The insulating window shades made by cellularwindowshades.com are good examples of shades that save energy. These cleverly designed, double-cell pleated shades look great, as you would expect. They come in many colors and translucencies, from full blackout fabrics to thin, light admitting types. But what is not readily visible is the insulating benefit they provide.

When the window shade is pulled down, the double cellular honeycomb pleats open up and forms small air spaces. Still (non-moving) air is the best insulator in the world. The cells in the shades provide a double layer of still air. Installing these window shades over windows that usually turn very cold on winter nights, helps keep the cold out of the room. You are covering your energy-leaking windows with covered with an effective insulating blanket, cutting your heating bill significantly. In the summer, the insulating shade helps keep out the hot summer temperatures and sun, thus lowering your air conditioning costs.

You can further enhance the insulating benefits of the shades by installing the sidetracks they offer. These “enclose” the open ends of the cells to hold the insulating air inside the cells even better.

The manufacturer claims these shades can pay for themselves in energy savings in as little as five years. I can assure you there are not many products you can buy for your home, or build into your home, that will pay back their cost this quickly. And that doesn’t even consider the aesthetic and privacy benefits they provide. Here’s a bonus. They are made in America.

I hope this information is helpful to you. You might want to get yourself a copy of my best-seller, Designing Your Perfect House. It is chockfull of valuable tips and advice that will save you many times the cost of the book on your house building or remodeling project. You might also like The Well-Centered Home: Simple Steps to Increase Mindfulness, Self-Awareness, and Happiness Where You Live. It will show you how to make your home a happy place.

The post Window Shades Can Save Energy appeared first on Designing Your Perfect House.

If your property slopes and a portion of your basement is not underground, you probably have an opportunity to add a window in at least one wall. It’s even better if you can add windows on two walls, even if one of the windows must be high on the wall to be above the soil on the outside. In my opinion, rooms with windows on two walls always feel best. If the land slopes enough, you might be able to create a true walk-out basement. Making those doors be glass will give you the benefits of both a door and a window.

Windows in New Basements or Existing Basements

Of course, it is easiest to put windows in a basement wall during new construction. But it is not as difficult as you might think to add windows to an existing basement. Cutting through a concrete block wall or even a poured concrete wall is frequently done, provided you have the right tools. They make great saws just for cutting concrete. I’ve done this numerous times. The job requires a special saw to cut the holes. Even if you are an accomplished handyman, you may want to hire someone to cut the hole in the basement wall for you. Then you can do the rest of the work yourself. Or you could save yourself some trouble and hire a contractor for the entire job. It is safer and easier to simply write a check, sometimes.

Windows in Fully Underground Basements

If your basement is fully underground and you don’t have a sloping yard to work with, windows can still be placed high in basement walls and a window well can be created on the exterior to lower the ground down outside the window. You can build the well yourself out of concrete block or bricks. But there are prefabricated window wells made specifically for this purpose that make the job much easier. Just be sure to provide good drainage around and out of the bottom of this well so you can avoid any flooding potential. Placing a clear cover over the well will help keep water, leaves, and snow out of the well. Adding basement windows even below grade in a window well will still provide your basement with a good deal of natural light and alleviate the “cave effect.”

Windows in Bedrooms

The Building Code requires operable windows as a means of egress (and escape route) from all bedrooms. Egress windows must open to a clear opening of certain dimensions for escape. If you are adding basement windows to create a bedroom, be sure to confirm that the window you add meets these egress opening requirements. The building code also has a requirement for natural light and ventilation in bedrooms. Your egress window should satisfy that requirement, as well.

If your basement window needs to be an egress window and is below grade, you will need to use a window well that also meets the building code requirement for egress. There are approved covers for these window wells that allow approved egress.

Adding a window to your basement will dramatically change the feel and usefulness of your basement. For more useful tips and ideas about basement design click here.

