Contractor Tips: How to Choose and Install Windows

Windows are a major investment. They will need to bring the outdoors in when you desire, but also have to keep the elements at bay when you don’t. The alternatives for design, performance and function can be overpowering. Below are five things to consider before you purchase replacement windows, and suggestions on deciding whether to repair or replace.

Lingo to know:Sash: A moveable frame that holds the window glass; a double-hung window is made up of 2 moveable sashesMull: To combine two or more windows togetherMuntins: Strips of timber which split the sash into smaller sections of glass, which are known as litesR value: A measure of the efficiency of insulation; the higher the value, the more insulationFlashing: A thin layer of metal or other waterproof material that retains water from joints at corners and varies in substance

Divine Design+Build

1. Placement. Using a casement window, the entire one-piece sash works out by twisting a deal. It can be tricky to start a double-hung window when leaning over cabinets in a kitchen, so the casement can be a good choice there. Think about the outside implications, however. Can the open sash obstruct a path when people walk by? Do you intend to own window boxes? You do not want the window to mow down your pansies.

Cary Bernstein Architect

2. Ventilation. If you want a opinion but do not require ventilation in the region, a stationary window can be a good choice. Fixed windows can be combined with operable windows to save money. If your window, fixed or otherwise, is within 18 inches of the ground or near a window seat, you will have to order tempered glass for safety.

Buckminster Green LLC

Here, hopper-style windows function as transoms to give venting without compromising safety. Before purchasing windows, consider how you will install the transom over the door. Are there a space in between, trimmed out as in this movie?

When you intend to mull the transom window right to the top of the doorway, make sure that your salesperson understands and supplies a mill trim to cover this joint. Or better yet, have the mill mull the door and transom together. This link can be a tricky one to make on the job.

Ana Williamson Architect

3. Environment. Rainsunlight and temperature shifts can take their toll on both windows. If you’d like the appearance of a painted timber window, consider aluminum-clad wood. There are many color options, along with the paint job will last considerably longer. Trim pieces such as brick molding can also be available in precisely the exact same material, therefore the entire meeting is low maintenance.

Every climate differs, and the direction your window faces comes into play also, so consult your salesperson for the ideal choice when it comes to efficiency. In general, you will want a window which includes two or three panes of glass space in between. The cushion of air between the panes functions as an insulator. Gases such as argon are a much greater insulator. Start looking for a movie in addition to the glass which reflects the warm summer sunshine on the exterior and keeps heat in during the winter.

Stonewood, LLC

If your budget allows, elect for a timber window such as this one. The original wood windows in most historical houses are still going strong, while decade-old plastic replacements are being replaced again.

Debra Campbell Design

4. Energy efficiency. Historical window sashes were split into several small panes of glass because big pieces were hard to make and expensive. If you want to re-create this look however maintain energy efficiency, the ideal choice is a simulated split window. Muntins are implemented on the inside and outside the glass, with a spacer in between the 2 panes of glass so that the expression of a true divided light is achieved — unless you look carefully.

dSPACE Studio Ltd, AIA

Should you have to replace your windows, make them as efficient as possible, but if raising efficiency is your goal, do not start by replacing your windows. Historical single-pane wood windows can be weatherstripped and paired with an exterior or interior storm window to achieve perfectly good R values.

Gast Architects

5. Installation. A good window with no good installation will not last, so look at this: Whatever type of siding you’ve — timber, vinyl, even brick — water will get behind the siding and run down the wall sheathing supporting it. So think about the path that water will take as it gets to you personally window.

Building wrap, such as Tyvek, ought to be lapped over so water can not run behind the window. Flashing tape ought to be employed to seal the window installation flanges to the sheathing. If you are remodeling, install metal head flashing to divert water around the window and pay particular attention to caulking.

Murphy & Co.. Design

All windows have some weight over them bearing down, therefore a structural header or lintel is necessary to disperse that burden round the window. If you are enlarging the dimensions of an existing opening, possess an engineer calculate what size the header or lintel needs to be. Here a large timber lintel adds character to the house. The stone sill here is an superb choice as well — lots of water will run down the front of your chimney in a storm, and stone, unlike timber, will never rot.

LDa Architecture & Interiors

The details on your window can give the install added character, but trimming is not just window dressing. The trimming over the window ought to be flashing, just enjoy the window . Your very best efforts will not keep out moisture, so be sure to leave weep holes open in the base of a window to allow that moisture out. Caulking weep holes can quickly lead to rot.

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