Pioneering Conservatory Tests at Wintech

To prove the superiority of their conservatory roof, Ultraframe approached Wintech. The challenge – to prove how an Ultraframe conservatory roof performed under extreme wind loads compared to competitors. Wintech are renowned for their extreme tests of iconic building facades such as the Gherkin and the Birmingham Bull Ring, but they had never tested a complete structure, Ultraframe were the pioneers of the conservatory industry – testing in a way that had never been done previously. Here are the facts about the conservatory tests:

• Independent fitters, appointed by Wintech and working to each manufacturer’s guidelines, built each conservatory roof onto a common set of industry standard sideframes.
• The conservatory footprint/size selected for the test was a Georgian style with jack rafters, 4.5m width x 3.5 m projection (typical of the hundreds sold each and every day of the week.)

As a dedicated roof systems company, with over 20 years experience and over one million roofs out in the market performing in exemplary fashion, Ultraframe wanted to specifically look at the effects of wind uplift and examine key joints on the roof, like jack rafters and eaves beam to glazing bar. The test consisted of an aero engine in combination with positive pressure from an internal fan (trying to blow the roof off from the inside) resulting in a combined overall effect of wind uplift equal to 130mph. Wind from the aero engine hits the conservatory from the side and the wind current travels up and over the roof. As the air current travels over the roof, there is an uplift force on the glazing bars and glazing material in the roof due to the pressure of the wind – IE this current is trying to life the roof off. The aero engine can supply air currents up to a maximum of 90mph and so to continue the testing beyond this point, further pressure was pumped into the conservatory using a fan. The name for additional pressure pumped into a structure in this way is positive pressure. As shown on the diagram, the positive pressure pumped into the conservatory acts as a second force trying to lift the roof off the conservatory, working in tandem with the force from the aero engine. The combined wind speed reached by using the aero engine and and the internal fan was 130mph. It is important to stress that at this point the Ultraframe roof did not fail – the test ‘maxed out’, IE it was not possible using the equipment available to us to apply any further pressure to the Ultraframe conservatory roof. Wind loads are measured in KN/m2. During the tests at Wintech the Ultraframe roof was subjected to a force of 1.4 KN/m2 before the test ‘maxed out’.

Ultraframe Conservatory Roofs

Ultraframe are the UK market leader in conservatory roof systems. There are two main reasons. Ultraframe conservatory roof systems are an excellent standard and very well thought-out. This means offering many options for tackling difficult upvc conservatory sites, where box gutters and other features are required. Ultraframe also consistently come up with innovative solutions to design problems. Ultraframe were one of the first suppliers to recognise the need for a proper conservatory roof system, especially for the PVCu market. So what are the features that make Ultraframe conservatory roof systems so good? The Victorian/hipped roof design incorporates ‘trickle ventilation’, a low-pitched roof system for lean-to roofs that works at 2.5 degrees, plus they have many box-gutter adapters. These allow their conservatory roof systems to be used on difficult sites. You’ll find their conservatory roof systems feature a wide range of different-styled finials, ridge-cresting and tie bars, too, so you can personalise your conservatory. There’s also very detailed support material for conservatory installers and customers, such as an owner’s manual for the conservatory roof. They’ve developed a special ‘mini-portal’ system, too, allowing large-span conservatories to be built, and they have a specialist division for large enclosures such as pool enclosures. When buying conservatory roof systems, you should ask if the roof system can accommodate 25mm polycarbonate and glass roofs, and ask about thermal insulation treatments, which retain warmth and reduce condensation. All Ultraframe conservatory roof systems do so. Ultraframe also recommend you don’t opt for conservatory roof systems built from standard UPVC window frame materials. That’s because it’s best to use a purpose-built roof system rather than a window frame system that might leak as your conservatory ages. Thermally clad aluminium is still the best choice for conservatory roof systems. Other questions you might want to ask about conservatory roof systems are: do you supply guttering to complement the roof? And does the guarantee on the roof run for the same time as the rest of the conservatory?

The Certificate of Authenticity

Your guarantee that your new conservatory features a market leading roofing system for total peace of mind Ultraframe is the acknowledged world leader in the design and manufacture of conservatory roofing systems. Established 25 years ago, Ultraframe has kept its systems at the cutting edge of conservatory technology through extensive research and evolutionary development. The Ultraframe Certificate of Authenticity, which will be awarded to you by South Lakes Windows Ltd on completion, is a legal document to prove you have a genuine Ultraframe conservatory roof. It also enables you to pass it on to future buyers for their own reassurance. The roof is the most important structural element in any conservatory as it provides the strength, stability and the ventilation to your conservatory. Installing an Ultraframe conservatory roof ensures your conservatory will be robust, durable and long lasting, plus every Ultraframe roof has been engineered for every weather and climate type in the UK. Our conservatory roofing systems are designed in accordance with the highest engineering principles and are the only roofing systems available to feature integrated ventilation systems as standard. Every Ultraframe roofing system has been approved by the British Board of Agrément – the UK’s major approval body for new constructors, products and installers, which awards a 25 year BBA life expectancy guarantee to every Ultraframe conservatory (Ultraframe were the first in the industry to hold this accreditation.) Ultraframe are also the only roofing system to have passed the USA’s BOCA system – the toughest testing regime in the world. Ultraframe’s extensive research and development continues to innovate and extend the boundaries of design, so when you choose an Ultraframe conservatory, you can be certain that you are getting the very best for total peace of mind.

