“LET US GUIDE YOU TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WINDOWS AND DOORS ARE ALL ABOUT!”

 

Types of Window:

• Double Hung Windows – Often referred to as up and down windows. These windows operate with both the upper and lower sashes moving vertically. They also can tilt in for easy cleaning.
• Single Hung Windows – This is an up and down window where only the lower sash operates vertically. The upper sash is permanently fixed and does not move.
• Casement Windows – Often referred to as crank out windows. These windows use a crank handle and mechanism to open outward and are hinged right or left or can be stationary. Multi operating units have posts between the window sashes
• Cottage Window -A single hung or double hung window where the lower sash is taller than the upper sash (or IG unit). Usually a 40/60 or one third two thirds ratio.
• Oriel Window-A single hung or double hung window where the upper sash (or IG unit) is taller than the lower sash. Usually a 60/40 or one third two thirds ratio.
• Utility Window -A window where the sash pulls into the house pivoting from the sill or from the header. (Dual positioning)
• Welded Window -A window that has the ends of the master frame parts heated to several hundred degrees and pressed together during cooling so as to fuse the parts into one continuous piece. The same can also be done for the sashes.
• French Casement – Similar to a regular casement, French Casements are double casement units with no post between the window sashes, hinged right and left. When opened it is a clear unobstructed opening.
• Push Out Casement – Same as a casement window but lacks the operating hardware. On this window you just push it out to open. This window is more of a traditional European style.
• Sliding Windows – Window with one or two sashes that slide horizontally.
• Awning Windows – Window with crank handle and mechanism where the window sash is hinged at the top and the window opens upward.
• Hopper Windows – Window cranks open and is hinged at the bottom of the sash. The window opens by tilting inwards.
• Tilt & Turn Windows – Tilt & Turn windows open two ways. The sash swings inwards. The window can also be opened by tilting the top inwards, hence the name, Tilt & Turn. The change in operating direction is controlled through the handle and hardware.
• Picture Windows – non-venting window. Fixed windows are stationary windows that provide additional light into the room. These can be combined with a number of operating windows for beautiful style for any home.
• Garden Windows – Window is 90 degrees with a glass front, sides and top allowing maximum sunlight. It is usually accompanied with a shelving unit.
• Arch Top – Window with arched tops and equal legs.
• Circle Top – Half circle window, usually placed above other window units.
• Elliptical Top – Similar to circle top but elliptical in shape.
• Specialty Windows – Any number of windows of unusual shapes, polygons, pentagons, trapezoids, etc.
• Sky/Roof Window — Roof mounted window, either fixed or venting.
• Solar Tube – Roof mounted window with tube and light diffuser to bring in more natural light even at night and allows for a reduction in artificial light sources.
• Storm Windows – Thin frame windows designed to mount on top of existing windows so as to help achieve greater energy efficiency. Most modern windows today do not need to utilize storm windows as they are able to obtain much higher levels of energy efficiency compared to less technologically advanced windows of the past.

 

Types of Window Installation:

• New Construction/Full Frame Replacement Windows – Entirely new window is installed including new frame.
• Insert Windows – These windows are replacement windows and are made to fit into the existing window frame.
• Vinyl Windows – Window is made entirely of vinyl (Polyvinyl chloride, also known as PVC).
• Wood Windows – Windows made entirely of wood and has exposed wood on both the interior and exterior of the unit.
• Clad Windows – Wood window where the exterior is covered and sealed in a particular material, usually vinyl, aluminum or fiberglass. This protects the wood from the elements and makes it virtually maintenance free.
• Sash Kits – Replacement option for double hung windows. Kit includes upper sash, lower sash and jamb liners. They are designed to fit into existing window frames and are similar to insert windows but generally providing for an easier installation process.

 

Doors:

• Entry Doors – Doors used for entrance ways, such as front doors, side doors, garage entrance doors, rear entrance doors, etc.
• Hinged Patio Doors – In-swing or out-swing hinged doors that are most utilized to gain access to patios, decks, etc.
• French Sliding Patio Door – The timeless style of these doors offer space-saving sliding configurations, full-perimeter weatherstripping and adjustable rollers for smooth operation.
• French Wood Style Doors – Hinged patio doors with a French-wood profile. This profile usually has a bottom door rail of about 8”.
• Gliding Patio Doors – Doors that operating by sliding horizontally. These doors can come in several different profiles including a French-wood style.
• Fire Rated Doors – Doors that are designed to be fire resistant up to specified periods of time, i.e. 20 minute fire rated door. Various materials can produce higher or lower fire ratings. These doors are primarily used to meet specific building codes.
• Storm Doors – Applied to the exterior of an entry door and often allows for ventilation though a screen.

