Nulook® Windows & Doors

Frequently Asked Questions

Altus is

Altus is a leader in window and door design, supporting the Nulook Licensee network with IT systems, Tooling, Manufacturing and Marketing support. Nulook is a registered trademark of Altus NZ Limited.

Where can I view Nulook™ products?

Most Fabricators have comprehensive showrooms or can direct you to view jobs they have finished. Please view the Licensee Contact Section for further information. Or alternatively, contact your local Nulook Licensee for further details.

What is WeatherTight™?

Weathertight™ is a new residential suite from Nulook. WeatherTight™ includes the latest in design technology to provide reliable high-quality attractive joinery for homeowners.

The WeatherTight™ range includes a full range of windows, doors, bi-folds, and sliders; in fact, for almost anything you or your architect can dream of for your home, there's a Nulook solution.

Why WeatherTight™?

Leaky buildings have prompted changes to building practices. Nulook's suite has been designed to significantly reduce the likelihood of weather-related building problems occurring within window and door joinery. Homeowners are guaranteed the highest quality joinery without question.

How does WeatherTight™ work?

The secret to Nulook's phenomenal performance lies in our advanced drainage and jointing technology. This technology features: Advanced drainage technology2. Crimped corner connectors3. Hidden mullion/transom junction connectors and4. Torsional corner blocks, WeatherTight™ gives you quality by design.

Condensation - What is it?

When the air outside is saturated it rains. When the air indoors is saturated we get condensation.

For each air temperature, there is a limit to the amount of water vapour the air can hold. When that limit is reached the air is saturated. Indoors, condensation forms when moisture-laden air comes into contact with a cooler surface. This cooler surface, often walls or windows, chills the air, causing water to fall out of it and accumulate as moisture.

How to reduce condensation?

New homes are usually well-sealed and insulated and do not naturally breathe as much as older homes. This often means they are more prone to condensation problems. Below are a number of condensation management options:

• Indoor Temperature & Ventilation: In cooler weather, sufficient ventilation combined with keeping your house 5 - 7°C warmer than the outside air, will keep your home dry, healthy and comfortable
• Ventilation: Simply open windows a little, even on dull days, to create some natural ventilation. Opening windows on opposite sides of the house create a very effective cross-air flow, removing excess moisture and introducing fresh air into the house
• Vents: Passive Vent's that allow secure airflow when the house is closed are a good option
• Installed ventilation systems: Installed ventilation systems operate by the ducting warm air from the attic space, via a fan and an optional electric heater, down into the living areas of the house by way of ceiling outlets
• Dehumidifiers: Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air by lowering the relative humidity. Reducing humidity levels decreases the likelihood of condensation forming

How crucial is sill support & installing sill support bars?

Sill support has always been a crucial part of window installation but is often overlooked. The detrimental effects of not having sill support bars, are not immediate but usually manifest themselves over a period of time, and hence we see indifference to using them.

Most joinery is fixed to the building framing, through the jamb liners thereby creating a cantilevered action. This action stresses the corners, mullion joints, frame/liner connection, and eventually compromises their integrity, and in turn the integrity of the whole window system. With Double Glazing becoming more commonplace, the weight is practically doubled and the problem is further compounded. The combination now of both double glazing and cavities becoming the norm, the stresses placed on joinery have increased.

What are R-values and U-values?

R-value is the resistance a material has to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the resistance. U-value is the amount of heat transferred through a material. The lower the U-value, the slower the rate of heat flow and the better the insulating quality.

What is Low E/Argon-filled glass and how does it work?

Low E (Emissivity) Glass is glass with a transparent metallic oxide coating applied onto or into a glass surface. The coating allows short-wave energy to pass through but reflects long-wave infrared energy which improves the U-Value. Argon Gas is an odourless, colourless, tasteless, non-toxic gas which is six times denser than air. It is used to replace air between the glass panes to reduce temperature transfer.

