The growing attention to ecology in Russia is a trend that is undoubtedly encouraging. But, unfortunately, consumers often become victims of their own (and others’) illiteracy, taking information from tabloid articles on faith, without bothering to read the opinions of experts.
This is what happened with plastic windows, which, for a moment, are one of the most important components of environmentally friendly, energy-efficient buildings in Europe. In Russia, meanwhile, fans of eco-style living are vying with each other about the dangers of plastic structures for health and the environment.
Speculation 1. Plastic releases harmful substances
Many pseudo-researchers are concerned about fumes containing chlorine, lead, ethylene, and phthalates. These substances themselves, in their pure form, are toxic to humans. They can accumulate in certain structures of the human body and provoke various diseases. Proponents of this speculation claim that all plastic windows, to one degree or another, emit toxic substances into the atmosphere of a living space, citing calculations of their concentration in a metal-plastic frame. For example, there is a well-known opinion that a regular window unit contains at least 2 kg of chlorine.
| Fact: PVC profile has a multicomponent chemical composition that is highly stable | Indeed, polyvinyl chloride (the basis of a plastic window) contains chlorine, ethylene, phthalic compounds and other chemicals that are in a bound state. But they are capable of being released into the environment only under the influence of very high temperatures (over 225°C), which occurs during active combustion. |
| Regarding lead, it is worth noting that its salts today are practically not used in the production of glazing. Used to be used before, but not now. Lead in profiles was replaced with zinc and calcium salts. This did not deteriorate the quality of the profiles at all, but increased their environmental friendliness. | |
| Therefore, discussions about the dangers of PVC are many times exaggerated and taken out of context. In fact, this concern applies only to those profiles that are manufactured in uncertified production facilities from second-class raw materials. Work with quality manufacturers and you can avoid this problem! | |
| How to be | To eliminate the possibility of purchasing toxic, low-quality windows, and such products are usually cheap, unsightly and of unknown origin, you should adhere to a number of simple rules: |
| 1. Request from the distributor (manufacturer) certificates of conformity and quality for profiles, double-glazed windows, and fittings. Also find out if he has documents confirming the safety of his products in the form of a sanitary and epidemiological examination report. | |
| 2. Choose a manufacturer that does not use toxic additives in the production of PVC. |
Read on the topic: Which plastic windows are better? Let's talk about the characteristics.
Harm of PVC.
First of all, you need to know that plastic, also known as PVC, also known as polyvinyl chloride, in addition to a small percentage of impurities, contains two main components: ethylene combined chlorine obtained from table salt (about 57%).
If we look at polyvinyl chloride more closely, we can say that it looks like powder. By adding various stabilizers, pigments, additives and modifiers, as well as pressing into the desired shape, a finished PVC profile is obtained at the output. One of the stabilizers used is lead, a heavy metal that is almost impossible to remove from the human body. It is its presence in plastic windows that supports endless debate about whether such windows are harmful to humans or not.
You can read more about this in the article entitled “Environmental friendliness of plastic windows,” previously published on our website.
Speculation 2. There is no natural ventilation in plastic windows
In closed, sealed, properly installed PVC windows, there is indeed no natural air circulation between the room and the street. And rightly so - who needs ventilated windows? The “construction heritage” of the USSR was enough for us, when blowing and freezing in windows was the norm! But this does not mean that such complete tightness is a problem. On the contrary, it is a key advantage of PVC windows against outdated structures.
| Fact: plastic windows are absolutely airtight | The design was originally developed for this purpose. All well-known manufacturers, in their instructions to consumers, first of all point out the need to regularly ventilate the room. |
| How to be | For this purpose, high-quality products provide a ventilation or micro-ventilation function. Also popular solutions are fresh air ventilation valves (installed in the frame), as well as profiles with an air channel. |
Insufficient ventilation of the room.
One of the main disadvantages of plastic windows, which cause obvious harm to human health, is the inability to organize unhindered air circulation. This fact occurs due to the fact that the designs of modern PVC windows are extremely airtight; their sashes, with rubber seals applied, fit tightly to the bar separating the window - the impost. This blocks the possibility of creating natural ventilation in the room.
The essence of an effectively working ventilation system in a modern apartment is a constant flow of fresh air into its space through windows and doors. Moving throughout all rooms, the air flow concentrates foreign impurities and exits through the openings of the ventilation shaft to the outside. This cleanses the air in the room.
Insufficient ventilation is the main reason for the formation of condensation on a double-glazed window. What is bad about the accumulation of condensing moisture in the house? First of all, the resulting high humidity is fertile ground for the accelerated development of fungi, microbes, and mold. You can read more about this phenomenon in the articles “Why condensation forms on double-glazed windows” and “Mold on windows.”
