- PVCu or UPVC which is it?
-
Poly vinyl chloride unplasticised is
the full term, either PVCu or UPVC is ok.
- FENSA (Fenestration Self-Assessment)
-
See our FENSA
page
- Document L
-
Conservation of fuel and power, See our
Document L
page
- Document N
-
Another part of the legislation containing
Document L, Document N relates to:
Glazing safety in relation to impact, opening and cleaning
- The Kitemark
-
The kitemark is a product certification
showing that the product has been manufactured to a published
specification under a strict quality management system BSEN
ISO 9002 : 1994. All kitemark products have been tested, inspected
and certified by BSI for compliance with BS7412. (any clearer?)
- Fan lights
-
Small opening windows at the top of a
window frame.
- CAD
-
Computer Aided Design used in the conservatory
industry to help the customer visualise the conservatory design,
also used in the manufacturing process.
- Box Gutter
-
A heavy, U-shaped gutter that becomes
a structural house abutment that bears the weight of the roof,
like an eaves beam, yet also carries water away.
- Conservatory
-
A room constructed mostly of glass and
characterized by an elegant, translucent roof. Inspired by the
beautiful atriums, greenhouses and conservatories of 19th-century
Europe.
- Finial
-
The decorative spike on the peak of a
conservatory.
- Eaves Beam
-
The structural beam that runs around
the perimeter of the room at the bottom of the roof in a conservatory,
also known as a Ring Beam.
- Eaves Vent
-
Similar to a soffit vent on a new house,
it allows air flow into and out of the roof along the ventilated
ridge beam in Conservatories.
- Glazing Bar
-
A roof rafter or beam fastened to the
ridge beam, designed to securely carry the roof glazing material.
- Dwarf Wall
-
A low wall, approximately “knee”
height, built at the conservatory base, beneath the wall system,
either raising the overall unit height or reducing the wall
height. Although normally constructed of brick or stone, a dwarf
wall can be built with other materials to better match the home’s
exterior appearance to the conservatory.
- K-glass or Low-emissivity (Low
E) Coating
-
A thin, virtually invisible metallic
or metallic oxide coating used on glass surfaces to reflect
radiant heat energy rather than allowing it to pass through
the glass. The lower the emissivity of the glass, the lower
the heat transfer coefficient. K-glass is Pilkington’s
own proprietary brand of this glass, others are Planitherm,
Ariplak and NeutraliteTM
- Polycarbonate
-
A strong, space-age material. This high-tech
glazing material is normally used in conservatory roofs.
- Ridge
-
The central beam at the top centre of
a conservatory. Ventilated versions are more efficient because
they allow built-up heat to escape.
- Roof Vents
-
Operable sky light windows on the roof
of the conservatory that allow warm air to escape the conservatory.
Can be operated electronically.
- Toughened Glass
-
Standard window glass that has been heated
to very high temperatures, then quickly cooled, so that if broken,
the glass breaks into small, safer pieces instead of dangerous
shards. Tempered glass is also referred to as safety glass,
and it's typically required by building regulations to be used
in glass doors and windows in areas where the glass is prone
to breakage. All safety glass must be marked as such; a small
identification is usually etched into the glass at one of the
bottom corners.
- Tie Bars
-
Structural steel rods that cross the
room above head height to provide lateral support for the conservatory.
