Conservatory Roofs up to the Test

To demonstrate the technical superiority of our roof, Ultraframe approached Wintech. This independent, UKAS accredited testing laboratory and certification body enabled us to display the standard of quality we were offering homeowners for their property. We understand that sometimes talking about something isn’t enough, you need to be shown.

Recognised by a wide range of global institutions, Wintech provided us the necessary testing services to ensure our conservatory roofs comply with the CE Marking in line with the Construction Products Regulations. There’s no need to settle for anything less than complete peace of mind when you opt for a conservatory roof system from Ultraframe.

Testing Conservatory Roof Quality

The challenge was to test how the Ultraframe conservatory roof performed under extreme wind loads compared to competitor alternatives. We invest heavily into the research and development of all of our conservatory roof systems to ensure they lead the way in terms of performance, aesthetic and structural integrity.

Wintech are renowned for their extreme tests of iconic building facades such as the Gherkin and the Bull Ring in Birmingham, but never before had they tested a complete structure - once again, Ultraframe were the keen pioneers of the conservatory industry - testing in a way that had never been done before.

Here are the facts about the 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 to see how the quality remained consistent.

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. These modern tools allowed us to test our conservatory roofs in accordance with the demands and expectations of the modern day.

Conservatory Roof Manufacturer's Testing | Ultraframe Conservatories

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. 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 the internal fan was 130mph. With such high winds hitting a concentrated area, it’s easy to assume that the conservatory roof would see some damage, especially with wind damage being so prevalent in hurricanes.

However, 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'.

The Classic Conservatory Roof

Our Classic conservatory roof is the result of over 30 years of engineering innovation and progression, constantly refined by customer feedback and testing processes. Comprising a market-leading glazed roof system, a unique weathering shield and a design that has been installed over 1.5 million times across the nation, this conservatory roof offers more.

To increase performance further, this conservatory roof can be installed onto our thermally insulated columns. These columns are inspired by the traditional architect of the Italian Renaissance, offering an eye-catching, period charm that can easily be tailored to a suit a wide range of property styles. These columns are also five times more thermally efficient than their brick pier counterparts.

Find Your Nearest Conservatory Roof Installer

As illustrated by the test by Wintech, our conservatory roofs excel in offering you more for your home. We are proud to offer the most technologically advanced conservatory roofing systems in the current market, excelling in all areas of heat retention, aesthetic, durability and structural integrity for quality that delivers over the years.

Finding your nearest approved Ultra Installer allows you to enjoy a home improvement installation that is handled as it should be. To ensure exceptional quality throughout, all of our Ultraframe specialists are vetted and assessed before we approved them, allowing you enjoy the peace of mind that only exceptional quality can bring.