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Surviving Melbourne's Cold Snap with Thermal Insulation and Retrofit Double Glazing

Thermal Insulation and Retrofit Double Glazing

Surviving Melbourne’s Cold Snap with Thermal Insulation and Retrofit Double Glazing

Posted on in Blog

As winter arrives in Melbourne, residents brace themselves for the notorious cold snap that sweeps across the city. With temperatures dropping to freezing levels, it’s necessary to find effective ways to keep our homes warm and comfortable. One of the most efficient strategies to combat the cold is by investing in thermal insulation.

We explore the importance of thermal insulation, discuss statistics related to cold weather in Victoria, and shed light on the benefits of retrofit double glazing as a viable solution.

Understanding the Need for Thermal Insulation

Thermal insulation acts as a barrier, minimising the transfer of heat between the interior and exterior of a building. In colder climates like Melbourne, it is essential to prevent heat loss through walls, floors, and roofs. According to data from the Victorian Government, nearly 40% of a typical household’s energy consumption is dedicated to heating, making it very important to maximise the efficiency of our heating systems. By improving insulation, we can significantly reduce heat loss and energy usage – cutting down on utility bills and reducing our carbon footprint.

Melbourne, renowned for its unpredictable weather patterns, experiences harsh cold snaps that can last for weeks during winter. Statistics from Victoria reveal the severity of these cold spells. The Bureau of Meteorology reports that the average minimum temperature in Melbourne during winter hovers around 6°C (42.8°F), and it can plummet to as low as 0°C (32°F) on the coldest nights. In some regional areas, temperatures have been recorded as low as -10°C (14°F) during severe cold fronts.

Why Retrofit Double Glazing

While improving insulation is crucial, one of the effective insulation to combat the cold snap is through retrofit double glazing. Retrofit double glazing allows you to insulate your existing window without having to replace it. The method involves installing an additional window system in front of the existing one, creating an air cavity that acts as a barrier against cold or heat. This technique significantly reduces heat loss through windows, which are often the weakest link in terms of insulation.

Retrofitting existing windows offers several advantages:

  1. Enhanced Thermal Performance: Retrofit double glazing improves the thermal efficiency of windows by reducing heat transfer, minimising cold drafts and heat loss.
  2. Energy Savings: By reducing heat loss, retrofit double glazing can help lower energy consumption for heating. This leads to substantial cost savings on energy bills, particularly in the long term.
  3. Increased Comfort: Double glazing provides better insulation against noise and external elements, making your home quieter, and more comfortable.
  4. Environmental Benefits: By reducing energy consumption, retrofit double glazing helps to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions associated with heating, making it an eco-friendly choice.

Our Magnetite retrofit double glazing uses optical grade acrylic glazing, which is up to 6 times more thermally efficient and 18 times stronger than glass. By incorporating Magnetite framing, we establish a thermal break from your existing frame, while the airtight magnetic seals effectively eliminate pesky draughts. These features work in harmony to maintain a comfortable room temperature, ensuring year-round thermal comfort.

In addition to improving temperature control, Magnetite can also reduce condensation issues on existing windows. Our thermally efficient windows help prevent mould build-up and reduce condensation, keeping your family healthy and extending the lifespan of window furnishings and sills.

Rest assured that Magnetite retrofit double glazing systems have undergone independent testing by the Window Energy Rating Scheme (WERS) in compliance with National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) regulations. With Magnetite’s secondary glazing solution, you can enhance the thermal efficiency of your windows or doors by up to 70%.

Surviving Melbourne’s cold snap requires proactive measures, and thermal insulation is key to achieving a warm and energy-efficient home. By investing in retrofit double glazing, you can enhance your windows’ insulation capabilities, reducing heat loss and energy consumption. Not only will this provide greater comfort and savings, but it will also contribute to a more sustainable future.

Get in touch with Magnetite Melbourne team today to get a free quote for window thermal insulation.

  1. Conduction
    Heat moving through an object (i.e. heat will travel through an aluminium, or steel frame more easily than through a timber or PVC frame).
  2. Radiant heat
    Heat from the direct sun. It can pass through space until reflected or absorbed.
  3. Convection
    Heat flow resulting from air movement e.g. either 'natural' convection - warm air rises, or 'forced' convection - a breeze by a window, both can result in a draught by a window.
  4. Infiltration
    Air leaks around the frame, around the window sash and through the gaps in the movable window parts.

When evaluating your options to improve the thermal performance of your windows, the following double glazing key performance criteria should be considered:

  • U-Value (Uw) represents heat transfer through a window, irrespective of direct sunlight. The lower a window’s U-Value, the better the insulation performance.
  • Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) measures the solar energy that passes through glazing. The lower the SHGC, the less solar heat is transmitted through a window.
  • Air Infiltration or leakage measures the rate at which air passes through gaps in window joins and seals. The lower the air infiltration, the better a window’s energy performance.

The Window Energy Rating Scheme (WERS) Thermal Performance

Aluminium Frame Windows

Glazing Type Cooling Stars Heating Stars Cool% Heat% Uw SHGC
Single glazed 3mm clear glass* half blue star red starhalf red star 7.4 0.77
Single glazed 3mm clear glass &
4.5mm Magnetite		 blue starblue starhalf blue star red starred starred starred starred starhalf red star 35% 59% 2.9 0.67

Timber Frame Windows

Glazing Type Cooling Stars Heating Stars Cool% Heat% Uw SHGC
Single glazed 3mm clear glass* blue starhalf blue star red starred starred starhalf red star 20% 28% 5.5 0.69
Single glazed 3mm clear glass &
4.5mm Magnetite		 blue starblue starhalf blue star red starred starred starred starred starred star 37% 61% 2.6 0.66
Single glazed 3mm clear glass with
Solartite** and 4.5mm Magnetite		 blue starblue starblue starblue starblue starblue starhalf blue star red starred starred starred starhalf red star 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.

Magnetite vs Traditional Double Glazing – What the experts says

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)*		 blue starblue starhalf blue star red starred starred starred starred starhalf red star 40% 55% 3.0 0.61 5.0
Single glazed 3mm clear glass &
4.5mm Magnetite		 blue starblue starhalf blue star red starred starred starred starred starred star 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)*		 blue starblue starblue starhalf blue star red starred starred starred starhalf red star 54% 425% 3.30 0.461 5.0
Single glazed 3mm glass Solartite**
and 4.5mm Magnetite		 blue starblue starblue starblue starblue starhalf blue star red starred starred starred star 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 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

 

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%

 

*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.