New Planitherm Total+ 'raises the bar'

SAINT-GOBAIN RAISES THE BAR WITH TOUGHER, WARMER PLANITHERM TOTAL +

Europe’s leading low-E glass has now been made better than ever with the launch of the next evolution of the acclaimed PLANITHERM TOTAL+ from Saint-Gobain Glass.

The new PLANITHERM TOTAL+ has an increased g-value, making higher WERs more achievable, and also an even more robust coating to maximise manufacturers’ yield and reduce associated losses.

The g-value is stepped up from 0.71 to 0.73 thanks to the use of SGG ’s new lower-iron PLANICLEAR float substrate and further enhancements to the coating, giving not only higher solar gain to contribute to WER banding but also improved aesthetics through its greater transparency.

For IGU manufacturers, its improved magnetron coating has greater mechanical strength and scratch-resistance, reducing the wastage from accidental damage and so helping to achieve higher yield ratios.

Saint-Gobain Glass Marketing Manager, Susan Lambeth said: “This new PLANITHERM TOTAL+ not only gives higher WER performance, including the ability to deliver the new A+ band more easily, but also greater efficiencies to our customer, the IGU manufacturer. PLANITHERM TOTAL+ is one of the core elements of the residential window industry so we know these developments will be welcomed by many.

“Saint-Gobain Glass has always been a world leader in magnetron coating technology, as well as the development of all kinds of advanced glazing and this latest evolution will be a major factor in our retaining this lead.”

PLANICLEAR, which forms the substrate of the new PLANITHERM TOTAL+ was launched earlier this year as a lower-iron glass, giving higher light transmission and solar gain without the price-exclusivity of a specialist full low-iron product.

PLANITHERM has been a residential market leader for over 12 years. As well as undergoing constant evolution to retain that lead, the brand has been strongly supported by TV consumer advertising and in the trade by its unique planithern installer network and extensive marketing support material.

Triple Glazing - Some Common Misconceptions Corrected

Triple glazing has been in the news a lot this year and has been generating a lot of comments.  Gary Morgan, BFRC Technical Director, adds his expert opinion.

 

“Two panes of glass are good, but three must be better”

 

There is some merit in this simplistic statement.  Triple glazed windows are capable of achieving much higher levels of thermal performance than double glazed.  But the choice of low-e coating and gas fill are critical.  For example, consider two triple glazed IGU’s designed to fit into a 28mm glazing cavity.

 

4-20-4 Softcoat low-e, argon fill: can achieve a WER ‘A’

4-8-4-8-4 One pane of softcoat low-e, argon fill: can achieve a WER ‘B’

4-8-4-8-4 Two panes of softcoat low-e, argon fill: can achieve a WER ‘A’

 

In order to realise any benefit from the extra pane of glass, it needs to have a low e coating or the U value actually increases, meaning a thermal efficiency decrease.  Even with two panes of low-e coating, there is still no overall benefit in terms of WER performance.  The addition of an extra coated pane can, if the wrong coating is used, lead to a sharp decrease in the solar gain (g) value, which can lead to a window going from an ‘A’ to ‘B’ or even ‘C’ rating.

 

In triple glazing the use of Krypton gas in narrow cavities, or Argon gas in wider glazing cavities, does result in much improved window thermal performance.

 

“It is only possible to achieve BFRC A+ ratings using triple glazing”

 

About 80% of A+ windows are triple glazed - but 20% are double-glazed.  So it is possible to achieve an ‘A+’ with double glazing using thermally efficient frame systems and good warm edge spacer bars.

 

“Triple glazing / A+ windows can lead to overheating”

 

This is incorrect.  Is the suggestion that lower window U values result in thermal overheating?  This only occurs when the external ambient temperatures are higher than the internal room temperature (a lower U value helps to keep the room cool by keeping excess heat out).  It certainly does not cause overheating.

 

Or is solar gain supposed to be the culprit?  In triple glazed windows solar gain values are at least 10% lower than in equivalent double glazed windows.

 

Fast Facts - Property Crime

Property crime can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Check out these fast facts about property crime and find out what you can do to reduce the risk of danger to you, your family and your home.

There were an estimated 2,103,787 burglaries and354,520 robberies.

That's one burglary every 15 seconds and one robbery every 1.5 minutes.

Around 60% of burglars used forcible entry to gain access to a home. More than 30% of burglars entered residences through an unlocked door, window and other opening without force.

Typically, burglars spend less than 60 seconds breaking into a home. The more difficult it is to gain access, the more likely a burglar is to reconsider the attack.

Most convicted burglars (90%) said they want to avoid homes with alarm systems and said if they did encounter an alarm, they would abandon the attack on the home.

It's estimated that 74% of uncompleted intrusions can be credited to an audible alarm.

Homes without alarm systems are 3 times more likely to be burglarized than those with an alarm system.

Precautions to Reduce Burglary

There are four basic types of precautions which must be provided to significantly reduce the chance of an intrusion:

• Deterring Measures: These are security measures which are likely to lower the chance of a break-in when the burglar cruises the neighborhood in search of a target. Intruders search for homes that appear to be unoccupied. Thus, deterring measures suggest that somebody is at home. For example, a car in the driveway, motion sensitive exterior lights, interior lights, and radios and TVs on timers, all give the impression that someone is in the home.
  
•  Preventive Measures: These are security measures which make the actual break-in more difficult and/or time consuming. Intruders spend no more than 60 seconds breaking into a home. Measures which rise this time may cause burglars to change their mind. Some examples include deadbolt locks, bars on windows, and pins in sash windows. 
  
• Detection Measures: These are measures which detect the presence of an intruder on the premises and send a message out. Only a burglar alarm serves that purpose. 
  
• Managerial Measures: In nature, these measures are in the deterrence category. They are not physical precaution measures like the three previous categories but are associated with the deterring category in their objective, which is to produce the impression that somebody is home. They include stopping newspaper and mail delivery, notifying police when you will be away, and having neighbors watch your home. 
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• Burglars report that doors and windows are often left unsecured, or even wide open, allowing them to literally let themselves in.

This was also backed up by 64% of householders who confessed to occasionally leaving doors unlocked whilst away from the home, and a further 37% whilst inside the home - even though statistics show that 22% of burglaries are carried out with the thief aware that the home was occupied.

One offender often gained entry to homes by putting their hands in a letterbox and pulling the keys out.

C & L Windows and Conservatories Ltd

48, Stroud Road
Gloucester
Gloucestershire
GL1 5AJ

01452 526028

www.candlwindows.co.uk