 

Glass & Energy Efficiency:

• Single Pane Glass – Single pane glass is just one piece of glass. This is the older style of windows. Most windows are now manufactured with a dual pane.
• Dual Pane Glass – Two pieces of glass are sealed with a space between.
• Clear Insulated glass – Double pane glass but without any type of upgrades for energy efficiency, i.e. dual pane.
• Low E Glass – Dual pane glass with a metal oxide coating, usually iron, that is applied to the glass at the time of its manufacture to reflect infrared/heat away from the window. Increases the energy efficiency of the glass by reflecting heat away from the window. This glass also stops sun bleaching of blinds, carpets, furniture, etc. as it does not allow the infrared light to penetrate through the glass
• Fibrex- Fibrex is made from a polymer resin similar to fiberglass, but uses reclaimed wood particles to produce a sustainable, durable and energy efficient product.
• Low-E Argon -The same as Low-E, except that there is clear Argon gas in the insulated glass
• Argon Gas– An inert, nontoxic gas used in insulating glass units to reduce heat transfer.
• Gas Fill -A gas other than air, usually argon or krypton, placed between window or skylight glazing panes to reduce the U-factor by suppressing conduction and convection.
  unit instead of air providing for a better R-Value
• Tempered Glass – The same as safety glass. Used in patio doors and other window applications. When the glass breaks, it does not create sharp shards of glass. Instead it breaks into many small glass cubes or chunks.
• Insulated Glass Unit (IG) – The same as thermal glass. Usually two pieces of glass separated by a spacer, and sealed as a unit to trap air in between the two pieces of glass for insulation purposes. For better insulation values, clear Argon gas can be used to fill the IG.
• Decorative Glass – Any type of decorative glass in windows or doors that is not just clear glass, i.e. stain glass, glass with caming, etc.
• Insulated Head and Seat Board – A special type of lumber that can be used when making a Bay or Bow Window that has 1/2” of insulation laminated inside the board to provide better insulation.
• Intercept Spacer – A roll formed “U” shaped spacer that offers much better thermal resistance in the IG unit than ordinary rectangular spacer. (Also known as “Warm edge technology”).
• UV (Ultraviolet light) -The invisible rays of the spectrum that are outside of the visible spectrum at its short-wavelength violet end. Ultraviolet rays are found in everyday sunlight and can cause fading of paint finishes, carpets and fabrics.
• UV reflection -The percentage of ultraviolet rays being blocked rather than being transmitted through the window’s glass unit. The higher the number, the lower the percentage of ultraviolet rays being transmitted through the window.
• U-value (U-factor)-A measure of the rate of non-solar heat loss or gain through a material or assembly. The U-factor may be expressed for the glass alone or the entire window, which includes the effect of the frame, sashes, the spacer materials etc. The lower the U-factor, the greater a window’s resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating value.
• Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) – The amount of heat transmitted directly and absorbed into the unit that transmits inwards. Based on a rating of 0-1. The lower the SHGC the better the insulating factor of the unit.
• R-value – The resistance of conductive heat transfer in one hour through a one square foot area of a specific IG Unit, for each degree Fahrenheit temperature difference, between the indoor and outdoor air. (How well an item can insulate. The higher the number the better.)
• Air Infiltration– The amount of air leaking in and out of a building through cracks in walls, windows and doors.
• Condensation – The deposit of water vapor from the air on any cold surface whose temperature is below the dew point, such as a cold window glass or frame that is exposed to humid indoor air.

