Window Shopping? Here’s What You Need To Know
Windows are an important part of your home. Not only do they let in light and fresh air, they also help define the style of your house. Whether you’re designing a new home or looking for the best replacement windows, there are a lot of options to choose from. And in addition to the many different types of windows, you now have options for energy efficient windows, too.
Window Styles
Windows can be categorized by the way they open (or don’t).
Stationary Windows
Stationary windows are just what they sound like. They don’t open, and they can be customized to almost any shape you’d like. A picture window is a good example of a type of stationary window. A picture window is a large, undivided pane of glass that gives the person looking through the window a picture-like perspective of the view.
Single Hung Windows
Single hung windows are usually divided into two sashes. A sash is the moveable part of a window made up of the frame and glass. In single hung windows, the bottom sash moves while the top part remains stationary.
Double Hung Windows
A double hung window has has two sashes that slide vertically up and down in the frame. The window opens from either the top or the bottom, but the sashes only move up or down. They don’t protrude inside or outside of the house.
Sliding Windows
Sliding windows glide horizontally along a track and have at least one sash that moves.
Casement Windows
Casement windows are hinged at the side or top, and they open and close on a crank. They can be installed as a single window or as a pair inside of one frame.
Awning Windows
An awning window is a type of casement window that is hinged at the top. An awning window opens outward to let in air from the left or right and the bottom. It can be installed above, below or next to a stationary or operating window.
Bay or Bow Windows
Bay windows are a combination of windows, usually three, that are angled to extend outward. A bay window reaches out past the plane of your house, broadening the view. A bow window is similar, but usually consists of more than three panes of glass and curves outward creating a rounded appearance.
Transom Windows
A transom window is generally a decorative window over a door or another window. Often, you see transom windows over French doors. They’re used to flood a room with more light and can be functional to let in air.
The Basics of Energy Efficiency
The windows in your house have a big effect on your home’s general energy efficiency. The type of window you need depends on your climate and the way your home is situated on your property. For example, you might require different windows in a kitchen that faces the morning sun than a living room that has windows on the north wall.
Multi-Pane Windows
Window glass is generally double- or triple-pane. TruGuard uses multi-pane windows that are filled with non-toxic argon or krypton gas, which provides better insulation than air. Added advantages of double- or triple-pane windows are soundproofing and noise insulation.
Low E Glass
Low-E is an invisible, microscopic layer of silver coating added to glass for greater energy efficiency and increased comfort. Low-E stands for low emissivity, which is the action of reflecting light passing through glass. By reflecting part of the light spectrum (the part that transmits heat), low-E coating reduces the amount of heat that escapes through the window.
Window Shopping Doesn’t Have To Be A pane
If you’re shopping for new windows, let the TruGuard experts help you out. We offer industry-leading products from Pella® and Simonton®, and we proudly warranty our work.
