Aluminium French Doors

U-values and saving energy

In the average home, 80% of the energy used is for heating, but much of this heat just disappears through poorly insulated roofs, walls, windows and doors.

One of the most important considerations when it comes to a choosing door system for your home should be the U-value rating, energy efficiency is an important issue, so much so that it has now been addressed in legislation..

Our top of the range highly insulated aluminium French doors can achieve a U-Value of 1.0 with the appropriate triple glazed unit.

What exactly is the U-value?

The U-value or “overall heat transfer coefficient” shows how well a building product conducts heat. In other words, the U-value represents the rate of heat transfer through a building element, such as a wall, floor or window, over a given area and under agreed standard conditions.

The lower the U-value is, the slower the rate of heat flowing through the object and therefore less heat will escape through the door– or put differently the lower the U value the lower the potential costs of heating that particular building.

Slidingbifold’s products not only meet the new stringent changes in Building Regulations 2010 (UK) 2011 (ROI) ... we already surpass further changes planned for 2013.

Our aluminium French doors are available in any RAL colour and can be finished to a matt, satin or gloss sheen. There is also a selection of coloured metallic paints available at an additional cost.

The aluminium exterior and interior is powder coated using Coatex which in official tests proved 65% more scratch resistant than standard powder lacquer. There are also more than 200 RAL colours to be chosen from to help match existing decor. The powder coating is UV resistant which prevents discolouring and loss of gloss.

Dual colours are also available providing one colour for the outside and a different colour for the inside. Dual colours require a longer lead time
 

RAL Paint Colours

Alternatively, you can also choose from over 200 different RAL colours available in matt or satin finish. You can download a RAL colour chart here for guidance purposes but we recommend you obtain a printed RAL colour chart to confirm your colour choice at the time of order. A few RAL colours may require an additional set-up fee, please check with us prior to ordering

We use PLANITHERM

PLANITHERM is Europe's best selling range of high performance low-emissivity glass (low-E glass). The glass utilises the very latest advancements in thermally insulating glass coating technology.

Specially manufactured by Saint-Gobain Glass for the UK market, PLANITHERM products are specifically designed to keep interiors more comfortable in the winter months and improve your home's energy efficiency.

The thermal insulation provided by low-E double glazing is three times more efficient than that of standard double glazing and PLANITHERM products are the ideal low-e solution to meeting and exceeding the newly revised Building Regulations energy efficiency requirements.

PLANITHERM products use a special coating to reflect heat from domestic heat sources back into the room, rather than allowing it to escape through the windows. At the same time, this coating allows free heat and light from the sun to pass through the glass, warming the room and further contributing to the energy efficiency of the windows and helping to reduce your energy bills.

Additional Options

The PLANITHERM range can be combined with many other Saint-Gobain Glass products, providing a multitude of high performance, multi-functional glazing options, including:

 • Self-cleaning and/or solar control glazing
 • Acoustic insulation
 • Obscured and/or decorative glazing

This combination of excellent thermal insulation with high solar heat gain makes PLANITHERM the most energy efficient window glass available and the best possible choice for energy savings