 

Custom Glass Thickness:

• Less than 1/8″ — used in protective custom glass tops (surfaces) for furniture and antiques, picture frames
• 1/8″ — used in custom glass table tops, picture frames, end tables.
• 3/16″ — used for insulated units, small custom glass shelves, custom glass table tops.
• 1/4″ — used in custom glassware, custom glass shelves, custom glass topping surfaces for antique furniture.
• 3/8″ — used in custom glass shower doors, custom glass table tops, custom glass panels, custom glass sheets, custom glass patio tables.
• 1/2″ — used for custom glass patio tables, custom glass table tops, protective top custom glass surfaces, custom glass windows, custom glass sheets, custom glass showers.
• 3/4” — used for art exhibits, custom glass staging areas, custom glass sheets, custom glass store fronts

 

Misc. Parts & Pieces:

• Balance– Used to offset the weight of a sash in a double or single hung window. Permits the sash to stay at the height to which it is opened. There are various types used including spiral, block and tackle, constant force also known as true force.
• Balance Cover -A thin piece of vinyl used to cover the balance for aesthetic reasons only.
• Balance Shoe – This is the part that connects the balance to the sash through the use of the pivot bar. The shoe also allows the sash to lock in place when the sash is being tilted in for cleaning. It also allows the sash to be removed from the window when necessary.
• Block and Tackle Balance System -The block and tackle system utilizes a high-density nylon cord pulley action which is attached to a moveable block that travels up and down within a metal chamber. Tension from a heavy duty coil spring at the top of the block creates the proper resistance necessary for smooth operation of the window sash.
• Butyl -A rubber material that seals the glass to the spacer, creating an airtight and water-tight insulated glass unit.
• Brick mould – Exterior casing used on the outside of windows and doors. This exterior trim contrary to its name is not only used on brick but also used on siding, Hardie Plank and any other exterior materials.
• Cable Support -Used to support the weight of a Bay or Bow window when installed in a house. If cable supports are not used, knee braces are recommended.
• Cam-action Lock and Keeper – The mechanisms, which pull and secure the sashes together when placed in the locked position.
• Coved Glazing Beads – A contoured piece of vinyl that holds the glass in place within the sash and adds an elegant, finished look.
• Crank -A mechanism used in awning and casement windows to operate the sash.
• Drip Caps – A strip that is applied to the top of windows that is caulked in and diverts water away from the window and does not allow water to seep behind the window or into the wall.
• Door Sweep – Weather stripping attached to the bottom of the door panel. Used to help keep out elements.
• Desiccant -A chemical put onto the spacer of an insulated glass unit to help absorb moisture from inside the IG unit.
• Extension Jambs – Extension jambs are interior wood strips used to finish the space between the inside of window frame and the interior wall, Snap on pieces that attach to the inside of the window allowing the interior surface of the window to reach to the drywall. Sometimes made of wood that is screwed or stapled to the window.
• Egress Opening -The space between the top of the sill of the frame of an open window and the bottom part of the raised sash, times, the space between the jambs of the opening.
• Fenestration-The placement of window openings in a building wall, one of the important elements in controlling the exterior appearance of a building. Also, a window, door or skylight and its associated interior or exterior elements, such as shades or blinds.
• Fixed Lite -A pane of glass installed directly into non-operating framing members; also, the opening or space for a pane of glass in a non-operating frame.
• Fixed Panel -An inoperable panel of a sliding glass door or slider window.
• Flankers -Are the windows that are at the opposite ends of a mulled unit. In a five lite bow, the first and fifth windows are called the flankers. In a picture window combo unit, the windows on each side of the picture window are called the flankers.
• Full Screen – A screen that covers the entire area of a window that has the possibility of opening.
• Fusion-welded -The process of joining materials by melting them together with extreme heat (in most cases over 500ºF), resulting in the materials combining into a one-piece unit.
• Glazing -The glass or plastic panes in a window, door or skylight.
• Glazing Bead -A molding or stop around the inside of a window frame to hold the glass in place.
• Grilles – Sometimes referred to as muttons or grids. They are the grids in a window and can be applied between the glass, permanently affixed to the glass on the exterior and the interior, or be removable.
• Grids -Optional horizontal or vertical lineals installed between the glass panes help to create the appearance of a divided window design.
• Half Screen -A screen that is only large enough to cover the opening of one sash on a double hung or single hung window. (Single hung windows only have this type of screen)
• Head Expander -Used for replacement windows only. It is a “C” shaped piece of vinyl that attaches to head of the window in the rough opening. (Not used on casement windows)
