultraframe systems as standard, coupled with new Polyspan Optimum, ensures all year round environmental control and most importantly customer satisfaction.

Glass Conservatory Roof

Although less cost-effective than polycarbonate, many people are now favouring glass conservatory roofs. Homeowners like the traditional look and transparency of glass roofs, as well as the high quality finish and natural elegance a glass roof can provide. However, standard sealed glass units can contribute to overheating, can be difficult to clean and are thermally inefficient.

Ultraframe already recognised the importance of offering consumers even greater choice and introduced a new generation of double glazed sealed units as far back as 2001. However, the specification has been updated and new Conservaglass is ideal for homeowners who prefer glass roofs and are looking for exemplary thermal performance and a room for all seasons.

Conservaglass is developed especially for conservatories used in the British climate and dramatically outperforms standard sealed units to deliver enhanced value and all year round comfort. With an impressive ‘U’ value of just 1.1, Conservaglass keeps out nearly two thirds of the sun’s heat energy to prevent overheating.

The glazing unit comprises of a sandwich of two 4mm sheets of toughened glass and a 16mm Argon-filled cavity. Conservaglass is more than twice as effective as standard DGU’s, making a difference of up to 10 degrees cooler when it’s hot and sunny outside. To cater for different tastes Conservaglass is available in a choice of Subtle Blue and Neutral Clear. The re-launch of Conservaglass includes a five to seven day lead time and new pricing to ensure excellent value across the board.

Other industry developments are set to increase the popularity of glass roofs further. The introduction of a revolutionary Tie Bar Replacement Kit from Ultraframe means that larger span conservatories, with heavy glass roofs, in many instances no longer require tie bars, which many homeowners find obtrusive. Our glass roofs specialise in a beautifully clean finish.

Find Your Nearest Conservatory Roof Installer

Whether your choose a polycarbonate or glass conservatory roof, you will need to make sure you invest in a design that is going to last. We are proud to offer the most technologically advanced conservatory roof systems on the current market, ensuring you always get the very best for your home improvement solutions. You won’t have to settle for anything less.

Find your nearest Approved Ultra Installer to benefit from a installation that guarantees product performance and appearance. All of our specialists are assessed and vetted before we approve them, testing them for their promptness, professionalism, reliability and efficiency when it comes to the installation process.