glazing: Articles tagged with “glazing”

Applying window film/tinting can reduce potentially harmful UV light, and can also cut a home's heat absorption, saving on cooling costs.

Applying window film/tinting can cut a home's heat absorption and reduce potentially harmful UV light.

Q: I would like to replace a window in my house with glass block. It is an arched dual pane glass that has lost its seal. Is this feasible from the perspective of available materials, so I won't have to remodel the entire window opening?

Windows, more than almost any other feature, give a modern home its personality. When homebuyers are asked to describe a home they've toured, they often include references to light in their description. Women in particular seem highly attuned to the levels of natural light in a home.

There are two basic window styles: operable and fixed. An operable window has moving parts that can be opened; a fixed window can't be opened. These two basic styles have many variations: Awning windows are operable windows. They are top-hinged so you open them by pushing the bottom of the sash out and up.

In keeping with today's concerns for saving energy, windows may be standard single glazed, dual glazed or even triple glazed.

"R-values" measure heat loss through glass: the higher the R-value, the higher the glazing's resistance to energy loss. By increasing a window's R value from 2 to 4, you can reduce energy losses by 50 percent.

Glass is the key to many of a home's best features: natural light, and a clear view of the outdoors. But as the amount of glass used in a house increases, its energy efficiency usually decreases, simply because glass windows and doors are not as effective as walls for insulating. So, a great deal of effort has been made in recent years to improve the energy efficiency of window glazings.

Custom Windows

Although windows are most economical when purchased in standard sizes, there are times a homeowner needs a custom window size. This might be to replace windows in an older home built before modern standards were established, for a unique opening or to install a custom made stained glass window. Custom made glass patio doors can also be made to fit most any opening.

There are many different configurations of windows. Here are the most common:

Q: We moved into our newly constructed home 14 months ago. I have a huge problem with our double pane windows sweating all the way around the metal frames during the winter months (we live in Texas).

Also, the builder did not leave weep holes in the brick around the foundation.

Q: I bought my house a few months ago. Now with the weather getting colder and the heat running I have found that there is a lot of condensation on the storm windows. The house is a 30-year-old split level. Is there something I can do about the condensation problem short of getting new windows?

Q: Can you tell me what I should be looking for in a replacement window? For instance, the space in between the double pane, fully welded, insulation on the frame and in the frame and sash?

I've been shopping and have received a range of prices, even for the same thing. The only thing I know is that I should make sure the window is fully welded. What else should I be looking for to make sure the window is sound and heat efficient?

This information can clarify and help answer some questions about cleaning windows.