I hope this information is helpful to you. You might want to get yourself a copy of my best-seller, Designing Your Perfect House. It is chockfull of valuable tips and advice that will save you many times the cost of the book on your house building or remodeling project. You might also like The Well-Centered Home: Simple Steps to Increase Mindfulness, Self-Awareness, and Happiness Where You Live. It will show you how to make your home a happy place.

The post Add a Basement Window to Gain Livable Space appeared first on Designing Your Perfect House.

Most house windows are built with standard strength glass. But depending on the location of the window within house, special glass may be needed. If a window is close to a door, above a bath tub, on a staircase or landing, or if the glass is within 18 inches of the floor, tempered glass or safety glass will probably be required.

Tempered glass is much stronger than standard glass and if it breaks, it shatters into small, round-edged pieces instead of breaking into dangerous shards. Safety glass, also called laminated glass or monolithic glass, is made with a plastic film sandwiched inside the glass that keeps the glass from breaking into shards and falling away. Car windshields are made of safety glass. It’s a good idea to keep this in mind when deciding on your house window placements and sizes. You may want safer glass in other locations that the Building Code does not demand. For instance, a child’s bedroom or playroom might be candidates for tempered glass just in case toys get thrown around. Think back to your own childhood. It happens.

However, tempered glass and safety glass are more expensive that standard glass. If you have numerous windows with window sills close to the floor, the cost of your windows will increase quickly. If you are looking to save on your construction costs, you might want to consider raising the sills just a couple of inches might save you hundreds or thousands of dollars on the price of the windows.

Building Codes have requirements for minimum glass area to provide daylight to any habitable room (with exceptions). It also stipulates ventilation minimums. This is all spelled out in your local codes. Consult them for the exact requirements in your area.

For the safety of the occupants, building codes also require that any sleeping room must have at least one window that meets the requirements as a “means of egress,” or a way for emergency exits. This means of egress provides a second way to get out of the room in case a fire blocks the primary exit or stairs.

The 2009 International Building Code, the code that has been adopted in most jurisdictions, requires an egress window to have a minimum clear opening width of 20 inches, a minimum clear opening height of 22 inches, and an overall clear opening area of 4 square feet. Also the clear opening can be no more than 44 inches above the floor. Your house window dealer or the manufacturer’s catalog and specifications can help you make sure your house windows comply.

If you live in a coastal area, a hurricane region, or other high wind location, your local Building Codes may have additional requirements for window safety that may demand impact resistant glass. Flying objects during storms can be lethal. Impact resistant windows can help keep you safe.

In addition to window safety requirements, building codes establish minimum energy efficiency standards. These include heat transfer minimum and air infiltration minimums. Naturally, these requirements vary with geographic regions. Your architect and window dealer can help you understand and comply with these window safety and energy requirements.

I hope this information is helpful to you. You might want to get yourself a copy of my best-seller, Designing Your Perfect House. It is chockfull of valuable tips and advice that will save you many times the cost of the book on your house building or remodeling project. You might also like The Well-Centered Home: Simple Steps to Increase Mindfulness, Self-Awareness, and Happiness Where You Live. It will show you how to make your home a happy place.

The post Window Safety and Building Code Requirements appeared first on Designing Your Perfect House.

“I would be very nervous about living in a room with one exit, especially with a wood-burning stove. I would suggest you speak with someone at the Building Department in your city or county. Building and safety codes can be different in different places. Whatever I might tell you is general and not specific. But having said that, the International Building Code, which has been adopted with minor modifications in most of the country, does require windows in bedrooms. There are specific size requirements, clear opening dimensions, and a maximum height above the floor. Windows like this are for light and air, but more importantly, they are deemed to be a “Means of Egress.” They are a means (a way) to exit the room and a way for help to get into the room if the primary entrance is blocked. Without a window like this, the room cannot be legally called a bedroom.”

