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Paarhammer joins Passive House Association

Paarhammer joins Passive House Association

Thursday, September 22, 2016

With excellent energy efficiency ratings, Paarhammer products are a perfect fit for passive houses. We have now joined the Australian Passive House Association. On their website: ‘The Australian Passive House Association is an independent, not-for-profit organization which aims to promote Passive House principles as a way of providing superior indoor comfort and air quality while reducing energy use and carbon emissions from Australia’s buildings. Passive House (or PassivHaus) was originally developed in Germany and has since spread throughout Europe (and the rest of the world – authors note). The standard continues to evolve and is now finding popularity in diverse
U-values, European versus Australian

U-values, European versus Australian

Monday, September 12, 2016

U-value calculations are not the same the world over. Australia has decided to follow the American NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council) system when making calculations for the Window Energy Rating System – WERS. U-value measures how well a product allows heat to pass through. It is a measure of the rate of non-solar heat loss or gain through a material or assembly. The lower the U-value, the greater a window's resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating value. The whole window assembly is tested which includes the effect of the frame, glass, seals and any spacers. What does
Uncover the Secrets of lift-slide Sliding Doors

Uncover the Secrets of lift-slide Sliding Doors

Monday, August 08, 2016

For making an architectural statement, or for opening the home to entertaining areas, nothing beats the versatility and style of Paarhammer Lift-Slide Sliding Doors. In addition to a double layer of seals, they feature retractable carriages as part of the German hardware, which allow the door to be sealed airtight to increase energy efficiency and stops drafts. This function also allows the door to be stopped in any open position. Lift-slide sliding doors have a number of carriages recessed into the bottom of the sliding door panel as part of the technologically advanced hardware. These carriages lift up the door
Draft proof your home for savings and comfort

Draft proof your home for savings and comfort

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Draft is the enemy of energy efficiency. Drafts or air leakages are year-round issues: in winter, they allow valuable warm air to escape and unwanted external cold air to enter; in summer, the reverse occurs. Seal your building and you will save money on annual heating and cooling costs, and the size of your heating and cooling system, while improving the health and comfort of occupants. Air leakages occur in many parts of the building envelope but we are taking a look here specifically at windows. Air leakage of windows is measured in litres of air per second per square
Wood-Alu, the best of both worlds

Wood-Alu, the best of both worlds

Monday, May 02, 2016

The energy efficient Wood-Alu range of windows and doors feature the warmth of timber on the inside, and low maintenance aluminium on the outside. Get the best of both worlds with the natural beauty and energy efficiency of timber, with no exterior painting. With all the standard features including quality design, the highest degree of craftsmanship and German hardware, Paarhammer Wood-Alu products are custom made to your specifications. Double or triple glazed and a variety of glass options and timbers, including FSC certified, are available. The engineered exterior aluminium framing is powder coated, with a wide range of colours to
Window News at Fensterbau Expo in Germany

Window News at Fensterbau Expo in Germany

Tuesday, April 05, 2016

With around 1300 exhibitors in 17 interconnecting halls, the Fensterbau and Holz-Handwerk in Nuernberg, Germany, is certainly the most important window fair in Europe, if not the world. 110,000 visitors ensured the exhibitors were kept busy. Some larger exhibitor stands were double story with a full restaurant to woe their customers, while even at smaller stands beer and pretzels were popular. If our I-phone is to be believed we walked more than 16km within the expo on the first full day. All to see the ever more intriguing window hardware on display, invisible hinging mechanisms and step-less thresholds with integrated
Hardware - no longer just a hinge and a lock

Hardware - no longer just a hinge and a lock

Wednesday, March 09, 2016

The quality of window and door products is enhanced by hardware which seals against the elements, making the products easy to operate, while at the same time discouraging burglars. The tilt andturn hardware fittings feature the flexibility of two opening positions. The sash will swing inward - casement style - when opened in the turn position. Alternatively, hinges at the bottom and a tilting arm at the top allow it to open inward at the top like a hopper window (tilt). Both actions are activated by the turn of the handle, a smooth operation which controls all the mechanics within
Alfresco Areas Access: Bi-fold Doors

Alfresco Areas Access: Bi-fold Doors

Thursday, March 03, 2016

Access to the BBQ area, trampoline or vegie patch - what better way than to have bi-fold doors that fold away to reveal a wide opening leading into the great outdoors. Perfect for entertaining, when groups of people are migrating between the rooms of your home and the alfresco area. And perfect when the doors are open on quieter days, the breeze can enter along with the gentle outside noises, and the backyard feels like an extension of the home. As every home is unique, there are many different configurations available to choose from. Keep in mind that our bi-fold
Opportunities Down Under

Opportunities Down Under

Thursday, March 03, 2016

Recently a 21 strong government and media delegation came half way around the world to find economic opportunities. From Austria to Australia in search of new markets and business partners, the group visited successful companies with Austrian ties in New South Wales and Victoria. After a morning tour of the parliament in Melbourne and meetings with politicians, the delegation spent an afternoon at Paarhammer Windows. “I would not want to be a famous person’ said Tony Paarhammer after he had 15 plus recording devises under his nose not two minutes after the group disembarked from the bus. The questions came
Bushfire ready

Bushfire ready

Thursday, January 28, 2016

With the bushfire season well and truly started, it might be timely to investigate the Australian Standard for building in bushfire areas, as well as doing research on suitable building materials if you are planning to build or extend in a bushfire prone area. Each state government provides current and new development information for building in bushfire prone areas on their websites, e.g. the Government of Western Australia has recently announced a package of reforms to help protect lives and property against the threat of bushfires throughout Western Australia. These reforms introduce new requirements for people intending to develop and/or
Blower Test for Airtightness

Blower Test for Airtightness

Sunday, November 29, 2015

A blower door is a machine used to measure the airtightness of buildings. Some reasons for establishing airtightness are -Reducing energy consumption due to air leakage -Avoiding moisture condensation problems -Avoiding uncomfortable drafts caused by cold or hot air leaking in from the outdoors Blower door testing has been used in Europe and the US since the late 1970s. A blower door is a powerful fan that mounts into the frame of an exterior door. The fan pulls air out of the house, lowering the air pressure inside. The higher outside air pressure then flows in through all unsealed cracks
Top 5 Renovation Regrets

Top 5 Renovation Regrets

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Insufficient insulation, air leakage, poor lighting, not selecting double glazing, and poor design are the Top 5 renovation regrets, according to the research of the Victorian Government. Let’s look at those renovation regrets in the context of Paarhammer windows and doors: 1. Insufficient insulation: Paarhammer windows provide excellent insulation with U-values from as low as 0.8, the lowest made in Australia 2. Air leakage: there are no drafts, and air infiltration is from a low 0.05% 3. Poor lighting: well insulated energy efficient windows can be made much larger, while still out performing a smaller single paned uninsulated window, hence