How to make sure your windows & doors open, close, lock and unlock easily for years to come

• Vacuum dirt from sill and track areas regularly, and before each washing
• Check to make certain that drainage holes are clear of dirt or obstructions. Drainage holes can be found outside the window or door in the bottom of the frame. Use a small, soft bottlebrush to clear openings. Note: If the window is “stacked”, there may weep holes between units
• Moving parts in hardware components and tracks and rollers should be lubricated regularly. In salt-air environments, this can mean at least monthly
• Check weather stripping around operable window and door panels to be sure it seals evenly
• Adjust sliding door rollers for proper height clearances. Most door rollers can be adjusted with a screwdriver through access holes in either the end or side of the sliding panel at the bottom. Be sure to lift the panel to take the weight off of the roller during roller adjustment
• After making roller adjustments, it may be necessary to also make adjustments in the lock strike placement. Most strikes may be adjusted by loosening screw fasteners, moving strike plate and retightening. Check for proper lock operation.

Nulook™ offers a full range of glass options to ensure your home is comfortable. Glazing products each contribute differently in protecting your home from the sun, providing insulation, reducing noise, ensuring privacy or providing a safe environment for family members.

The choice of glazing is one of the most important determinants of the performance of aluminium windows and doors. A wide range of choices to meet most needs is available. Leading glass companies or your local window manufacturer can assist you with specialist advice.

The frame size and platform size of a suite provide two different measures. Frame size is the size of the frame as measured from the outside of the facing to the inside of the frame where it connects with the reveal or where the frame ends. This size is important when determining compatibility with other products and getting an indication of the profile size. For example, the SovereignSeries™ suite and Commercial doors are all 100mm frame size and are consequently compatible. They can be easily used together.

It should not be considered a direct measure of strength, as other considerations such as design, shape, the thickness of extrusion, and position have an impact on performance as well.

The frame platform size refers to the glazing platform width as measured from the two extremities of the glazed area. It refers to the glazing capability of the products rather than the size or strength of products. Glazing capacity sets out the overall measurement within which the glazing unit must be accommodated.

For example, the WeatherTight™ Suite has a glazing platform size of 35mm that enables glazing up to 24mm and an overall frame depth of 57mm. Liner deductions are used as a reference when calculating the required size for jamb liners.

Educational Facilities

Nulook™ offers a comprehensive range of windows and doors for use in Educational Facilities. With careful product selection, you can be assured that all products will stand up to the everyday wear and tear and abuse sometimes encountered within the rigours of the classroom. Health, safety and ease of use are all paramount when dealing with members of the public. Well designed products for large robust window systems where strength is required are all possible.

Nulook™ caters for disabled access through special sill details and doorway widths. Non-protruding window systems including louvres, internal sliding doors, heavy-duty sliding doors/windows, window control gear either manual or electric are all features easily incorporated within the range of suites.

Nulook™ has a lot of experience in both new school buildings or refurbishments of existing buildings (for more information as to the ideal products for inclusion please speak to your local Nulook Licensee).

Legal Requirements

It is a legal requirement that all building work carried out at a school complies with the following minimum standards. The project manager and consultants must be aware of these requirements.

Acts, regulations and other mandatory standards applying to construction work in New Zealand include, but are not confined to:

• Building Act 2004 and subsequent amendments
• Building Regulations
• New Zealand Building Code
• Resource Management Act 1991 and District Plans
• Health & Safety in Employment Act 1992
• Fire Service Act of 1975
• Fire Safety and Evacuation of Buildings Regulations 1992
• Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996
• Construction Contracts Act 2002

Ministry Recommendations

• The average movement of people in a school throughout a day means that doors and door hardware are subject to wear and tear that is far greater than any other commercial building, including supermarkets.
• The Ministry of Education recommends that commercial aluminium joinery, plus very heavy commercial door hardware be used in school buildings. Although this will be more expensive at the time of construction, it will help keep future maintenance and replacement costs down.

Unparalleled Performance

Altus NZ Limited tests it’s products in an internationally accredited New Zealand laboratory by an independent testing engineer. The Altus products comply with the following New Zealand standards:

• NZS3504: 1979 Specification for aluminium windows

Frontline 100mm and 150mm also complies with:

• NZS4284: 1999 Testing of building facades

All other suites comply with:

• NZS4211: 2008 Specification for performance of windows

Copies of certificates can be obtained by request. Nulook joinery offers a 5-year fabricator warranty to cover failure in workmanship and installation on its products (where installation has been provided by the window supplier). Nulook products comply with the 15-year durability requirement of the Building Act 1991 B2.