| Deciding what kind of windows to use on
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| | Other options to considers are high
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| your new home will be one of the most
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| | performance glass like tempered which is
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| important decisions you'll make, because
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| | the Hercules of glass. Not only is it
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| this product adds warmth, beauty and
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| | extra strong but if it breaks, it won't
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| light to your house. Since your windows
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| | shatter into a zillion sharp edges, but
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| are one of the most visible features of
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| | rather a zillion pebble-like pieces. If
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| your house both on the inside and the
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| | you don't want to be affected by
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| outside, you'll want to make a wise and
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| | excessive outdoor noise, then you might
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| practical choice. Most people spend 10 to
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| | want to consider laminated glass, which
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| 15 percent of their home building budget
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| | is very effective in reducing noise. It
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| on windows and doors.
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| | also eliminates 99.9% of UV (ultraviolet)
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| Window Configurations
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| | rays.
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| Besides size, color and shape, when
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| | Types of Frame Materials
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| selecting windows you will also need to
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| | Window frames are available in a
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| decide the window's configuration in
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| | variety of materials including aluminum,
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| simple terms, how, or if, it opens and
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| | wood, vinyl, fibrex, and fiberglass.
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| closes. There's no one right choice, and
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| | Frames may be primarily composed of one
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| each has certain advantages and
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| | material, or they may be a combination of
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| disadvantages but certain areas do lend
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| | different materials such as wood and
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| themselves for easier opening and closing
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| | vinyl and each frame material has its
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| options.
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| | advantages and disadvantages.
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| Fixed
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| | Aluminum is ideal for customized window
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| A fixed window, also called a picture
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| | design, however, aluminum frames cause
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| window, doesn't swing, tilt or glide. Its
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| | conductive heat loss (i.e., they have low
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| sash is permanently fixed to a frame, so
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| | R-values) and condensation. By inserting
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| if you're looking to let some fresh air
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| | thermal breaks made of insulating plastic
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| in, fixed aren't the way to go. Fixed are
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| | strips between the inside and outside of
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| often flanked by double-hung windows or
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| | the frame and sash you can greatly
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| casements or set above or below an awning
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| | improve the thermal resistance of
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| or hopper. From an architectural
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| | aluminum frames.
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| standpoint - you can get fixed windows in
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| | The benefits of wood is it produces
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| a variety of shapes, including, round,
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| | higher R-values, are unaffected by
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| half-round, diamond, trapezoid and custom
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| | temperature extremes, and are less prone
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| to enhance the face of your home. These
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| | to condensation, but they do require some
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| windows won't throw your budget off too
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| | maintenance - like periodic painting. A
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| much because they're the least expensive
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| | note of caution; if wood frames are not
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| style and very energy efficient.
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| | properly protected from moisture, they
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| Casement
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| | can warp, crack, and stick.
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| A casement window, often used in
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| | Vinyl windows are made primarily from
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| traditional homes, opens like a door with
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| | polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which offers
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| hinges on one side and the lock and
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| | many advantages, like a large selection
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| handle on the other. Casement windows
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| | of styles and shapes, moderate to high
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| open outward by using a crank handle and
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| | R-values, easily customized,
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| allow the entire window surface to be
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| | competitively priced, require low
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| opened. On the down side, they are
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| | maintenance, and mold easily into almost
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| typically one of the more expensive types
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| | any shape.
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| of windows, and the outward opening pane
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| | Fiberglass is relatively new and not
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| can present a potential hazard on
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| | yet widely available. They have the
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| lower-floor windows. Casement windows are
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| | highest R-values of all frames and are
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| most popular above a kitchen sink, where
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| | excellent for insulating and will not
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| you don't want to lean forward and lift a
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| | warp, shrink, swell, rot, or corrode.
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| window to open it.
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| | Fiberglass frames can be made in a
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| Awning
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| | variety of colors and can hold large
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| Awning windows are hinged on the top
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| | expanses of glass. Some fiberglass frames
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| and open out from the bottom; like a door
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| | are hollow and others are filled with
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| that's been turned on its side; with the
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| | fiberglass insulation.
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| latch on the side opposite the hinges.
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| | Fibrex material is a blend of wood
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| These windows are often seen in
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| | fiber and specially formulated
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| contemporary-style homes. They provide
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| | thermo-plastic polymer. This unique
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| minimal ventilation (and a nice look)
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| | window material is made from reclaimed
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| under large, fixed-pane picture windows.
