Blog

Feb 20, 2025

What Is the Lifespan of Double-Glazed Windows?

Double-glazed windows have become a key element in modern homes, offering noise reduction, energy efficiency and improved all year-round comfort. However, one question many homeowners ask before investing in double glazing ...

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What is Optical Grade Acrylic? - Magnetite

Jan 20, 2025

What is Optical Grade Acrylic and Why is it Perfect for Thermal Insulation in Adelaide?

When it comes to managing the thermal performance of your home, particularly in a city like Adelaide with its hot summers and chilly winters, choosing the right materials is important. ...

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Nov 19, 2024

How to Beat the Australian Summer Heat

As summer approaches in the southern hemisphere, now’s the time to prep your home to handle the heat. Managing indoor temperatures can make a big difference in comfort, especially if ...

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Nov 4, 2024

Dealing with Construction Fatigue: How to Reduce Noise from Building Sites

In growing cities like Melbourne and Sydney, construction noise pollution has become a familiar part of daily life. As urban areas expand and more homes and infrastructure are developed, the ...

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Oct 14, 2024

Understanding Noise Pollution in Melbourne and How to Minimise It

Living in the one of the ‘most liveable cities’ in the world has got many advantages. However, a vibrant place like Melbourne comes with its challenges too, and noise complaints ...

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Oct 4, 2024

How to Improve Your Window Glazing for a Sustainable Home

As concerns over climate change continue to grow, homeowners are looking for ways to make their homes more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. One of commonly overlooked building elements that can ...

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Sep 6, 2024

Secondary Glazing vs Double Glazing: What’s the Difference?

When you're looking to improve soundproofing and energy efficiency in your home, choosing between secondary glazing and double glazing can be a tough call. Both options have their perks, but ...

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Jun 18, 2024

Canberra! Here are 4 Tips for Staying Warm and Cosy this Winter.

Are you shivering through your mornings, Canberra? Counting down the minutes until that much-awaited winter sun appears around 9 am? You're not alone. Canberra is known for its brisk winters, ...

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Feb 23, 2024

Double Glazed Windows in Sydney's Summer: Cool or Costly?

Sydney, renowned for its stunning harbour and vibrant lifestyle, also experiences scorching summer temperatures. As the mercury rises, the need for effective cooling solutions becomes paramount. Among the array of ...

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Dec 21, 2023

Celebrating the Season: A Heartfelt Thank You from Magnetite Australia

As the holiday season is upon us, we at Magnetite Australia find ourselves reflecting on the past year and those who have helped shape our business in the most significant ...

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Nov 29, 2023

Beyond Decibels: The Unseen Effects of Noises We Ignore

Startling statistics indicate that a significant 21% of Australians find themselves subjected to noise levels categorised as high or high-medium. This exposure has far-reaching consequences, giving rise to problems such as mood ...

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Comprehending Soundproofing and Its Influence on Well-Being

Nov 9, 2023

Understanding Soundproofing and Its Impact on Well-Being

Perth, a dynamic and contemporary capital city, offers an enviable lifestyle, a prime location, and appealing investment opportunities. Often hailed as one of the world's most liveable cities, the city ...

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Glazing Type	Cooling Stars	Heating Stars	Cool%	Heat%	Uw	SHGC
Single glazed 3mm clear glass*					7.4	0.77
Single glazed 3mm clear glass & 4.5mm Magnetite			35%	59%	2.9	0.67

Glazing Type

Cooling Stars

Heating Stars

Cool%

Heat%

SHGC

Single glazed 3mm clear glass*

7.4

0.77

Single glazed 3mm clear glass &
4.5mm Magnetite

35%

59%

2.9

0.67

Glazing Type	Cool%	Heat%	Uw	SHGC
Single glazed 3mm clear glass*	20%	28%	5.5	0.69
Single glazed 3mm clear glass & 4.5mm Magnetite	37%	61%	2.6	0.66
Single glazed 3mm clear glass with Solartite** and 4.5mm Magnetite	76%	45%	1.8	0.20

Glazing Type

Cooling Stars

Heating Stars

Cool%

Heat%

SHGC

Single glazed 3mm clear glass*

20%

28%

5.5

0.69

Single glazed 3mm clear glass &
4.5mm Magnetite

37%

61%

2.6

0.66

Single glazed 3mm clear glass with
Solartite** and 4.5mm Magnetite

76%

45%

1.8

0.20

Glazing Type	Cooling Stars	Heating Stars	Cool%	Heat%	Uw	SHGC	AI
Double Glazed 3mm clear glass/12mm air gap/3mm clear glass IGU (Insulated Glass Unit)*			40%	55%	3.0	0.61	5.0
Single glazed 3mm clear glass & 4.5mm Magnetite			37%	61%	2.6	0.66	0.5