Speculation 3. Plastic windows make the room darker
Some share the opinion that in a house with plastic glazing one always feels depressed and depressed, so they supposedly cannot be installed in the rooms of the elderly, children and people with poor health.
| Fact: Less light transmission area | Indeed, due to the fact that the PVC frame occupies approximately 20% of the window, the area of the translucent part is reduced. When using double-glazed windows, another 10% of the light is taken by the third glass. The fewer imposts and overhead elements (false bindings) in the frame, the more light it lets in. When using double-glazed windows with float glass, the translucency increases. |
| How to be | Today, many manufacturers offer designs with an increased light opening through the use of narrower PVC profiles. |
Good to know:
Float glass is made by thermal polishing, when molten silicate mass is poured into baths of tin. Clean, unpainted sheets of such glass have a light transmittance of 88%. There are also Optiwhite glasses with a minimum content of iron oxides; they transmit light by 92%, as they have almost complete transparency.
Reduced light transmittance.
The glazing area of plastic windows also has a negative impact on people's health. The fact is that modern PVC windows have less light transmission than old wooden samples from the times of the USSR. It seems that a reduced value of 10-15 percent (due to the thickness of the frames and the refraction of light from additional glass) seems small, but this is quite enough to put a person in a bad mood, which also does not have the best effect on the normal state of his body.
Speculation 4. Harmful light from plastic windows
There is an opinion that due to passing through several glasses with given characteristics, light rays change their configuration and can harm a person.
| Fact: double-glazed windows do not distort the sun's rays | Sunlight consists of rays of different wavelengths. The most dangerous rays for humans are ultraviolet rays. They provoke the formation of melanin and can cause burns on the body and retina of the eyes, but only if they are exposed to the scorching sun for a long time in the summer. Living in a southern climate with constantly active sun without using sunscreen can also, over time, trigger the occurrence of melanoma - skin cancer. |
| For the glazing of plastic windows, ordinary glass and improved glass (tinted, energy efficient) are used. None of the types distort the light coming from the street; on the contrary, there are coatings that specifically do not transmit the ultraviolet spectrum of rays. | |
| How to be | If you are concerned about excess sunlight entering your home, you should use glass with a reflective coating. They will filter out ultraviolet radiation and keep the room cool even in hot summers. Their only drawback is their unsuitability for growing plants on a windowsill. In such conditions, the flowers will not have lush, dense greenery and will not bloom. Another option is to order glass from clean, unpainted glass, then you will be absolutely sure that it is harmless. |
Cheap and soft plastic
According to research, the greatest harm to the environment and human health is caused by soft plastic, namely plastic bags and product packaging.
The hard plastic used to make plastic windows is not dangerous. PVC (uPVC) for windows has a long service life (more than 50 years) and does not decompose on its own (decomposition in the ground takes more than 200 years); the release of harmful substances during decomposition and recycling is not significant. The ability to recycle PVC window profiles makes it a product with a “green quality mark” - Recycled.
As the basis for the plastic windows we produce, we chose VEKA profiles with confirmed sanitary and hygienic safety and the highest quality class rating.
VEKA profiles, produced all over the world (USA, Europe, Russia), have no contraindications and have proven themselves when used in Russian conditions.
Speculation 5. PVC windows create a “greenhouse effect” indoors
Due to the tightness in the room, a high concentration of fumes is created, which provokes the formation of fungus (mold) first on the slopes and then in the corners of the walls. It also provokes respiratory diseases in household members and allergic reactions.
| Fact: plastic windows do not allow moisture and air to pass through | Tight pressing of the sashes and careful multi-layer insulation of the opening, when installed correctly, provide complete protection against the penetration of cold air and moisture from the street. At the same time, those fumes that form inside the room also do not leak outside. This is especially noticeable in bathrooms and the kitchen. |
| How to be | Regular ventilation of rooms with sufficient heating allows you to eliminate excess moisture from any room. The main thing is not to be afraid to open windows even in winter. |
How do PVC windows affect the body?
Some manufacturers of profile systems, in order to save money, add lead salts to the raw material to obtain a durable white profile. But such a substance has a negative effect on human health. Children and the elderly are especially susceptible to it.
Lead can enter the body with air and food, accumulate in bone tissue, and impair the functioning of the nervous system, kidneys and other internal organs.
Companies that use heavy metals do not label their products. Therefore, a low-quality profile can be easily identified by the absence of a special sign and certificate.
If you do not ventilate the room and keep the doors closed all the time, you can create conditions that will cause headaches, difficulty concentrating, and decreased performance. This problem can easily be eliminated by regular ventilation, installing a supply valve or a micro-ventilation mechanism.