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| | wood fiber from the Andersen Window
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| Awning windows open out to an angle of
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| | Corporation's 65 acre manufacturing
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| about 30 degrees, which allows you to
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| | operation in Bayport, Minnesota. Fibrex
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| keep it open on rainy (not rainy and
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| | combines excellent strength, insulation
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| windy) days.
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| | properties and provides low maintenance.
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| Sliding
| |
| | Room with a View
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| Perhaps the most common of the operable
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| | Windows make a big impression on how
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| window configurations is the sliding
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| | your home is looked at - from the inside
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| window, which consists of one fixed pane
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| | and out. Your windows should fit in with
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| of glass that is half the width of the
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| | the overall style of your house and they
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| window and a second, movable pane of
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| | should make you house look inviting. How
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| glass of equal size that slides
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| | you create that look depends on personal
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| horizontally across to the inside of the
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| | taste. Some people like lots of large
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| fixed pane. In larger sliding windows;
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| | windows, while other people are more
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| typically those over about 8 feet in
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| | conservative and opt for smaller windows.
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| width; there will be a fixed pane in the
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| | No matter what size, style or quantity of
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| middle combined with one sliding pane on
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| | windows you choose it's important to
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| either side that move horizontally toward
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| | remember that the view you see from your
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| the window's center.
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| | home is a powerful one - one that
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| Sliding windows are typically the most
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| | controls the ambiance of the room your
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| economical configuration. They have a
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| | in.
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| handle and lock in the center or along
| |
| | Heating Up a Room
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| one edge, along with a secondary security
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| | There are three ways that heat goes
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| ventilation lock that allows you to open
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| | through a window - radiation, conduction
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| the window about 2 inches and then lock
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| | and convection.
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| it in that position.
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| | Radiation is heat that you can feel,
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| Sliding windows are designated by which
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| | like the sun's rays coming through your
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| side opens, as viewed from the outside.
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| | window pane. This heat goes through the
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| An X-O window, the most common, will
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| | window like light does.
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| have the left side operable and the right
| |
| | Conduction is the heat a solid material
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| side fixed. A large window with a fixed
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| | carries from one place to another, like
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| center pane and two side sliders would be
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| | from one side of a window pane to the
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| an X-O-X.
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| | other.
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| Double-Hung and Single-Hung
| |
| | Convection is the heat that is carried
|
| Double-hung windows open vertically, and
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| | by air from one place to another. Heat is
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| both panes are operable; the lower pane
| |
| | carried by convection between the panes
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| moves up and rests inside the upper pane,
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| | of glass in a double pane window.
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| and the upper pane moves down to the
| |
| | Today's modern window construction is
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| outside of the lower one. Double hung
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| | designed to tackle all three of these
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| windows offer more ventilation options
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| | heat mechanisms to keep heat from
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| because you can let air in from both the
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| | escaping your home. One way is using
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| top or bottom of the window, and are also
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| | panes made of low-e (low-emissivity)
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| one of the more traditional styles of
| |
| | glass, which involves a special
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| window. Single-hung windows, which
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| | manufacturing process that reduces the
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| duplicate the look of the double-hung at
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| | ability of the glass to pass certain heat
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| a lower cost, have an operable bottom
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| | rays while still letting you see through
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| pane that moves up and rests inside the
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| | the window. Conduction through the glass
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| fixed upper pane. Both styles have a
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| | itself is unavoidable, but you can
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| center handle and lock, and some also
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| | minimize the heat loss by using frames
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| have a security ventilation lock. And
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| | that are not good heat conductors like
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| added feature to consider is a tilt-wash
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| | vinyl (wood and aluminum also work). To
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| version of a double-hung window, so
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| | minimize convection between the panes of
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| you'll never have to go outside to wash
| |
| | glass, the space is filled with a gas,
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| your windows. Instead, the windows come
| |
| | usually argon. The problem with argon is
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| to you.
| |
| | that there is no way to keep it there
|
| Bay and bow windows
| |
| | forever. After time it will start to leak
|
| Bay windows are a combination of three
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| | out (being replaced with plain old air)
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| or more windows that angle out from the
| |
| | causing your window to be a poor
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| house. The center unit is parallel to the
| |
| | insulator and you will start to notice
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| house, while the side units sit at an
| |
| | moisture between the panes. Your only
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| angle (if the angles are squared it's
| |
| | recourse is to see if your window is
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| called a box bay). There's also small
| |
| | covered by a lifetime warranty, get the
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| box bay windows with a glass top that are
| |
| | manufacturer to replace it or simply live
|
| called garden bay windows and usually are
| |
| | with it.
|
| used in the kitchen. Bow windows are
| |
| | Understanding Energy Codes
|
| multiple windows that curve gradually
| |
| | Windows are rated by a standardized
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| rather than forming angles.
