Windows are the eyes to a house's soul – if your windows are big and beautiful so too is your home, but they can also include a range of challenges as well. With sub par windows, you can look forward to a drafty home with high heating bills. Similarly, there are also moisture issues – for example, if you don't seal the space between your double panes securely enough, you will get a build up of condensation. Having lived in old houses and having helped choose the windows for new houses, I'm familiar with a range of challenges associated with windows. If you want tips and ideas, you've come to the right spot. Please, explore and enjoy.
It may not feel like it now, but it won't be that long before warmer temperatures arrive. If your home does not have air conditioning, the approach of hotter temperatures, no matter how many months away, isn't a welcome event. However, you can mitigate the heat somewhat by keeping windows open and ensuring each room in the home has at least a way for air to circulate in and out, if not form a cross-breeze. If you currently have only single-pane windows, replacing them with dual-pane versions that allow for better ventilation will keep your home much cooler. But you should also look at replacing the windows with a style that provides better breezes than just plain single-sash sliders.
Transom (That You Can Open)
A transom window is a pane of glass that sits above a door. Transoms that don't open are still rather common on homes. If your house currently has a non-opening transom, consider replacing it with a model that opens. This provides a breeze without requiring the door to be open.
Double Horizontal Slider
Chances are you've seen a double horizontal slider before, even if you never had one yourself. These are windows that slide to the side, but instead of having one sash (the part of the window that opens) slide while the other stays in place, you have a central pane that stays put while smaller sashes on either side open up. While these won't create a cross-breeze themselves, they will make it easier for cool air to come in and hot air to leave. When you have just one sash that can open, the air outside and the air in the room compete to pass through the window. When you have two sashes that open, air will tend to rush in through one opening and rush out through the other, making heat dissipation a lot easier to achieve.
Double-Hung Sash
A double-hung sash window works on a similar principle but has a different configuration. A sash window is one that opens by sliding a sash up instead of to the side, as in a slider window. Typically, a sash window has one moving sash. A double-hung window is a sash window where both the lower sash and the upper sash move. So, you can raise the bottom sash and lower the top sash. There's no central pane that stays stationary, however.
As you re-evaluate your windows, look for ways to make them better at allowing and facilitating airflow. Replacing plain single-sash windows with double-hung sashes, for example, is a great way to increase the chances of keeping your home cooler as warm weather approaches. For more information, contact a company like Applied Building Services.
Share30 November 2021