I have seen many situations where property owners have adapted other spaces for use as a bedroom but lack an egress window. Alarmingly, many of these get rented out to unsuspecting tenants. This is my major gripe with Airbnb. These “landlords” do not have to get their homes inspected the way hotel operators do. This gives the Airbnb operator a cost advantage over a normal hotel while leaving the public at risk. If you feel your home is not “up to code,” you should take photos of everything and go talk to the building inspector. They are the people who are charged with enforcing the Building Code. Older homes are “grandfathered in” and are not required to meet newer Codes. But if a dwelling is offered for rent, it usually has to be brought up to Code.

The International Residential Code (IRC) has FOUR requirements for a window to qualify as a Means of Egress:

1. Sill height cannot be more than 44 inches (1118mm) above the floor.
2. Minimum clear width of opening cannot be less than 20 in. (508mm).
3. Minimum clear height of opening cannot be less than 24 in. (610mm).
4. Minimum net clear opening: 5.7 sf. ( 0.530 m2) Exception: 5.0 sf. 0.465 m2) for ground floor windows.

“Net Clear Opening” means the actual free and clear space that exists when the window is open. It is not the window unit size, or the rough opening size, or the size of the pane of glass. It is the actual opening a person can crawl through if they need to escape.
The window has to be operational from the inside without keys or tools. Bars, grilles and grates may be installed over windows but must be operational without tools or keys and still allow the minimum clear opening.

(Codes may differ depending on the local jurisdiction. Always check with your local Building Officials for all Codes that may apply)

Does your landlord have the proper inspections for a rental property? You should demand it.

Building Codes require smoke detectors in or near every bedroom as well as in several other locations. I cannot recite the particular requirements for every locale. The building department can do that for you. But I can tell you that your local codes probably require “hard wired” smoke detectors and not just battery units that may or may not have good batteries in them.

Take fire safety seriously. Don’t just rent a place based on a low cost. It’s not worth putting your safety and your family’s safety at risk.

I hope this information is helpful to you. You might want to get yourself a copy of my best-seller, Designing Your Perfect House. It is chockfull of valuable tips and advice that will save you many times the cost of the book on your house building or remodeling project. You might also like The Well-Centered Home: Simple Steps to Increase Mindfulness, Self-Awareness, and Happiness Where You Live. It will show you how to make your home a happy place.

The post Home Fire Safety Should Be Taken Seriously appeared first on Designing Your Perfect House.

Screens come in two basic types, fixed and retractable. Fixed screens are the ones we are all most familiar with. They have a simple frame around them and they fit into the window frame either on the interior or exterior of the window. Retractable window screens do just that. They retract, or roll up, into a pocket either at the top of the window or at the side.

Fixed screens have the advantage of being low cost, but the disadvantage of being always visible and they need to be installed and removed with the season. Retractable screens have the advantage of being out of the way until you need them. This is an aesthetic benefit, but it has the added bonus that they stay clean much longer. Their disadvantage is they cost quite a bit more than fixed screens. Retractable screens are available from only a couple of manufacturers or from a third party retrofit supplier, like Phantom Screens.

If you use fixed screens, you will have to pick the color of the screen frame. Double and single hung windows have screens mounted on the exterior. So the color should be compatible with your exterior trim color. Casements and awnings have screens mounted on the interior, so the interior trim color in your rooms needs to be considered.

Most screens have a frame made of aluminum. These come in only a couple of color options. But like the handles and latches, white is most often the best choice. A few of the high-end windows companies now offer a true wood finish. It is actually a thin wood veneer that has been laminated onto an aluminum frame. The wood allows you to paint or stain the frame exactly the same way you finish the interior of the window and the window trim.

Give some thought to how the screens go in and out of the house window and how they are held in place. Some mount in grooves with a spring catch; some lock into place with little metal tabs. One manufacturer I know of uses little spring pins. The trouble with this design is that when you are putting the screens in place, you need four hands to hold the four pins in the retracted position or else the paint on the window will get marked up. This is very awkward since not many of us have four hands.

