How Your Windows Make a World of Difference to Your Home

Part 1: What Works – Window Styles and Features

The five most common window styles are the double hung window, picture window, sliding (or gliding) window, casement window, and bay and bow windows, which are variations on the same design. Each window style has certain features that set them apart from the others, making them ideal for certain situations.

If you’re looking for timeless design

Double hung windows are the first thing on people’s minds when they think windows. It is the most popular window style in the United States, after all. Double hungs have been around for centuries but why are they still in use? A big part of that has to do with the double hung window’s design never going out of style. Replacing a window is not something you’d expect to do frequently so your replacement option should definitely be able to stand the test of time in terms of form and function.

If you’ve got an outdoor view

Picture windows are the best windows for framing a view, and the large expanse of glass also makes it great for letting light into a room. While it can’t be opened, this feature also makes it the most energy efficient window style. Additionally, it can help offset cooling costs in winter by letting in more heat from sunlight than other windows.

If you want ease of use

Sliding windows are like smaller, operable versions of picture windows, framing views while offering ventilation. As they need no more than a simple push to operate, they are easy to use, making them convenient as replacements especially in areas with a lot of activity. Of the window types that can be opened, sliding windows also break down the least because they have the fewest moving parts. They also work well with window screens.

If you want ventilation control

Casement windows are the second most energy-efficient windows; the way the sash locks against the frame allows it to seal tightly against air leakage. At the same time, casement windows can provide more ventilation than other windows because they open fully and can be angled to catch side breezes, directing air into a home more effectively.

If you need extra floor space

Bay and bow windows are variations on a design featuring multiple panels, both creating space in the room they’re installed in. Depending on what you require, this extra space can be utilized in many ways, such as a reading corner, breakfast nook, lounging area, or storage.

Part 2: What Matches – Windows and Home Styles

Aesthetics plays a large part in window choice. With the amount of space they occupy on our homes’ facades, windows that are ill-matched to a home style will stand out like a sore thumb. While your personal sense of style will play a part in matching windows to your home, here are a few things you can keep in mind to help you avoid an ill matchup:

• Double hung windows, as previously stated, can be matched with just about any home, but they work best in homes in the Colonial and Victorian styles, as well as homes built in the interwar period. Postwar homes, with their broad, horizontal profiles, on the other hand, don’t quite work well with double hung windows. If you’re not sure about matching window styles, it’s always safe to replace an older style of double hung window with one in a newer style.
• Casement windows have been in use for centuries and work well with most period-revival home styles, except for Victorians. They also match up well with postwar home styles, from Bauhaus all the way to modern and contemporary. Despite the individual window profile of tall and narrow, they work well arranged in long, broad visual ribbons, as in the work of Frank Lloyd Wright.
• Sliding windows first started seeing wide use in the ’50s and ’60s. Their delicate-looking frames and broad proportions were particularly well-matched to the period’s California Rancher or Ranch style of home. If your home originally had sliding windows with aluminum frames, and you want to stick with the style, you can make improvements by opting for a replacement slider with a composite frame like Fibrex. Sliding windows’ clean, straightforward design also make them ideal in contemporary homes.
• Bay and bow windows saw a lot of use in Victorian-style homes. They work surprisingly well with modern homes, too, however, and though they can be installed in just about any room, they work best in kitchens and living rooms.

Part 3: What Matters – Windows and Energy Efficiency

Your windows are part of the seal that keeps your home separate from the outside world. How efficient your windows are at keeping the external environment sealed away has a tremendous effect on your overall yearly heating and cooling expenses.

Why is this?

It’s because how much of the outside world is kept out determines the amount of effort that goes into stabilizing your property’s indoor temperature. The better your windows are keeping what’s out out and what’s in in then, the less work goes into maintaining indoor temperatures.

How do energy-efficient windows achieve indoor temperature stability?

Remember: two is better than one.

Replacement windows today typically feature dual-pane construction. This improvement came about as single-pane windows were inefficient at keeping temperatures from the outside from affecting what’s inside your home. With two panes to pass through before reaching your home, heat moves more slowly, so less enters your abode. Additionally, inert gases like argon and krypton are used to fill the space between the two panes, further helping stunt thermal activity. Glass panes may also feature low-emissivity, or low-E coating, that filters out heat from the sun.

With dual panes, gas fills, and low-E coatings working together, as much outdoor heat as possible is kept out, meaning it won’t be all that hard to maintain indoor temperature.

The result?

Aside from making you comfortable, a stable indoor temperature means your HVAC system need not work doubly hard to maintain ideal conditions. As such, it will not be needlessly consuming energy, which will help you rake in energy savings down the line.

Bonus: Energy-efficient windows are great at keeping air leakage at bay. You know what else they keep out? Noise. Where there is air, sound can follow, so having airtight windows will also help you enjoy peace and quiet on top of comfort and energy savings.

Your window choice will greatly affect form and function in your home so you’re going to want to make sure that you pick out the best option. For help choosing a replacement window, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your local window expert.