Speculation 6. More people die in fires due to plastic
When ignited, PVC forms toxic compounds: dioxides and monoxides, which quickly poison a person, depriving him of the opportunity to escape during a fire.
| Fact: PVC windows release toxins when burned | Indeed, this is a feature of polyvinyl chloride, which at the same time has low flammability. In order for its decomposition to occur, stable exposure to temperatures above two hundred to four hundred degrees is necessary. Such a high temperature is created during the active phase of a fire, when human survival is close to a minimum. Wooden structures also burn very hotly at this temperature, and modern wooden euro-windows also emit toxins. After all, they are also treated with chemicals to ensure strength and resistance to various factors. |
| How to be | Every home should have a fire safety system installed - this will prevent the fire of not only plastic windows, but the entire house. |
What should you consider when purchasing windows?
It is necessary to insure yourself against the presence of harmful materials in the window structure in advance. The best step in this direction can be considered to be the presence of a quality certificate and a hygienic conclusion for the purchased light-transmitting products. Before concluding a contract for the purchase of plastic windows, be sure to ask the manager for certificates confirming the quality of a particular model.
Buy window products only from well-known brands, such as:
- KBE;
- Veka;
- Rehau.
When choosing windows from these brands, the likelihood of purchasing an uncertified, and therefore low-quality product, tends to zero.
In addition to PVC and wooden windows with double-glazed windows, you can also find fiberglass composite windows on sale. By its nature, fiberglass composite has many advantages in comparison with the same plastic and wood. For example, 2/3 of it consists of glass, but it is resistant to aggressive agents, has good thermal conductivity, and most importantly, it is very durable. However, with all the existing advantages, it also has a small disadvantage - its cost. The price of a glass composite window is approximately 40% higher than its plastic counterpart.
Variety of window designs.
The buyer has the opportunity to choose the number of window sashes and their width. According to the type of opening, plastic windows can be:
- deaf - the doors do not open;
- rotary - the doors rotate relative to the vertical axis;
- tilt and turn - rotate around a vertical axis or recline;
- sliding - the sashes move left or right along the plane of the window, thereby saving space.
The technology allows us to produce not only rectangular windows, but also round, oval, triangular and others.
Simple windows.
Economy class windows. Simplicity of design and configuration is combined with quality and reliability. The window uses a Euroline PVC profile in classic white color and a single-chamber double-glazed window, providing a minimum level of thermal insulation and noise protection.
Energy efficient windows.
The design and configuration of the window are aimed at achieving maximum energy efficiency:
- a wide PVC profile with a large number of chambers is used;
- the wide profile allows the installation of an additional sealing circuit;
- a two- or three-chamber double-glazed window filled with inert gas is used;
- to reduce heat loss through radiation, a metallized coating is applied to the surface of the glass, reflecting thermal infrared rays into the room;
- The window is equipped with a micro-ventilation system that reduces heat loss to a minimum.
Soundproof windows.
The use of almost all energy-saving techniques simultaneously - a wide profile, thick multi-chamber double-glazed windows and additional sealing contours - also leads to an increase in the sound insulation characteristics of plastic windows.
However, there are additional tricks. For example, a two-chamber double-glazed window with different glass thicknesses and asymmetrical chamber widths protects against external noise 20% better than a conventional two-chamber system. Such double-glazed windows are called anti-resonance.
Using tempered or triplex glass instead of regular glass also improves the soundproofing characteristics of the window.
Anti-burglary windows.
It should be noted that absolutely impenetrable windows do not exist in nature. Any window, even the most secure one, is vulnerable. The goal is to make it as difficult as possible for a potential burglar to enter the house through the window. The attacker will either abandon his intentions and choose an easier target, or he will break into the window until security or the police arrive.
In terms of burglary resistance, the best PVC windows differ:
- anti-vandal double-glazed windows: instead of ordinary glass, impact-resistant tempered or triplex glass is used;
- reinforced five-six-chamber profiles;
- special fittings: armored linings for locks, additional locks, stronger hinges, etc. are used.
With such windows there is no need to install bars on the windows. Moreover, from a fire safety point of view, using grilles is simply unacceptable, since a window is one of the possible escape routes for people during a fire.
Solar control windows.
Protection from sunlight is provided by i-glass and k-glass - elements with metallized coating. The heat-saving coating allows only the visible part of the sunlight spectrum to enter the room.
Recommendations for window buyers
You and I, and the people around us, often become victims of advertising propaganda and imposed myths. In order not to regret your choice, rely on facts and documentary evidence.
- Plastic windows meet a high class of environmental safety if they are made of high-quality materials,
- You can check the quality of components, not only PVC profiles, by requesting declarations and certificates of conformity,
- When saving on equipment, think about room ventilation options,
- High-quality and environmentally friendly products are usually produced by world-famous companies with a long history.
A manager will help you select windows and calculate the cost over the phone.
— Prices for plastic windows