These days, most house window screens are made of fiberglass fibers. This makes them immune to the rusting and deforming that were the bane of metal screens used in an earlier era. Fiberglass screening can be easily cleaned. A clever way to clean a screen quickly is to lay it flat on a scrap piece of carpet and wash it with a soft brush. That way you won’t push the screening out of shape. Once in a while I hear of someone wanting metal screens. For the life of me I do not know why. There are so many disadvantage to metal screens. I’ve even heard of people requesting copper screens. Unless you have some very aggressive bugs with razor-sharp teeth, this is an unnecessary expense.

Recently, several manufacturers have introduced screens made with a very fine fiber. This makes the screening nearly invisible, allowing more daylight in and improving the view when you look out. Ask about this very nice option. It might be worth the extra cost. You could select these high visibility screens for only the windows that have your view and stick with the standard screens for bedrooms or other rooms to keep the costs down. There is no rule that says you need the same type of screens throughout the house.

Another innovative window screen is one that blocks pollen from entering but allows air to come in. No window manufacturers offer it. It is available from a third party and can be installed in a standard window screen frame. I installed one of these on my bedroom window. We live in North Carolina where the spring pollen falls like snow and if you open the windows during pollen season, everything gets covered with a lime green dusting. These screens do what they say, allowing air and blocking pollen. But because the very fine polyester fibers are so numerous and so close together, they distort your vision. Everything is out of focus when you look through the screen. As a result, these pollen-proof screens are not appropriate for view windows or screened porches. But they are very nice for bedroom windows where there probably is a blind over the window anyway.

I hope this information is helpful to you. You might want to get yourself a copy of my best-seller, Designing Your Perfect House. It is chockfull of valuable tips and advice that will save you many times the cost of the book on your house building or remodeling project. You might also like The Well-Centered Home: Simple Steps to Increase Mindfulness, Self-Awareness, and Happiness Where You Live. It will show you how to make your home a happy place.

The post Window Screens: There’s More to Consider than You Might Think appeared first on Designing Your Perfect House.

After you decide on what type of windows you want, you will need to select your interior window hardware. Operable windows come with hardware, such as latches, locks, handles, and window cranks. You’ll have to choose from several color and finish options and possible from a couple of styles.

Double hung and single hung windows have a locking latch at the top of the bottom sash that locks into the bottom of the upper sash. In case you are unfamiliar with window terminology, the “sash” is the wood, vinyl, or fiberglass frame around the glass. In operable windows it is the part that can move. This is different from the “frame” of the window. The frame is the portion of the window that surrounds the sash and is nailed to the wall. Because the sash can open, there needs to be a locking device to hold it shut and a mechanism that allows it to open.

In addition to the latch, double hung and single hung windows have handles at the lower edge of the lower sash that you hold to open the window. Unless these are simple indentations in the sash that serve as finger-holds, they will be a piece of hardware. Both the latch and the handles are usually made of metal, but sometimes they are made of plastic. Most often, latches and cranks are viewed as items that people wish to hide and not draw attention to. But sometimes, especially if the window is stained wood rather than painted wood, the latches and handles become a part of the overall “look” of the window and are a decorative feature.

Casement windows have a latch on the vertical edge of the frame on the opening side and an operating crank handle at the window sill. These also are most often seen as items that should be subdued and not readily seen. But retro style casements have an elaborate locking arm mechanism in place of the more modern crank and prominent hinges. In retro casement windows, the hardware is clearly a feature of the window.

Awning windows will have a crank handle at the sill, but usually do not have an additional latch. If you see your window hardware as simply being a functional item you choose to hide, white may be your best finish color choice. Alternately, a tan color some manufacturers call “stone” or “champagne” can be a good choice if you feel white looks too sterile or if white clashes with the trim color you plan on using. Standard color options usually include white, tan, and bronze-brown.

