Provenance

Search the internet for “innovation change quotes” and you will get an almost impossible choice of quotes that are a combination of clever, insightful, witty or inspirational. The wise words quoted above seem to resonate because of their simple truth. If it’s broke, fix it. But also ask what caused the failure? How can we stop it happening again? And if it isn’t broke, how can it be improved? One of the things that sets us apart as a manufacturer of entrance doors for UK homes is our commitment to innovation; product and process evolution in the name of improved visual and functional design, higher levels of quality, and increased durability.

Innovation

One such recent development is in our glazing cassettes, in particular the sealant used to help fix the cassettes and provide long-term protection from air and water ingress. Our glazing cassettes help to form the character of our doors; the size, position and style being instrumental in the final look of an entranceway. Importantly, the wide choice of great designs that these fundamental components provide, would be utterly undermined if they were ineffective at shielding a home and its occupants from rain, wind and noise.

Sealant

An innovative single-component foam sealant is being introduced as a high performance gasket to all of our glazing cassettes over the next month. It is a solvent-free, very fast cross-linking single-component elastomer, which provides performance benefits over previous sealants.

The greatest challenge for a sealing system is protection against moisture and wetness. The composition of the new sealant provides a decisive advantage over alternatives, having a predominantly closed-cell foam structure. Cells retain their tightness even if they are partially broken or damaged, meaning that adhesion and seal is less likely to be compromised. Added to that, the peace of mind that this more reliable product provides comes at no additional cost to our customers.

Science

Elastomers are particular kinds of viscoelastic polymers. They are complex materials that exhibit unique combinations of useful properties and include natural and artificial rubber. Cross-linking creates a bond that links one polymer chain to another and it is used as a process to promote a change in a polymer’s physical properties.

Tested

The new sealant is tried and tested and has been used successfully for more than fifteen years, across a range of sectors and applications. The gasket on our glazing cassette also had a real-life trial with a customer in South Wales, whose front door glazing cassettes were leaking. The replacement cassette featuring the new gasket was quickly and easily fitted and immediately provided a faultless seal. Mrs Corcoran, the first beneficiary of this great new innovation, said: “I was so worried about the leak in the door. You could see the water coming in when it rained heavily. IG Doors responded very quickly and the door has been as dry as a bone since.”

Information

The official introduction date of this great innovation is September for all doors across New Build, Social Housing and Truedor. More information will be available on request from September.