| |
| | process resulting in a U-rating, which is
|
| Hopper windows
| |
| | a decimal fraction smaller than 1. The
|
| These windows are like awning windows in
| |
| | lower the number the better the window in
|
| reverse - they're hinged on the bottom
| |
| | terms of energy efficient. A good window
|
| and swing in. Hoppers are typically used
| |
| | will have a U-rating of less then 0.5. It
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| in basements or high up on a wall over a
| |
| | is important to note that spending your
|
| large, fixed-pane window.
| |
| | money on a really low-rated window is not
|
| Glass Options
| |
| | very cost effective - because its
|
| Clear glass
| |
| | effectiveness compared to a 0.5 rated
|
| While clear glass has always been the
| |
| | window is so minute it's not worth the
|
| primary material available for window
| |
| | additional cost. In some states where
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| panes in homes, that is starting to
| |
| | saving energy in the home is a big
|
| change as homeowners are looking for a
| |
| | political issue, you may be forced to
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| new view. Now windows are being glazed-
| |
| | abide by low-e, low U-rated windows to
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| to cut and fit window panes into frames -
| |
| | meet energy code requirements.
|
| in a whole new way to help control heat
| |
| | Skylights
|
| loss, condensation and enhance the design
| |
| | A big trend in house designs is
|
| of your home's face. You can get
| |
| | including skylights. They're generally
|
| double-glaze windows, which have two
| |
| | used in rooms where windows would be
|
| layers of glass separated with a space to
| |
| | inconvenient, like small bathrooms or
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| help trap air and provide some insulation
| |
| | interior rooms where windows aren't
|
| value or triple-glazed which have three
| |
| | possible. The drawbacks to skylights are
|
| layers of glass or two layers with a
| |
| | they are poor insulators and virtually
|
| low-e layer between the two. If you live
| |
| | impossible to shade unless you use a
|
| in an area where weather is extremely hot
| |
| | glass that is tinted or low e-glass. Most
|
| or cold, triple protection is the best,
| |
| | skylights range from one to four feet.
|
| but they're much heavier and more
| |
| | Light Funnels
|
| difficult to operate.
| |
| | A relatively new product for homes are
|
|
| |
| | metal tubes that funnel light from the
|
| Low-E (low emissivity) window glass Low
| |
| | roof down into a room. A small glass or
|
| E window glass is treated with a layer of
| |
| | plastic dome is mounted on the roof with
|
| invisible, microscopic silver coating to
| |
| | appropriately shaped reflectors to
|
| provide greater energy efficiency and
| |
| | capture the sunlight. At the bottom end a
|
| increased comfort. Low E stands for "low
| |
| | diffuser spreads the light around in the
|
| emissivity, which is the action of
| |
| | room, creating a unique ambiance. Unlike
|
| reflecting light passing through glass.
| |
| | skylights which deliver natural sunlight,
|
| The benefits of low-e is they reduce the
| |
| | light funnels have a distinct cold
|
| U-Value (conductance of heat) increase
| |
| | metallic cast because the light is
|
| the R-Value (resistance to heat flow),
| |
| | reflecting off the aluminum that makes
|
| making for a more comfortable
| |
| | up the tube.
|
| environment. It also helps cut back on
| |
| | Don't Forget to Weatherstrip
|
| harmful UV rays (by 78%) that over time
| |
| | Weatherstripping is a very important
|
| will fade your rugs and furniture.
| |
| | component to your window because it
|
| Specialty glass options
| |
| | provides a seal between the window-frame
|
| Today most reputable glass
| |
| | and the operable sash. It's used to
|
| manufacturers offer interesting
| |
| | prevent air leakage, and the better the
|
| combinations of window glass options to
| |
| | weatherstripping, the better the window
|
| protect you from the sun and neighborhood
| |
| | performance. There are two types of
|
| noise to help you build a safe and
| |
| | weatherstripping - wiper or brush and
|
| private home.
| |
| | compression. Brush-type seals (sometimes
|
| You can get your glass obscured in a
| |
| | referred to as mohair) are common in
|
| variety of colors and texture patterns to
| |
| | sliding windows but tend to wear out
|
| create a translucent to semi-opaque look
| |
| | quickly. Compression or bulb seals can
|
| or tinted to provide additional shading
| |
| | crack easily in cold weather if the seal
|
| (tones include bronze, gray, evergreen
| |
| | wall is too thin, so be generous in its
|
| and azurite - names vary from
| |
| | application.
|
| manufacturer).
| |
| |
|