But white hardware is not a particularly good choice for windows that are a natural wood finish on the interior. Or if you see your window hardware as a feature of the window, especially if you are using retro-style casement windows, some of the optional colors and finishes might be best for you. These finishes include, but are not limited to, bright brass, antique brass, brushed chrome, and oil rubbed bronze. But keep in mind that these metal finishes usually come with an additional cost.

If you have casement or awning windows, you should be aware that the window cranks can interfere with window blinds or other window treatments. To deal with this problem, optional fold-down crank handles and so-called butterfly handles that you rotate like unscrewing a bottle cap are offered. Using these types of window cranks will allow your blinds to lay flat against the window and not be pushed out on one corner by an unruly crank handle.

Be sure to review your options before finalizing your window order. The kinds of hardware offered can vary from one manufacturer to another. Don’t assume they all offer the same things. Check to be sure. And also confirm any additional charges there may be for the window hardware you have your heart set on.

I hope this information is helpful to you. You might want to get yourself a copy of my best-seller, Designing Your Perfect House. It is chockfull of valuable tips and advice that will save you many times the cost of the book on your house building or remodeling project. You might also like The Well-Centered Home: Simple Steps to Increase Mindfulness, Self-Awareness, and Happiness Where You Live. It will show you how to make your home a happy place.

The post Window Hardware Select with Care appeared first on Designing Your Perfect House.

The exterior parts of wood house windows are either painted or clad. Clad windows are wooden windows with a layer of prefinished aluminum or vinyl permanently covering the exterior wood. They are maintenance-free and never needing painting. They are significantly more expensive than wood windows. But the higher initial cost can be offset to some degree by the savings you will enjoy later when they do not need to be repainted several years down the road. But more significantly, a home with maintenance-free windows will have a higher resale value.

Clad windows are available in a few standard colors, usually white, brown, and tan. Some manufacturers offer additional colors as “standard.” Others offer more color choices at an up-charge. A couple of manufacturers offer custom colors at an even higher costs. Most show no cladding on the interior side of the window. Only clear, natural wood is visible. One manufacturer we know of wraps the entire sash of the window in vinyl so some of the vinyl cladding shows on the interior. This may be a good or a bad thing, depending on your point of view. Still, it’s a good idea to double check the particular windows you are selecting so you won’t have any surprises later. Go to a showroom to see the windows in person rather than relying on photos on a website or in a magazine advertisement.

As good as they are, these windows are not right for every project. The less expensive window option is unclad windows. The exterior parts are primed wood that must be painted every five or six years. Painting costs money, but the savings on the initial cost might be worth it if your budget simply keeps clad windows from being an option. Painted wood windows also allow you to select a truly unique color. That might be reason enough to choose them.

There are a few manufacturers that offer windows with permanent paint-type exterior finish, usually only in white. Composite wood windows come prefinished on the interior and also usually only in white. It is a much more durable finish than regular paint and will be nearly maintenance-free. If you don’t like white, this prefinished surface can be painted in any color you choose later. And the paint will hold up longer than paint on unfinished wood.

I hope this information is helpful to you. You might want to get yourself a copy of my best-seller, Designing Your Perfect House. It is chockfull of valuable tips and advice that will save you many times the cost of the book on your house building or remodeling project. You might also like The Well-Centered Home: Simple Steps to Increase Mindfulness, Self-Awareness, and Happiness Where You Live. It will show you how to make your home a happy place.

The post Clad Windows Are a Key Component in a Maintenance-Free House appeared first on Designing Your Perfect House.

Window frames and sashes are built with several window materials. Wood, aluminum, and vinyl are the most common. Steel was used a lot in the past and is regaining popularity as new technology has made it more energy-efficient. Solid PVC fiberglass and wood composites are gaining market share, as well. The choice of window material will depend on the look you want, your climate, and your budget.

