Oct 27, 2016 Written by Magnetite Australia
The good buzz from our happy customers (and customers-to-be) is making our ears ring and we just had to share it. This morning, we received this encouraging feedback from a customer we did a quote for not long ago.
Read more about: Magnetite Quote and Measure Review : “…incredibly impressed”
Oct 21, 2016 Written by Magnetite Australia
Magnetite joined Paralympian, Katie Kelly at the 2016 Coleman Greig Challenge. It was our first time taking on the challenge to walk, run or ride and fundraising for newborns and children with special needs in Western Sydney. Magnetite comes to the table as a Gold Sponsor â recruiting a-5 member of Sydney team in a fitness challenge at the crack of dawn on Friday 21st October.
Read more about: Walk, Run or Ride for the Community: The 2016 Coleman Greig Challenge
Sep 22, 2016 Written by Magnetite Australia
It has been a thrilling time for all of us at Magnetite. Australiaâs Katie Kelly won the first para-triathlon gold medal at the sports debut at the Paralympics in Rio. Along with her guide Michellie Jones, Katie Kelly crossed the finish line 1 minute and 2 second ahead of their British rivals.
Read more about: Katie Kelly makes history winning first paratriathlon gold in Rio
Sep 12, 2016 Written by Magnetite Australia
Get your hands on our products at Better Homes and Gardens Live this weekend. This will be a great opportunity for you discover your solution for comfortable living.
Read more about: We’re at the Sydney Better Homes and Gardens Live this weekend
Sep 07, 2016 Written by Magnetite Australia
125 private houses across Australia will be opening their doors this Sunday, 11 September for the 15th annual Sustainable House Day. Eco-interested visitors are invited to take a closer look at some inspiring properties that have upped the sustainable living ante.
Read more about: Take a look inside Australia’s sustainable homes at the Sustainable House Day
May 23, 2016 Written by Magnetite Australia
The countdown to this year’s HIA Sydney Home Show has begun. It kicks off this Thursday 26th May. If you haven’t, register today for your free tickets: http://bit.ly/1SXE97D
Read more about: Save up to $500 at the 2016 Sydney HIA Home Show
Feb 25, 2016 Written by Magnetite Australia
Less than a year ago, Katie Kelly was classified as legally blind; today she is the proud owner of four gold medals and the defending World Champion Paratriathlete. Being the first female across the line by almost four minutes at the Oceania Championships in Devonport, Katie has ticked another major selection box for the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
Read more about: Katie Kelly’s Road to Rio: One step closer to the 2016 Rio Paralympics!
Oct 22, 2015 Written by Magnetite Australia
Equipped with a new Flir thermal imaging camera, we flew down to New Zealand for the opening of our Hamilton showroom in the beginning of September. Known as the foggiest city in New Zealand, Hamilton was a perfect place to put our thermal imaging camera to the test.
Read more about: We know what cold and hot temperature feels like, but have you ever wonder what they look like?
Sep 28, 2015 Written by Magnetite Australia
Magnetite is pleased to announce the opening of Hamilton showroom in New Zealand. Mulford Plastics, the sole distributor of Magnetite will deliver the solution to homes and businesses in New Zealand through a network of trained local estimators and installers.
Read more about: Magnetite is now available in New Zealand
Sep 11, 2015 Written by Magnetite Australia
Sustainable homes across the country are opening their doors this Sunday 13 September as part of Sustainable House Day. Hosted by the Alternative Association and EnviroShop, nearly 150 homes are taking part in a showcase of the value of sustainable building and renovation. Residents will offer public tours and information sharing on topics ranging from energy efficiency, passive solar benefits to aquaponics. This event aims to educate and inspire people on what they can achieve in their own homes and gardens.
Read more about: Australian Sustainable Homes open their door to the public this weekend
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.
