Skaala - Finland Review

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Daniel Howard's review of Skaala - Finland

“I am the only person in the United Kingdom with a...”

★★★★★

written by Daniel Howard on 18/12/2010

I am the only person in the United Kingdom with a quadruple glazing system on all windows of my detached house. I imported the Alfa GE Skandia windows from Skaala, which is a window system that won all awards in Finland and with tested noise reduction properties at about 40 dBA across the spectrum of noise frequencies. It also offers < 0.8 Watts/m3 C insulation against the cold which is to Siberian standards. They consist of two double glazing windows separated by a gap of say of 100 mm to 150 mm (your choice) and all already assembled into a type of box the size of your window. That sort of system was originally developed in Germany and called the Kastenfenster (box window), you see it sometimes in movies such as in the first scene of "The Reader". The outside is aluminium but the inside is wood. The arrangement adopted in Scandinavia is an evolution from the Berliner/Viena Kastenfenster rather than the Hamburg/Salzburg Kastenfenster in that both windows open fully inwards (in the latter the inner window opens in and the outer out alla Anglais).

I installed them just prior to last Christmas and it was fortunate because the winters have become very cold here in the UK. When you import these windows you need: (a) a friend with a forklift truch; (b) a guy who knows how to fit windows. In order to retrofit them to an English home you need to measure internally plaster board to plasterboard rather than externally brick to brick because they open inwards and so you need an edge to open them, you cannot fit them brick to brick. You must them make up the external gap to the brick. So buy them in white because you can then use PVC borders. Although the windows are thick you will find that you still get a window board internally (maybe 60 percent of what you once had). Each window can be taken out because they use the Scandinavian type hinges so that if you ever need to replace a window pane you can easily take a window door out and take it to the glazier. The external window cill you should purchase from Herman Gutmann AG in Germany made out of extruded aluminium. In this case you have to measure them brick to brick dont make the mistake or ordering the same length of the window. It is cheaper and nicer to do it all in white.

We are very warm and also it helps in the UK as there is always some annoying neighbour with a barking dog or people who feeds pigeons and other nuisance birds, the sound properties of these windows are amazing and you will have a hard time hearing cars approaching your drive. Moreover, if you should live near a busy road or highway/motorway, it will improve your standard of living enormously as you will hear 10 percent of what you heard before. Do not go beyond the standard 6mm 4mm panes on the double glazing because you will not gain any noise insulation from say 8 mm. You are gaining the noise insulation from the "secondary glazing" type arrangement of the system, so only the spacing between the two windows are what gains you the noise insulation rather than the thickness of the glass (which is only fine tuning). Heating bills are vastly reduced but more importantly you can live in shorts and a T shirt at home even when it is -10 C outside. In the summer the house will not get so hot because the heat insulation works both ways preventing the heat from getting in (maybe to a lesser extent than the other way round but it is better that conventional double glazing).

You can complement the system as I have done with French doors by Huet. I have ISADEX Climat Exteriour which complement the windows for noise insulation and heat insulation. These have a spring based triple locking system which is a delight.

The house is very secure now as well.

  • Value For Money

Bmayguit's Response to Daniel Howard's Review

Written on: 15/08/2017

I should imagine you could buy a house in a quiet area with what you have paid for those windows,as to cold winters in this country,really,you must be living in north Scotland or even further.

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Daniel Howard's reply to Bmayguit's Comment

Written on: 16/08/2017

I do not agree with you for a number of reasons: (1) the population density of England is now 2 people per acre, just divide the population of England by its area, there is no real way to get away from people: (2) British people are too free and you cannot limit them - all of them wish to pretend they are the Queen of England, so even with a semi-detached or a small garden they insist in having two dogs, making noises, working at all hours, some build covered deckings and live in the garden, laughing and drinking alcohol; (3) most people are uneducated and uncultured and proud of it so they will not stay quiet reading a book but become very vocal; (4) dog owners are the most selfish people in the world and although they pretend to show concern that their dog barking will upset the neighbours, they indeed do not care and use the dog barking as a statement they have more power to use the property by intimidating neighbours etc. There is no such thing as a "quiet area" unless you spend several million pounds on a property; (5) buying and selling a detached home costs much more than the windows in fees etc; (6) every property has a weakness or two and over the lifespan of living there every single one of the weaknesses will manifest to annoy you. Hence, the windows and Huet ISADEX CLIMAT found doors I have selected and moving the boiler to the attic to avoid gaps to the outside that could transmit noise is the only way to go for peace and quiet.

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Michaelhall39's Response to Daniel Howard's Review

Written on: 27/01/2020

Good evening,
I hope that this link still exists because we to find someone in Scotland competent fit SKAALA windows which we have purchased for our self builds house?

Perhaps you fitting is the differentiator between 5 stars and 1 star for it seems that windows are of good standard but finding a good recoomended fitter is not easy.
HELP!

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Michaelhall39's reply to Michaelhall39's Comment

Written on: 28/01/2020

Sorry the above entry was done in too much of a hurry in middle sign on to the REVIEW service.

Hello,
I hope that this link still exists because we need to find someone in Scotland competent to fit SKAALA windows, which we have purchased for our self-build house?

Clearly the fact that you were employing your own skilled fitter is the differentiator between 5 stars and 1 star. For the windows are made to a good standard but the real trick is to find an experienced skilled fitter. This seems to be the difficulty. Your assistance would be appreciated.
HELP!

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Daniel Howard's reply to Michaelhall39's Comment

Written on: 28/01/2020

Hi the guy who fitted my windows sadly passed away but I do not think you should be too concerned as any fitter can do the job. I tell you. He will measure plasterboard to plasterboard in the horizontal direction (not brick to brick) because the windows open inwards... He should leave a small tolerance and then order the windows. Similarly in the vertical direction. You can use FISCHER expanding foam but be careful not to use too much. Also measure correctly for the german extruded aluminium window cills (external). They have plastic caps at either end. I can send you photos of my windows to help you write to me at danielhowardjobs gmail com and I can send you photos and help you further. You can use PVC caps externally. I am discussing fitting the Alfa GE windows.

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