With a performance that is amongst the industry’s best, the Dakea Ultima Energy range is offering installers a window of opportunity. Professional Builder’s Lee Jones talks to the company’s Andrew Birch about its triple paned solution.
A quality product at an affordable price point is the Dakea mission and, unsurprisingly, it’s a message which resonates with installers. It is a philosophy that is exemplified in the manufacturer’s Ultima Energy range where builders can benefit from a focus on ease of installation, and the property owner from a roof window with enhanced thermal and sound insulation characteristics – and much more besides.
Customers in the market for a room in a roof are now increasingly considering triple pane products as an option and, with an excellent U-value of 0.99 W/m2K on the whole window, Ultima Energy certainly scores on energy efficiency, as Dakea Sales Manager, Andrew Birch explains: “It’s thermal performance means that our product compares very favourably with any of the premium solutions in the market, and excellent sound attenuation qualities makes this product ideally suited to noisy neighbourhoods. If the windows are facing a busy terraced street with lots of traffic noise, for example, that’s a big consideration for the client – and a good selling point for us. It can achieve 50 per cent noise reduction on a standard window, in fact, whilst it’s also designed to reduce impact noise from rainfall.”
It’s not just about the perfect combination of three panes either because the Dakea solution features Krypton gas, compared to the Argon found in many of its rivals’ units. “The former is a much denser gas,” explains Andrews, “with improved thermal characteristics.” Nor has safety been neglected, with a laminated pane on the inside, that prevents glass failing into the room in the event of it breaking, and a toughened safety pane on the outside. It’s a feature that has made Ultima Energy a popular choice not just in a domestic setting but in schools.
A package of thermal, sound and safety benefits already stacks up to a compelling argument for choosing Ultima Energy, but the concerns of the installers have been given equal billing. When it comes to accessories, for example, the manufacturer provides both the Insulation Foam Collar (IFC) and Roof Underfelt Collar (RUC) free of charge with the majority of windows in its Ultima and Better ranges.
The IFC is supplied in the same box as the window, and is pre-cut to fit perfectly, whilst the Quick Install collar (RUC) is made from one piece with no joints. That ensures 100 per water tightness, whilst its squared surface pattern will help you to cut straight, making installation even easier. “It’s about promoting best practice, getting the job done quicker and saving money,” enthuses Andrew. “With the combination of an RUC and IFC automatically supplied with your choice of roof window, a builder could be saving ½ an hour on site, and £40 or £50, whilst using an accessory which is designed specifically for that window is always going to provide a better finish.”
Dakea offers a 20-year guarantee on its windows, and orders can be delivered to site in two to three days. The PRO.app offers easy access to the registration process for that guarantee from a smartphone, as well as a rewards scheme. Ultima Energy is available in a choice of ten sizes, in a traditional pine finish or a popular white painted option. Two smaller windows will always spread more light into a room than one big one, which makes the standard 780 x 980mm still the most requested in terms of dimensions.
“Our goal has always been to develop a long term relationship with quality tradespeople,” concludes Andrew. “That’s why we’re offering a product range that covers the whole market, as well as all the support they’ll need. Essentially, we want to be the smart option for installers.”
For further information on the Ultima Energy from Dakea visit https://dakea.co.uk/products/pitched-roof-windows/ultima-energy/#description
