The production and disposal of PVC-u windows leads to the release of highly poisonous chemicals which threaten the environment and human health. PVC-u production involves no less than six of the fifteen most hazardous chemicals listed by European governments for priority elimination. Timber is a sustainable resource. As long as the timber is sourced from properly managed forests and care is taken in the choice of preservatives, paints and stains, timber windows are by far the best environmental choice. Developments in timber window design and finishing products mean that modern, high performance timber windows need minimal maintenance and potentially have a significantly longer life than PVC-u. PVC-u windows do degrade, they are not maintenance-free and worst of all they cannot be repaired when necessary. High performance, double-glazed, timber windows need not cost more than PVC-u equivalents. In fact the National Housing Federation and some local authorities have found PVC-u window frames to be more expensive in terms of initial capital cost and more expensive or equal to timber over the lifetime of the windows.
Timber windows better value, Maintenance: timber V PVC-u "It is sometimes said that wooden joinery requires more maintenance than aluminium or PVC. This prejudice has been superseded because of the developments in finishing products and the growing understanding that there is no such thing as a material which does not need any maintenance..."  Housing Association owned retirement home in Brentford Factory-finished windows need not be repainted or re-stained for up to eight years. Thereafter five to eight year staining or painting cycles are the norm. Because it covers parts not traditionally touched by on-site finishing, factory finishing can also increase the life of the frame. While it its true that timber windows need some maintenance, modern high performance windows make that maintenance exceptionally easy. All materials, PVC-u included, degrade over time. If PVC-u window frames are not cleaned they quickly become discoloured by dirt retention. They cannot then be restored to a nearly new condition. Sunlight causes PVC to go brittle, turn yellow and it can develop hairline cracks. Window frames contain chemical additives to slow down this process but they cannot eliminate it entirely. PVC-u windows are also much more susceptible than timber windows to impact damage, especially in cold weather. They can, like timber windows, be installed and never touched again but just as with timber frames, the consequences of no-maintenance will soon become apparent. High performance timber windows need minimal maintenance Housing Association Property Mutual (often known as HAPM), the major defect insurer for housing associations, states that PVC-u window frames must be cleaned every six months, lubricated and adjusted annually and have  So contrary to what PVC-u advertising campaigns often suggest, timber windows require little more maintenance than PVC-u. However, one of the great benefits of timber windows is that they can be maintained and repaired. If necessary, sections can be chopped out and replaced. PVC-u on the other hand is like a car with the bonnet welded shut. Almost nothing can be done to prevent deterioration of the PVC itself or the metal supports inside. In the event of misuse (drilling of holes for TV aerials is not uncommon), vandalism, forced entry or general deterioration, repair is difficult, expensive and sometimes impossible. Some local authorities have reported problems obtaining replacement hardware and other spare parts. Temporary boarding up of windows is also difficult with PVC-u frames. Reproduced with kind permission of 'Greenpeace' Extract originally printed in Briefing No. 1 Installing New Windows.
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