Increase Your Home Value

An Ultraframe conservatory installed by South Lakes Windows Ltd will not only provide you with an attractive, desirable and impressive new space in your home, but a conservatory could also add significant home value. According to a recent survey from the online bank Egg, a conservatory could add, on average an extra £11,000 to the value of your home and as conservatories continue to grow in popularity. “Conservatories make better homes,” says Michael O’Flaherty, the estate agent featured on ITV’s Better Homes. An Ultraframe conservatory makes your home more attractive to future buyers “With the speed of installation and their bright and airy interiors, plus the ability to be used as a flexible space, conservatories are “hot property” and with many homeowners seeing the value of their property increase by around 5%, this is a further compelling reason to add one.” Cost-effective and easy to install, Ultraframe conservatories can be added to your home in a very short space of time, compared to traditional brick-built extensions, and without substantially altering the structure of your home – the ideal home improvement. For complete peace of mind and to ensure that the conservatory and the installation is perfect, South Lakes Windows Ltd are qualified “Ultra Installers”. An elite group of quality contractors, independently assessed and approved by both Ultraframe and the British Board of Agrément (BBA), the UK’s major approval body for new construction products and installers. By investing in a South Lakes Windows conservatory it will not only add value to your home, but will also provide a new room that is flexible enough to be used in a variety of ways – you’re not just buying a new room – you’re investing in a whole new lifestyle!

A Versatile Extra Room

Adding a new conservatory to your home provides an additional room to enjoy with family and friends. It’s a new party area, a new privacy, a new haven of peace. It’s whatever you want and, as such, it’s a very personal area. South Lakes Windows Ltd can create and build the ultimate upvc conservatory for you, the one that meets your precise dream. Adding an Ultraframe conservatory onto your home immediately offers the extra room, light and space you have always dreamed of, as well as being both practical and enjoyable. A conservatory will provide a versatile space that can be used in so many ways and can also be the least expensive and easiest way of adding space to your home. Incredibly versatile, a conservatory can be anything you want it to be – create a relaxing living area where you can shut off from the hustle and bustle of family life; a dining room to entertain friends and family; a play area for the children; a private home office or even a luxury kitchen. Add a 2nd lounge to your home with the addition of an Ultraframe conservatory. And don’t forget the outdoors – a conservatory can also allow you to get the most out your garden. Even on a cold day you can still enjoy being closer to nature, extending your summer throughout the year. With an Ultraframe conservatory, the possibilities are endless.

Lighten Dull Rooms

An Ultraframe conservatory is like a room without a roof, allowing you to enjoy everyday living in a new light. Of course, a conservatory is a bright, airy environment, but did you realise that the adjoining room in your home will also benefit from extra light? This effect can be maximised by choosing a conservatory featuring a glass roof such as those shown on this page. This will allow the maximum amount of natural light into your home, adding to the sense of space. Ultraframe roofs are the most technically advanced on the market and are structurally proven to carry the weight of a glass roof. Be sure to choose our Conservaglass high performance glazing to ensure that your light-filled conservatory is truly a room for all seasons. Plus, when the day’s light is done, you can enjoy the evening in your conservatory in an intimate, easy-going atmosphere, thanks to Ultraframes LivinLIGHT conservatory lighting systems. LivinLIGHT adds an insulated electrical housing system to the centre ridge under-cladding of a glazed roof (or where the roof meets the house wall on a Lean-to style conservatory or extension). This enables you to install lights in places where you otherwise wouldn’t be able to; giving your glazed extension a more ‘roomlike’ feel. Furthermore, the LivinLIGHT addresses one of the main heat loss areas in a glazed extension, helping your room to remain warm and more thermally efficient. LivinLIGHT can incorporate many different types of lighting from spots and rail lights to pendants or chandeliers.

Conservatories through all Seasons

While your garden and patio are wonderful places to relax during the summer months, the British weather means that for the most part we can’t enjoy them as much as we would like to. Yet, by adding a South Lakes Windows new conservatory to your home, it will not only give you the extra space you have always dreamed of, but it will bring the outdoors into your home to create a unique living area that can be enjoyed all year round, whatever the weather! To make sure you get the most out of your PVCu conservatory, the conservatory environment – temperature, airflow and condensation – is crucial, and Ultraframe have carefully designed their conservatories to ensure premium comfort. Mark Hanson, Ultraframe’s Marketing Manager says: “Ultraframe has always made a virtue of the ventilation systems in its conservatory roofs and is the only manufacturer to provide ventilation as standard on all its roofing systems.” Using Ultraframe’s Conservaglass, which is specifically developed for UK weather conditions, ensures that solar heat is kept out in summer whilst maintaining warmth from heating appliances in winter. Plus, patented Ultraframe ventilation systems such as trickle ventilation ensures that the air continues to circulate, minimising condensation. So, relax and enjoy your winter garden as if it were summer, take pleasure in the vibrant colours that the British spring and autumn bring to our gardens or sit with a chilled drink in the warmer summer months. Our roofing products are the most thermally efficient on the market, ensuring that you’ll be comfortable in your conservatory all year round.

Can I use my conservatory all year round?

Do we need Planning Permission or Building Regulation Approvals?

Do we need to install Insulating Double Glazing Units (IGU's). and if so, which ones?

Do Ultraframe make conservatories to order?

The neighbours are not friendly, how can we protect our privacy?

We've got an odd shaped space / or an unusual feature - can we still have a conservatory?

What style of conservatory can an Ultraframe roofing system produce?