Social media is full of home improvement ideas. A quick search on TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook reels will surface hundreds of videos promising simple upgrades to transform the look of your property – painted window frames for a contemporary aesthetic, bigger glazed areas for more natural light, dark finishes to modernise a tired exterior.
Some of these ideas can be perfect to refresh or glow-up your home.
Some, however, carry technical consequences that can bring unexpected issues.
For homeowners considering changes to their windows and doors, the gap between what looks good online and what works in practice can be significant – and costly.
“We see the results of decisions made without proper technical consideration more often than you might expect,” says Dave Mechem, Managing Director of RISA. “A homeowner sees something on social media, thinks it’s a straightforward change they can make themselves, and carries it out without understanding how it might affect the performance, warranty, or compliance of their installation.”
Painting your window frames
Perhaps the most common DIY impulse RISA encounters is the decision to paint uPVC window frames – typically from white to a darker colour such as grey, green, or black.
The appeal is tempting.
Dark-framed windows are fashionable, and painting seems like a simple, cost-effective way to update a property’s appearance without the expense of replacement.
Yet, the reality is much more complicated.
White uPVC reflects most wavelengths of light, meaning less energy is absorbed and converted into heat. Darker colours do the opposite – absorbing light energy and converting it into heat, causing the frame to expand.
If a frame expands beyond its tolerance, it can bind sashes, bow, and cause seal and hardware failure.
“It is one of those situations where the outcome looks great right up until it doesn’t,” continues Dave. “By the time problems appear, the warranty is gone and the homeowner is facing repair or replacement costs they were not expecting and are unfortunately responsible for.”
If you are considering updating the colour of your frames, speak to your original installer or manufacturer before picking up a paintbrush.
If you want dark-coloured frames, the right route is to specify them that way from the start.
Factory-finished dark frames are properly reinforced to handle the additional expansion – painting an existing white frame is not a like-for-like alternative.
Surviving bigger windows in the heatwaves
The trend for larger glazed areas, including full-height windows, expansive glass gables, and open-plan glazing is equally tempting.
More glass means more light, connection to the outdoor green spaces, and modern glazing can be genuinely impressive.
But size has consequences that are rarely discussed in the videos promoting the look.
Larger glazed areas can increase solar gain significantly. The same glass that floods a room with natural light in the winter can make it unbearable by midsummer.
Thermal performance, shading, orientation, and ventilation all need to be considered before any decision is made.
Building Regulations also impose specific requirements depending on the size and location of glazed areas. Changes that appear cosmetic can trigger compliance obligations that require careful navigation.
Do your research
The internet is not always wrong, but it rarely tells the full story.
Before making any significant change to windows or doors, homeowners should speak to a qualified installer, check manufacturer guidance carefully, and understand the implications for compliance, warranty, and performance.
Where there is genuine uncertainty, or where work has already been carried out and concerns have appeared, independent inspection provides the clarity needed to make informed decisions and establish the best remediation pathway.
“Our role is to establish the facts,” concludes Dave. “Whether that is confirming a modification is sound or identifying where things have gone wrong, independent assessment gives homeowners something that a social media trend never can – a reliable answer from a team of qualified experts.”
