Dec 22, 2021 Written by Magnetite Australia
Unwanted noise does more than affect our concentration and ability to work from home, it can also affect our sleep and mood. For a fast-growing population city like Perth, noise is inevitable particularly for residents in Duncraig in the city’s north and Victoria Park in the southeast. Noise complaints in Perth range from roadside traffic, aircraft, and even basketball courts.
Dec 12, 2021 Written by Magnetite Australia
With the holiday season approaching, we would like to thank all your continued support throughout the year.
Please note that our head office will be closed from Thursday, 23 December 2021 and reopen on Tuesday 4th January 2022.
Read more about: Season’s Greetings from all of us at Magnetite
Nov 29, 2021 Written by Magnetite Australia
As the city of Melbourne emerges out of lockdown, noise in the inner suburbs has been increasing dramatically with traffic resuming back to normal. Over the past 18 months, Melburnians have become used to quiet streets, short travel times, and an overall ‘sound-proofed’ life. This increased quietness has allowed people to achieve better sleep quality, relaxation, and enjoy ‘quarantining’ at home (for the most part).
Research shows that lockdown traffic would have been up to 70% less than it was pre-pandemic, meaning the total amount of noise from roads was significantly lower. Air traffic was also down by approximately 70%, meaning those who lived close to airports or under flight paths have enjoyed a quieter home for the past 18 months.
While most residents are enjoying their re-found freedoms, many still wish parts of lockdown such as the low noise levels and shorter commuting times remained.
Nov 09, 2021 Written by Magnetite Australia
If you’ve lived in Perth, it’s you may have experienced a night of disturbed sleep due to the booming of music, sirens or revving engines. As Western Australia has phased out several COVID-19 restrictions, the state has become a desirable location for young families and those looking to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, with many setting their sights on the state capital, Perth.
Nov 08, 2021 Written by Magnetite Australia
Some of the exciting things that attract people to live in Sydney is the city’s iconic beauty, the hustle and bustle of everyday life and its vibrant lifestyle. While this charm pulls many into staying long term, it quickly fades when you can’t keep the city’s, loud vibrant lifestyle out of your home. Sydney is without a doubt Australia’s largest capital city, but that doesn’t mean its residents should be up all night dealing with noise.
Sep 21, 2021 Written by Magnetite Australia
You might think that as one of Australia’s ‘quieter’ cities it would mean that noise pollution isn’t a concern in Adelaide. However, a closer inspection reveals that excess noise is more of a problem for Adelaide residents than you think.
Aug 18, 2021 Written by Magnetite Australia
When it comes to keeping your home thermally comfortable while staying inside, windows play an important role. No matter what time of the year it is, it’s important to make sure your home is well insulated, so that you can keep your family comfortable, while also saving on your power bills.
Jul 28, 2021 Written by Magnetite Australia
While Australia’s known as the sunburnt country, it’s the bitter chill of winter that is the biggest threat to Australian families and their homes.
Jun 18, 2021 Written by Magnetite Australia
As we head into the cold weather of June, we notice the importance of the little things. After all, the fun part of winter is all about appreciating these small creature comforts like a warm coffee on a freezing morning or the warmth of your heater at home after a long day out.
Jul 13, 2021 Written by Magnetite Australia
Let’s face it. The past 18 months have created a pervasive stigma about getting sick. All of a sudden, Sydneysiders have felt an internalised feeling of urgency to follow rules their mum told them, like making sure their clothes aren’t damp and that their hair isn’t wet before they go to bed.
When evaluating your options to improve the thermal performance of your windows, the following double glazing key performance criteria should be considered:
| 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% | 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 |
*WERS standard typical industry window
**Solartite is a range of high performance window film. The window tested above has Solartite’s low-e film.
Winter - the ideal situation is to let in as much of the sun's heat and then trap it inside to maintain a comfortable environment in your home or office. This will also significantly reduce heating costs and saves you money. The ideal window for winter will have a high SHGC to let the sun's heat in and a low U-Value to prevent the heat from escaping. Clear windows without shading films are better suited for winter climates.
Compared with traditional double-glazing, Magnetite’s double-glazing solution can provide better results during winter or for cold climate areas such as Canberra, the Adelaide Hills and Blue Mountains.
Magnetite's clear acrylic window panels allow the direct heat from the sun's rays to enter the building and once inside, Magnetite's superior magnetic seals retain the heat, giving Magnetite an advantage over conventional operating windows.
| 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 |
*WERS standard typical industry window
Summer - the ideal situation is to minimize the heat coming in from outside and prevent the cool air inside from escaping through the window. This will make your home more comfortable and reduce your air-conditioning costs. The ideal window for summer, or for a large west-facing window, will have a low SHGC to limit the heat from the sun's direct rays, as well as, a low U-Value to prevent the heat in the air outside from moving through the window and warming the cool conditioned air inside. It is better to have a shading film on the first (outer) glass pane to limit the heat that enters the double glazed unit.
The combination of Magnetite retrofit double glazing and Solartite outperforms the traditional insulated glass unit for hot climate. Magnetite fit over an existing window with reflective film will give better summer heat control than a double-glazed window with supertoned glass.
The Magnetite system stops the conduction and convection of heat better than glass windows giving superior results for summer conditions. Combined with a film or a shading device, Magnetite is the ideal solution for the hot Australian conditions.
| 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 |
*WERS standard typical industry window
**Solartite is a range of high performance window film. The window tested above has Solartite’s low-e film.
Click here to view pdf version of Magnetite WERS test result.
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.
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 |
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.
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% |
*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.
