6 key facts homeowners should know about thermally broken window systems

Thermally broken window and door systems are not new to us in the window and door design industry or to specifiers around Australia.

We need to collectively continue to educate homeowners on what thermally broken aluminium are and its importance of it. Homeowners are wanting energy-efficient and sustainable homes that have large windows for natural light and views and don’t want to compromise on their design to meet the energy requirements. There is also the issue of the price of electricity continuing to increase in Australia. While we are adding renewable forms of electricity, the majority of Australia’s electricity still comes from coal and gas-fired power stations. Thermally broken systems save the homeowner money on heating and cooling costs and if there’s a better time to talk about this, it’s now.

Here are some key points for educating homeowners about thermally broken systems.

Thermally broken windows and doors have an insulator stitched into the core of the aluminium. Yes, it may be slightly more expensive than non-thermally broken products, however, you end up saving in the long run from reduced heating and cooling costs.There is a plethora of benefits to thermally broken windows and doors.
Having a home that increases your family’s well-being is so important and should also be considered when choosing windows and doors. Comfort is key.
Keeping your family healthy is also important. Thermally broken windows and doors aid in managing the rise of condensation, therefore, reducing the risk of mould. Heat moves to a colder space, in a warmer climate this means that heat moves from outside the building to inside. In a colder climate, this means that heat moves from inside the building to the outside.
In summer months, approximately 87% of a home's heat gain comes from windows and doors. When the outside temperature is 40 degrees, the non-thermally broken frame has an internal temperature of 33 degrees, and the thermally broken frame is only 27 degrees, whilst trying to keep an internal temperature of 21 deg. This means that the internal cooling will need to work that much harder to cool the internal space, due to the amount of heat coming into the building through the hot frames.
In winter months, approximately 40% of a home's heat loss comes from windows and doors. When the outside temperature is Zero degrees, the non-thermally broken frame has an internal temperature of about 7 degrees, whereas the thermally broken frame is almost 15 degrees
Again, the internal heating will need to work that much harder to heat the internal space, due to the amount of heat being attracted out through the cold frame.

Now the cost savings…let’s dive into this.

Uw – (U-Value is a measure of heat loss, the higher the U-Value the higher the heat loss)
w/m2.k – (watts/heat energy)
m2 (surface area)
Kelvin (temperature difference)
DGU (double-glazed unit)