"Would you like to see my holiday photos?" Few offers fill me with so much horror. If I'm honest, I'd rather saw my own leg off using a rusty butter knife than look at someone's holiday snaps. But every rule has its exception and in this case that exception is Matthew Glover - a.k.a. the Renegade Conservatory Guy.

Matthew recently went on holiday to the Lake District and came back with some fantastic snaps. They are so interesting I've asked if I can post them on the Fighting Back With Facts campaign website. Matthew's idea of taking a break from his window industry blog is to go on holiday and take photographs of (you guessed it!) windows!

Matthew's photographs show how horrible timber windows can be. Of course the pro-timber lobby would have everyone believe that all timber windows are inherently beautiful but as these pictures show that's nonsense.

Windows can be badly designed, constructed and badly fitted regardless of material. That's true of PVC-U and wood. But because wood is so much harder and more expensive to maintain, even good examples of timber windows can soon look ropey.

Talk about not seeing the wood for the trees. Where the timber lobby is concerned it's more a case of not seeing the truth for the wood!

PVC-U windows can look fantastic and because PVC-U is so durable and easy to look after, their good looks last. Of course there are examples of "nasty plastic windows" but it's just as easy to find examples of "nasty timber windows" as Matthew's holiday album illustrates.

Not everyone gets a sudden urge to photograph windows on holiday. Likewise, not everyone wants to spend time off work removing rot, filling holes, rubbing down, undercoating and reapplying two coats of paint to their timber windows. But that's what you have to do every few years if you're serious about preserving wood's good looks and functionality. Anyone who hasn't experienced at first hand the amount of time and effort needed to keep timber windows going, once the first flush of youth has passed, is in for a shock.

PVC-U's longevity is just one advantage it enjoys over wood. There are lots of reasons why PVC-U is also a greener, more environmentally-friendly choice as well as a long lasting, better looking one. To find out more click here to download the Fighting Back Factsheet. This is free resource created by our campaign for installers and others in the industry to use and pass on to homeowners.