LS locksmiths are not a national company or a one size fits all call centre with no knowledge of your individual double glazing maintenance and repair requirements.

We pride ourselves on providing a quality service at affordable prices for all our customers because we believe that if a job is worth doing its worth doing right.

Our repair services include all aspects of external Upvc doors and windows repairs. Maybe you have a broken or faulty Upvc or composite door locking mechanism system which is either locked shut or has simply stopped locking? Or would you like to refresh your tired looking Upvc door or window handles because they are sun damaged or pitted and are just not looking their best anymore?

LS Locksmiths can replace any type of handle or lever for any colour you would like from brass handles, hinges and letter boxes to white or black and even polished chrome effect ones.

• Upvc window & door repairs.
• Broken window hinges repairs and replacement.
• New door and window handles.
• Replacement door and window locks.
• Broken door locks, hinges and handles repair and replacement.
• Realign of dropped or misaligned doors.
• Replacement mechanisms for Windows and Doors.
• Gain access if keys lost.
• Lock and Security up grades.

call for advice or a no obligation quote on 0115 8320195  and speak to one of our fully qualified locksmiths and Upvc lock repair team.

The history of double glazing and Upvc window and doors in the UK

The double glazing boom started in the 1970s with the introduction of such products as aluminium windows, sliding patio doors, secondary glazing and aluminium doors.

In the 1980s, house prices were on the rise and uPVC windows & doors were introduced to the UK from Europe (mainly Germany) and replacement windows & doors were very much the vogue. Aluminium is a cold material and the thermal quality’s just weren’t effective, causing the window, door and there frames to condensate during the colder months. uPVC was warmer and provided a much better thermal seal but these early produced units were a security nightmare. Outward opening uPVC windows were externally glazed, glazing beads were fitted on the outside yep you read it right on the external! meaning anyone could remove the beading remove the glazing and climb inside and also were installed with poor security ‘cock-spur’ handles. Georgian style windows a could now be achieved using a white bar in-between the window panes and leaded designs were rife. Moulded uPVC door panels became available offering a wide selection of moulded copies of timber door styles. Woodgrain effect options were also introduced allowing people to ‘change the look of their home’. In reflection, this was not a good period for property style or security.

uPVC windows were huge by the 1990s and by the year 2000, most uPVC window manufacturers were as standard using internally glazed windows with higher security options with softer shaped styles of frames. Unfortunately the gaskets around the glass were ill-fitting large and black. White gaskets later hit the market and were greeted enthusiasm, but they were quickly given the boot when dirt and mildew built up and became visible. Most customers switched their white gaskets back to the original black gaskets. External Georgian bars were now available for those that wanted a Georgian appearance. Although much harder to clean than those with internal Georgian bars, we now had a uPVC window that started to resemble what we would view as a traditional timber window.

By 2010 a real revolution began in the glazing industry. The high demand for high quality, almost maintenance-free windows and doors that performed like uPVC windows and doors but didn’t look like uPVC windows and doors. Owners of high value homes didn’t want their windows and doors to look like uPVC, they wanted them to look like timber but without the hassle and maintenance that is associated with timber windows and doors.

uPVC profiles were now available in grained finishes and in almost every imaginable colour. Precision manufacturing created neater corners and joints meaning that a uPVC windows and doors could now look just like a timber window or door. And so, the Timber-Alternative Windows and doors were born. These new, high quality windows and doors enabled homeowners to have replacement uPVC windows and doors without any compromise on style or security.