Vinyl windows tend to be the least expensive. The frame and sash of the window are made from solid extruded PVC. This makes them inexpensive to build and provides a maintenance-free exterior material that does not need painting. The interior surfaces are also PVC and must be painted if you want a color other than white. The shape (profile) of the frame and sash are usually very basic and do not resemble traditional wood windows. This is a stylistic shortcoming, but if you are building on a very tight budget, this issue may not be enough to warrant spending more money on windows with a more substantial look. Vinyl is often the window material of choice for replacement windows. The manufacturing processes is relatively simple and replacement windows can be manufactured locally to specific sized to fit into existing window openings.

Aluminum windows are among the lower cost windows. Aluminum windows used to be very energy-inefficient, and some still are. The aluminum frame can act like a “thermal wick” that would conduct heat out of the house in the winter and in during the summer. Some are now made with a thermal break that isolates the inside metal from the outside metal. This helps reduce the heat transfer. Aluminum house windows are used extensively in warmer climates such as Florida, Arizona, and California. Aluminum is an extruded window material so it lends itself to custom sizes, like vinyl does. It is used for replacement windows for that reason.

Steel windows are making a comeback. Traditionally used in commercial and institutional buildings, metal windows suffered from the same energy inefficiency problems as aluminum windows. Now made with thermal breaks and insulated glass, metal house windows are viable again. Some architectural styles, modernist in particular, are perfect for steel windows.

Wood windows is the most prevalent window material and dominate the market, particularly at the mid to high end. The wood sash and frame provide good insulation while also providing a nice interior finish that can be painted or stained. Wood windows are available with either clear wood on the interior ready for stain or paint, or pre-finished white.

Clear Ponderosa pine is the dominant species of wood used in the construction of wood house windows. It can be stained to resemble other wood species, such as cherry or mahogany. Some manufacturers even offer house windows built from wood species other than pine. Even though these generally carry significant added cost, they can be worth it for rooms that are fully paneled, like a library, or if the other wood trim in the house is going to be some species other than pine or poplar or the trim will be stained.

Composite window materials have gained a market share as the technology continues to improve. Composites made from wood fibers, wood scraps, and ground up knots, are bonded together in a resin and shaped to replace window parts traditionally made of solid wood. Structurally, composite materials are equal to or superior to solid wood. They have two distinct advantages. One is a lower initial cost and the other advantage is they are less prone to warping and shrinking. Composite materials can not be stained and usually are pre-painted during the manufacturing process. If you are looking for windows that are “green” and environmentally responsible, consider composite windows. Because composites are made from the wood materials that would have been discarded in the past, like knots, scraps, and under-sized pieces, they make the most of the available resources. So fewer trees are needed to build them.

I hope this information is helpful to you. You might want to get yourself a copy of my best-seller, Designing Your Perfect House. It is chockfull of valuable tips and advice that will save you many times the cost of the book on your house building or remodeling project. You might also like The Well-Centered Home: Simple Steps to Increase Mindfulness, Self-Awareness, and Happiness Where You Live. It will show you how to make your home a happy place.

The post Window Materials: What’s Best for Your House? appeared first on Designing Your Perfect House.

As you might expect, the best energy efficient windows cost a fair amount more than standard, builder grade windows. Windows are critical to the character, usefulness, and enjoyment of any house. But even the best windows are the weakest link in the building envelope when it comes to keeping a house warm in winter and cool in summer. Let’s face it. Glass is a poor insulator. Even so-called insulating glass, i.e. double paned glass with an air space between the panes, only insulates about as effectively as two sheets of plywood or a hollow-core door! That’s not nearly as good as the walls of the house. From an energy standpoint, you should consider windows, including the best energy efficient windows, to be “holes” in your thermal envelope.

Certainly windows are necessary and beneficial to the design of a home, provide daylight and character to any room, and let us enjoy the beauty of the outdoors from the comfort of our homes. They constitute a significant portion of the construction costs of a home. But because windows have a major impact on the energy costs of both heating and cooling your home, you should select the best windows you can afford. In the long run, you will see a return on that investment in the form of lower fuel bills.

