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Things to consider when choosing windows for your house
Whether renovating or building your home, windows are one of the features you cannot ignore. A house with well-designed windows looks better from both the inside and the outside. Since the variety of window designs is wide nowadays, you must compare several designs before selecting the one that suits your needs and preferences.
When choosing the windows for a home there are several other issues to take into account. It is essential that architects pay attention to tightness, resistance to rain, wind load, sound insulation, and even to levels of security against burglary and fire. But there are also aesthetic design decisions that will make a difference in the project. These include whether the window surface will be flush with the facade or if it will be further back; whether the window frame will be visible or hidden; and even whether fixed or operable frames or a mixture of both will be used.
The window comparison process might seem easy, but a lot more goes into a purchase decision than the appearance and quality level. Below are some The 9 criteria for choosing windows for your house.
Overall there are 9 criteria you should follow to make your evaluation. Here they are, listed in order of importance:
Energy Performance and Indoor Comfort
Good performing windows are (of course) more expensive.
So picking low-energy windows will set you on the expensive side from the very start.
Some went overboard with this and built tiny houses entirely made of glass (like the Ööd house)… is this a good idea?
Well, a glazed wall is about twice as expensive as a traditional one and its energy performance is at least 3 times worse.
You do the math…
In our opinion, glazed surfaces should be used strategically throughout the building.
Large glazed areas, not only spill out energy but considerably affect the indoor climate.
In fact, in winter the interior temperature of a large glazed surface can drop significantly and become a source of “breeze” inside the house.
For this reason, the glass on those windows must have outstanding energy performances.
Opening & Fresh Air
Some windows need to be openable.
If you are building a small cabin or a tiny house, there is a chance that you do not have any ventilation system.
In this case, the windows must double as air inlets/outlets for your house.
There are mainly four different types of openings:
- Inward opening windows (also known as German type windows)
- Top-swing
- Sash window
- Sliding windows
Each one comes at a different price point and the energy performance of the frame is different from type to type.
Also, the material in which they are available might be different.
Inward-opening windows often allow for what’s called “micro-ventilation”, which is essentially the window being closed but not fully sealed. That’s a good feature to have.
Generally, all the types allow for opening just a bit and lock it in position.
Window Frame Material
We’ve seen already that the frame is the weak link of the window when it comes to energy efficiency.
We’ve also seen how the opening of the window affects the price, and or course its usability.
Logically, it seems that choosing the right frame is the most critical choice in picking the right windows.
Also, note that frame is what gives the window rigidity and durability.
For example, the maximum size (generally height) of a single window, is limited by the material and thickness of its frame.
There are mainly three materials you can choose from:
- PVC
- Wood
- Aluminum.
Shape & Size
Windows do not have to be randomly placed on the walls of your room… they can be designed and placed in a way to improve the functionality of the room and the aesthetic of the house.
Of course this requires know-how and taste, but it is an important aspect of a new building and it deserves the right amount of attention.
Here are a few questions that can help you think about the windows from a different perspective:
What’s your preferred lifestyle?
…do you prefer privacy and value a place to hide?
…or you like an unobstructed connection with the outside?
Again, this calls for different sizes of windows.
Oh, are you building a small cabin?
What you use it for?
…is it a quiet retreat for yoga classes, meditation?
…is it a place to sleep and look at the stars?
…is it a guesthouse or just a man cave?
You get the idea.
Windows are produced one-by-one to specification, therefore they can be designed one-by-one.
Safety & Security
The glass makes for the most part of your windows.
Despite the simplicity of this component, there are several characteristics that can be ordered to come with it.
Here is a list:
- Energy Efficiency
As mentioned already, triple-glazed glass pane
More performing glasses are available for an extra price. -
Light Absorption/Reflection
There are special types of glass that reflect most of the radiation to the outside, effectively avoiding overheating.
This is particularly important in areas with lots of solar irradiation (south locations). -
Safety Features
Most building codes require that glasses of relevant size must be tempered.
Tempered glass breaks into a million tiny pieces, hold together by a plastic membrane so they don’t go all over the place with the risk or causing injuries. -
Security Features
If you are concerned about break-ins, you can order glasses that cannot be broken.
This generally applies to windows on the ground floor. -
Self-Cleaning
If you live in a place where dust or salt accumulates on the exterior surfaces, it can be a good idea to invest in self-cleaning glasses.
This costs extra money but can make your life easier, especially for those high windows that are not easy to reach.
Surface & Color
Back to the frame… we are now talking about aesthetics.
Things you should know:
-
Whichever frame type and material you choose, there will be one or more colors preferred by the manufacturer that cost less. Ask for it.
-
In general, you can basically choose any color you want, but it will cost extra money and it will require more time to get it.
-
You can have the interior of the frame in one color and the exterior of another color. This will cost you extra-extra money and it will probably take even more time.
Price
Finally, we have now all the elements to talk about the price. We have seen there are many aspects to pay attention to when choosing a window.
We have seen how each aspect is important in its own way.
We have seen how each aspect affects the price.
To summarize, if you want to get the cheapest possible solution while getting high-quality and high-performing windows, you have to:
- Choose PVC frames
-
Choose inward-opening windows
-
Choose the color suggested by the manufacturer (generally white)
-
Use triple-glazed glass panes
-
Limit the customization of the glass to tempered, where strictly necessary
-
Keep the size of the windows to a reasonable size, so you can also limit the number of divisions in the window (less frame)
-
Use fixed windows wherever possible
One suggestion…
I would suggest to always get an offer for this type of window and use it as a base for comparison with your “preferred” version.
Which one will you pick?
…that’s your call to make.
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