Bushfire Windows and Doors

Yes. uPVC windows and doors can be used in bushfire areas up to the BAL level their system is tested and certified to. Ours are tested systems supplied up to and including BAL-40, which covers the large majority of bushfire-prone properties. We confirm the right specification against your assessed rating before quoting.

Your required rating comes from a BAL assessment of your property, based on surrounding vegetation, slope and distance to bushland under AS3959. Windows and doors are then specified to meet that rating. If you do not have a current assessment, your local council or a bushfire consultant can arrange one.

In New South Wales the assessment follows the NSW Rural Fire Service methodology and is usually completed during planning or building approval. You can use the RFS mapping tools, ask your local council, or engage a bushfire assessor. Send us the report and we will specify your windows and doors to match.

BAL-29 covers significant ember attack and radiant heat up to 29 kW per square metre. BAL-40 adds heavier ember attack, higher radiant heat and the potential for direct flame contact, with heat flux up to 40 kW per square metre. BAL-40 demands a more robust, specifically tested system, and we supply BAL-40 windows and doors built to meet it. We confirm your exact rating before you invest.

Flame Zone, written as BAL-FZ, is the highest rating. It applies to homes facing direct flame exposure with radiant heat above 40 kW per square metre. Flame Zone usually calls for specialist measures beyond standard windows and doors, and you should speak with your council and the NSW Rural Fire Service.

It depends on the rating and whether the system is a tested unit. Some configurations require bushfire mesh screens on operable sections to manage ember entry, while a fully tested system can reduce how much screening is needed. We confirm the screen requirement as part of specifying each opening.

For lower ratings, upgrades may be possible. For higher ratings, replacing with new compliant, made to measure bushfire windows and doors is usually the more practical and reliable route. As replacement and upgrade specialists, we fit the new units to your existing openings and seal them properly.

They can be, and our double glazed bushfire windows are designed to be. Energy efficient bushfire windows pair compliance with a sealed, insulated build, so you gain noise reduction and lower heating and cooling costs at the same time as fire-prone area suitability.

Glazing for fire rated windows is selected to the BAL. Lower ratings commonly use toughened safety glass, while higher ratings require specialised fire-resistant glass and seals within a tested system. We match the glazing build, including double glazed and Low-E options, to your assessed requirement.

The compliance standard is the same, but the experience differs. uPVC fire rated windows add stronger thermal insulation and noise reduction than typical aluminium, and our fire rated doors carry the same sealed, made to measure build. We supply uPVC rather than aluminium, specified to your rating.