There have been significant improvements in glass technology in recent decades. Not too long ago, nearly every house window consisted of a single pane of glass. The energy efficiency of these windows was terrible. Single pane glass fogs up and develops frost easily. This moisture collects on the glass, runs down the glass and collects on the sash and sill causing wood rot, effectively shortening the useful life of the windows.

A major breakthrough in glass technology came with the invention of “insulated” glass. This is glass consisting of two panes of glass sealed together at the edges, trapping air between the panes. The “dead air” between the panes acts as insulation, letting the exterior pane change temperature with the outside weather, but letting the inside glass stay closer to the desired room temperature. It’s nearly impossible for frost to form on insulated glass windows.

Newer innovations in glass technology have further improved energy performance. Some glass is treated with a virtually invisible coating, creating what is known as “low-e” (low emissivity) glass. Low-e glass resists radiant heat transfer and ultra-violet radiation. Another glass type provides two insulating dead air spaces, separated by a clear polyester film or a third pane of glass. Still another glass type has argon, an inert gas, in the dead air space to improve its thermal properties.

The measure of the insulating value of a building material is expressed as an “R” value. An “R” value is the resistance to temperature transfer. The higher the “R” value, the better insulator the material is. You might here someone speak of the “U” value of glass or some other building material. The “U” value is a measure of the rate of heat transfer and is nothing more than the reciprocal, or inverse, of the “R” value. An “R” value of 4.00 would be equal to a “U” value of 0.25 (The reciprocal of 4 is 1/4 or 0.25)

Here are the “R” values for some glass types:

Single Glass R = 0.91
w/storm R = 2.00
Double insulating glass
(3/16″) air space R = 1.61
(1/4″ air space) R = 1.69
(1/2″ air space) R = 2.04
(1/2″ w/ Low-E 0.20) R = 3.13
(w/ suspended film) R = 2.77
Triple insulating glass R = 2.56

As a point of reference, a moderately insulated wall would have an R value of around 15 and a well insulated wall might have an R value of around 23. You can see how much worse an insulator even the best energy efficient windows are.

As you might imagine, the best energy efficient windows will have one of the glass options that has the highest R value (lowest U value). But glass is only part of the equation when it comes to a window’s energy performance. The best energy efficient windows must resist air infiltration. Intrinsically, fixed windows will resist air infiltration best because they are permanently sealed. Casement windows and some sliders are the tightest operable windows. This is because they have a latch that pulls the sash tight to the frame, compressing the weather stripping and closing minute air gaps. Awning windows would be the next tightest. They close tightly but often have no latch to pull them extra tight and depend on the pull of the crank to hold them closed.

Sliders without latches, double hung, and single hung windows are the least tight. This is because there must be some room for one sash to move past the other during operation limiting how snug the fit between the sash and frame.

There is a way to effectively compare energy efficiencies and find the best energy efficient window. A standard rating system has been created by the National Fenestration Rating Council, or NFRC, for short. All windows must be rated by means of standard tests for U value, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC), Visible Transmittance, Air Leakage, and Condensation Resistance. Window manufacturers are required to post the test results on their windows by means of stickers placed on the glass stating its ratings. You can use these to compare one window’s energy performance to another.

Your Residential Building Code will have requirements for minimum acceptable ratings for your area. Or you can check the IECC Climate Zone Map to find your location and the window ratings you will need.

Your decision to exceed these ratings will be based on your budget and your desire for even more energy efficiency than the building code mandates.

With this standardized rating system, selecting the best energy efficient windows is a lot like finding the best gas mileage car by comparing gas mileage ratings. You have a standard basis for comparison.

I hope this information is helpful to you. You might want to get yourself a copy of my best-seller, Designing Your Perfect House. It is chockfull of valuable tips and advice that will save you many times the cost of the book on your house building or remodeling project. You might also like The Well-Centered Home: Simple Steps to Increase Mindfulness, Self-Awareness, and Happiness Where You Live. It will show you how to make your home a happy place.

