Sunday, August 8, 2010

Learn About Windows And What To Consider In Sash Windows

By James Carlton

The term sash windows can be confusing. When learning about the structure of windows, it can help to use the comparison of a door's structure. Both have casements that give stability and frame the entire structure. A door has a panel that opens and closes. Windows open and close differently, but the glass could be compared to the door panel, but it is fragile and needs something to safely contain it. The sash of a window is what frames the glass pane. Sash also can refer to the panel of glass and sash together as a unit. How the window opens and closes is what determines its style.

There are three basic kinds of hinged window. Casement windows are hinged on one side and usually crank outwards. They are most commonly called crank-outs for this reason. Those hinged at the top, swinging outwardly, are called awning windows. Hoppers are hinged at the bottom and open inwardly. This kind is often used in basements.

Another style of window more common in tropical climates is the louvered window. Many small lengths of glass panes are mounted in an overlapping horizontal pattern and are swiveled open for air circulation.

Understanding the different styles of windows can help a person looking to purchase new windows. The term sash window is used to refer to double hung windows. Double hung means two window sashes hung within the same frame so that one or both slide vertically.

When the upper window of a double hung is fixed, it is sometimes referred to as a single hung. This term is technically incorrect, and is simply descriptive of how many windows are moveable, not how many windows are hung within the frame.

When a window has two sashes that slide vertically on a track, it is called a slider. The sashes overlap and slide past one another.

Double hung windows, the kind people are referring to when they say sash window, originally had a weight system, called a sash balance. It was a system of weights, cords and pulleys that helped balance and hold in place the window sashes when they were opened. Without the sash balance, one would have to insert something strong enough under the window to hold it open. New double hung windows use a spring loaded system rather than a sash balance.

More than just a nice view, new windows add to the function of the home. When an old double hung window is removed, there is an empty space within the wall. This space can be filled with foam insulation before putting the new window in place. This provides the home with a noise barrier and a much more energy efficient wall and window area. Another helpful option with sash windows is a tilt out style in which the sash can be washed or painted on both sides by tilting or removing the individual sash.

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