Glazing Type

Cooling Stars

Heating Stars

Cool%

Heat%

SHGC

Double Glazed 3mm clear glass/12mm air
gap/3mm clear glass IGU (Insulated Glass Unit)*

40%

55%

3.0

0.61

5.0

Single glazed 3mm clear glass &
4.5mm Magnetite

37%

61%

2.6

0.66

0.5

Glazing Type	Cooling Stars	Heating Stars	Cool%	Heat%	Uw	SHGC	AI
Double Glazed 5mm Supertoned glass/6mm air gap/5mm clear glass IGU (Insulated Glass Unit)*			54%	425%	3.30	0.461	5.0
Single glazed 3mm glass Solartite** and 4.5mm Magnetite			73%	38%	2.4	0.19	0.5

Glazing Type

Cooling Stars

Heating Stars

Cool%

Heat%

SHGC

Double Glazed 5mm Supertoned glass/6mm
air gap/5mm clear glass IGU (Insulated Glass Unit)*

54%

425%

3.30

0.461

5.0

Single glazed 3mm glass Solartite**
and 4.5mm Magnetite

73%

38%

2.4

0.19

0.5

Noise Reduction Technical Data and Results

Proven Results

Noise pollution is one the biggest problems faced in the cities today, particularly in a high-density living. Unwanted noise can be responsible for sleep loss and lack of concentration. This can lead to a deterioration of health through increased stress levels, headaches, high blood pressure and loss of hearing.

Noise penetrates windows through leaky seals or vibrations through the window structure. To reduce noise, a window should minimise air infiltration, hold enough weight to limit vibration and allow a large air cavity. This cavity, or air gap, is the key to secondary glazing.

Expert Advice:

CSIRO Research by John Davy shown an air cavity can effectively enhance sound insulation performance. The larger the air cavity the more noise the window system can reduce. Results show a wide air gap of 100-125mm will improve sound insulation by an average of 7dB(A) more than windows with a narrow gap of 8-13mm.

Window or Glass Door Type	Total Glass Thickness (mm)	Air Cavity Thickness (mm)	Sound Insulation (dB)
Single Glaze 3mm	3	0	23
Single Glaze 6mm	6	0	27
Double Glaze Narrow Gap	9-12	8-13	31
Double Glaze Wide Gap	9-12	100-125	38

Window or Glass Door Type

Total Glass Thickness (mm)

Air Cavity Thickness (mm)

Sound Insulation (dB)

Single Glaze 3mm

Single Glaze 6mm

Double Glaze Narrow Gap

9-12

8-13

Double Glaze Wide Gap

9-12

100-125

The human ear is less sensitive to low frequency sound. According to a study released by the CSIRO, the human ear needs a change of 3dB to detect a difference in noise levels and the human ear perceives a change of 10dB as a doubling or halving of the noise level.

If you double the thickness of glass in a window the noise level will decrease by 3dB the least amount possible to make a difference. If the glass is laminated there is no perceived difference in noise reduction.

National Acoustic Laboratory Testing:

Working with the principles of noise transfer, Magnetite® and Soundtite are designed for high performance, which is achieved by combining air tight seals with the ability to maximize an air cavity and the flexibility to vary glazing thickness to suit. Magnetite® is excellent at reducing general noise such as busy roads, commuter trains and noisy neighbours. Whereas, Soundtite works well to combat low frequencies noise such as garbage truck, freight trains or airplane during take-off and landing.

Test Code	Material Tested	Rw*	Improvement
ATF 707 (test window)	Aluminium sliding window, 3mm float glass with mohair seals	23	N/A
ATF 709	Test window, 100mm air gap and Magnetite System (4.5mm acrylic panel)	35	52%
ATF 1507	Test window, 100mm air gap and Magnetite System (10.0mm acrylic panel)	39	70%
ATF 817	Test window, 100mm air gap and Soundtite (6.38mm laminated glass)	41	78%

Test Code

Material Tested

Rw*

Improvement

ATF 707 (test window)

Aluminium sliding window, 3mm float glass with mohair seals

N/A

ATF 709

Test window, 100mm air gap and Magnetite System (4.5mm acrylic panel)

52%

ATF 1507

Test window, 100mm air gap and Magnetite System (10.0mm acrylic panel)

70%

ATF 817

Test window, 100mm air gap and Soundtite (6.38mm laminated glass)

78%

*The Weighted Sound Reduction Index (Rw) is a measure for sound insulation performance of a single building element such as windows. The higher the Rw rating, the better the sound insulation.

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