The post The Best Energy Efficient Windows Are a Good Investment appeared first on Designing Your Perfect House.

Double hung windows are one of the most common window types and suit a traditional style house. They consist of two sashes, one above the other. A “sash” is the name given to a frame with a piece of glass in it. These sashes are opened by sliding the lower sash up and the upper sash down. Double hung windows used to be built with cords or chains attached to weights hidden in the window frame. These weights counterbalanced the weight of the sash so the sash would stay open and not crash down shut. These days most double hung windows have a vinyl or metal track in the side of the frame that holds the sash open by friction. In many double hung windows, this track is designed to be pushed against the frame, releasing the sash, so it can be tilted inward to allow the outside of the window to be easily cleaned from the inside. This is a feature you may want. Many people do.

Single hung windows operate just like double hung windows except only the lower sash is operable. The upper sash is fixed and can’t be moved. If you live in a climate where you air-condition your house most of the summer, opening the upper sash may not be important to you. But if you want to maximize your ventilation, choose a double hung window type. Opening the upper sash will let the warmer air that sits in the upper portion of the room escape easily. This can greatly improve the ventilation of a room.

Casement windows suit both traditional and contemporary style house. They open like doors, hinged on one edge and the other edge moves outward. They are latched tightly when closed. When the latch is released, one side moves outward and a crank handle is used to push the window open further. Some manufacturers offer “traditional” casements with a hand latch and the window operates by simply pushing it out. Many of the casements with crank handles open in a way that allows you to reach out and clean the outside while standing on the inside. Be sure to check for this feature.

One special type of window is the French casement. These look like two casement windows side by side. The hinge side is the outer edge and they open out like a pair of doors. Of course, this can be done by placing two single casement windows together. But in that case, there would still be a vertical post between the openings. What is unique about the French casements is the fact that there is no vertical post. The opening is wide open between the two open sashes.

French casement windows are quite a bit more costly than standard casement windows. But in the right situation, they may be worth the cost.

Awning windows are a window type that open like a casement window turned on its side. The sash is hinged on the top and the bottom edge moves outward. Awning windows offer a particular advantage over other windows in that they can be open in the rain and still keep the rain out.

Fixed windows do not open. Not all house windows need to be operable. If you live in a climate where air-conditioning is used extensively you may only need one or two windows in each room to be operable. Others could be fixed, inoperable types. Picture windows and other large windows, windows with unique shapes, or windows that are too high to reach are usually fixed. Fixed windows are often used as transoms above doors and other windows in rooms with high ceilings. Fixed windows offer two advantages over operable windows. They cost less and they are more weather tight and resist air infiltration better.

Arched top casement windows and double hung windows that are operable are available from many manufacturers. Naturally, these cost more. But the style of your house may require them. One thing to keep in mind when choosing curved or arch topped windows is how you will design your window treatment on the interior side. Arched windows can look very nice, but you will want shades or blinds on some of them, especially the bathroom windows.

Windows can be joined together to form many interesting designs. Plan these out carefully to determine which units in the arrangement will be operable, where the divisions between units will go, and how you will “dress” them with window treatments. You don’t want the division between units to be right at eye level. And you will want to control the sunlight and your privacy. Your architect, house designer, and even the window dealer can help you with those special arrangements.

I hope this information is helpful to you. You might want to get yourself a copy of my best-seller, Designing Your Perfect House. It is chockfull of valuable tips and advice that will save you many times the cost of the book on your house building or remodeling project. You might also like The Well-Centered Home: Simple Steps to Increase Mindfulness, Self-Awareness, and Happiness Where You Live. It will show you how to make your home a happy place.

The post The Window Type You Choose Should Match the Style of Your House appeared first on Designing Your Perfect House.