The appeal of steel framed doors and windows has truly stood the test of time, spanning from old country cottages and warehouses built during the Industrial Revolution, to contemporary commercial and residential properties where designers strive for a minimalist appearance.
While the success is based in part on steel’s inherent strength and elegant sightlines, customers who engage with members of the Steel Window Association (SWA) are actually tapping into a manufacturing heritage which often extends well back into the previous century, with experience of many different project categories.
Crucially, members have a full understanding of the design, fabrication and installation process, while they can also tap into the pooled expertise of the SWA and its technical advisory service. The association not only maintains a comprehensive and widely consulted website and a close relationship with the industry’s major supplier of hot-rolled steel sections but also undertakes product development and testing.
This means, for example, that SWA members have exclusive access to a range of collectively developed energy rated systems which are compliant with building regulations and that are recognised by the British Fenestration Rating Council (BFRC). The SWA also works in cooperation with both the British and European standards agencies, window research bodies and other influential organisations; including FENSA, the Construction Products Association and the Glass & Glazing Federation.
It follows that specifiers or property owners can have full confidence that window and door packages supplied by SWA members will deliver on energy performance, security and safety, while the strength and durability of modern hot dip galvanised steel frames guarantee a long, low maintenance working life.
Recognising the long term resilience and lasting aesthetic ‘appeal of steel’, there are also Steel Window Association member companies who specialise in the repair and maintenance, or even the full restoration of older style windows; as is often essential in conservation cases.
The SWA is the portal not only to the many technical benefits which steel frames offer, but also its member companies’ outstanding levels of service.
Members of the Steel Window Association offer a UK wide service for the repair and replacement of various types of old metal windows, doors and screens, as well as being able to manufacture new fenestration which fully meets the requirements of the Building Regulations. Choosing an SWA member to manufacture and install your steel windows and doors ensures that you are receiving the highest standard of fabrication, installation and customer service.
For further information on the Steel Window Association, please visit www.steel-window-association.