• Headboard -The top wooden board used in a bay or bow to connect all the windows together in
  a fixed location.
• Header -The top part of the master frame.
• Interior Casing/ Moulding – The moulding that is used to trim out around the interior of windows and doors.
• Interlock – A section of the window or patio door where two sashes meet, and one part of the first sash slips into a channel or groove on the second sash.
• Internal Sloped Sill– Where one of the inner walls of the sill is sloped towards the outside of the house to enable water to flow toward the exterior side of the window.
• J-Channels – Used with vinyl windows, the sides and top of the window have a pocket so the siding can recess behind it and butt up against the window frame.
• Jambs – The side and top portions of the window and door frame that make up the top and sides of the frame, i.e. side jambs or head jambs.
• Jamb Adjuster-Used to adjust the fit of the window in the rough opening. Helps align the jambs in relation to the sashes and the framing of the opening.
• Keeper-The device the lock latches into when it is in the locked position.
• Knee Braces– An inert, nontoxic gas used in insulating windows to reduce heat transfer.
• Krypton Gas – An inert, nontoxic gas used in insulating windows to reduce heat transfer.
• Lift Rail – The part of the sash, the operator uses to raise or lower the window.
• Lite -A unit of glass in a window.
• Lock -Used to secure a window or patio door when in the closed position.
• Lock Rail -The part of the sash the lock or keeper is attached to.
• Master frame– The part of the window in which the sashes operate.
• Meeting Rail -Used in single hung windows, it is a rail that connects both jambs at the middle of the window.
• Miter–To make a diagonal cut, beveled to a specific angle (usually 45°). Sometimes miter cuts are made into an overlapping siding or soft panel surface, to provide a neater appearance.
• Muntins– The decorative bars used in a window to make the criss cross or diamond patterns in the glass. Also known as Grids or Grills. Internal Muntins go in between the two pieces of glass in an IG unit. Snap on, or add on grids, are applied to the outside of the glass.
• S Mullions/mull kits – Materials used to join multiple windows and doors together making for one single uniform unit.
• Nailing Fin -Used to attach windows to a house in new construction applications.
• Night Latch–A small device that is on the upper sash of a double hung window. When placed in the out position it will only allow the lower sash to open a few inches. When placed in the closed position the lower sash can operate completely.
• Panel– A major component of a sliding glass door, consisting of a light of glass in a frame installed within the main (or outer) frame of the door. A panel may be sliding or fixed.
• Pivot Bar – Connects the sash to the balance shoe. Allows the sash to tilt (pivot) in for cleaning.
• Pocket Sill – The bottom part of the window where the sill has no slope or angle to it. The water drains to the exterior of the window through a series of weep holes. A pocket sill window sometimes uses the same profile for the sill as it does for the head and jambs.
• Positive Lock – Area below the nailing hem that the buttlock locks into.
• Rough Opening– The dimensions of the opening in the house where a window will go.
• Rail – The top and bottom of window sashes.
• Side lites – Fixed and venting units that flank the sides of entry door units.
• Stile – The left and right sides of window sashes.
• Sash – The part of a window or patio door that moves up and down, left or right, or in and out. In some cases, such as a patio door or single hung window, one sash may be fixed. (designed not to move or operate.)
• Sash Stop  -A piece of vinyl used to stop the travel of the sash at the top and bottom of the window.
• Screen Plunger  -A type of spring loaded device used to hold the screen in place on a window.
• Seat board  – The bottom board used in a bay or bow to connect all the windows together in a fixed location.
• Sills – The bottom portion of the window or door frame.
• Sill Adapter– A snap on piece that provides a slope sill effect and appearance to a pocket sill window.
• Sill Angle– A piece of vinyl that fills in the gap between the bottom of a window and the rough opening sill to help finish off the installation job.
• Spacer – An object placed between two or more pieces of glass which helps to maintain a uniform width between the glass, and prevent sealant distortion.
• Tandem Locks – Usually used in casement applications, where multiple locks are operated simultaneously from a single lever.
• Tilt Latch -A device at the top of the sash that prevents the sash from falling into the room until the latches are disengaged. When the latches are disengaged, the sash can be tilted in or pivoted in for cleaning.
• Transom -A picture window that is usually located or mulled above another window.
• Weep Holes -Openings cut into siding or accessories to allow for water runoff.
• Window Capping – Placing a layer of material over the top of another material. Usually aluminum is used to cap wood. This process is used to protect exterior materials that are generally not weather resistant with materials that are designed to be weather resistant.
• Weather stripping – Material used around window and doors to help stem the infiltration of wind,