There was a time when man lived with nature day and night. And although we have since found shelter to be more favorable we still crave the beauty of nature. Windows handle this desired transition very effectively. They protect us from the elements yet allow us to view them with minimal interference. We can further simulate outdoor living with atrium windows, also called greenhouse windows, or on a larger scale with a complete sunroom where everything is glass except the floor.
Architect Philip Johnson was so enamored with nature that he built a house completely of glass except the floor and a center core for the bathroom. But since most of us will settle for a few windows, it would help to know some of the choices we have available. The differing window units include:
Picture window: One large fixed glass in the center, often flanked by smaller windows at each side that can be opened for ventilation.
Double hung: Opens from either the top or the bottom, sliding up and down.
Sliding doors: Large panes of glass set into tracks enabling them to slide in front of each other.
Ranch or strip: Fixed glass horizontal in shape found in contemporary homes, usually used high on a wall for light as well as decoration.
Awning: Same as ranch, only these can be opened and closed.
Casements: These open by means of a crank. They can be purchased to open inward or outward. The casements that open inward can create a decorating challenge that requires carefully planned window treatments because when the window is open into the room the window treatments will conflict with it.
French doors: Glass doors usually decorated with mullions. Mullions are the vertical and horizontal strips that divide the glass.
Louvered or jalousie: Horizontal panes of glass that open outward, usually by means of a crank.
Bay: Three or more windows set at angles to one another forming a protrusion from the building. For crossword aficionados, they also are known as oriels.
Bow: Same as a bay window, only circular rather than angled.
Circlehead: Half moon fixed glass used alone or above another window or door.
Skylight: Glass affixed to an opening in the roof to allow penetration of light and sometimes ventilation.
When constructing a new home or remodeling, be sure the window supplier provides you with windows that are weather-tight when closed, have added insulative value and are free from condensation.
One of the best ways to assure yourself is to ask the dealer for both the "R" and the "U" values of their windows:
- The "R" value is the measure of how well the unit prevents heat from passing through. This figure ranges from 2.40 to 4.50, depending on different types of glass used. The higher the better.
- The "U" value measures how much heat actually passes through. This figure should be low, ranging form .50 down to .23.
(Rosemary Sadez Friedmann, a member of the American Society of Interior Designers, is president of Rosemary Sadez Friedmann Inc. in Naples, Fla.)
