Monday, January 11, 2010

Casement Windows: Accessible, Airy, and Affordable



Picture and bay windows are great for letting natural light into your house, but they also require a lot of room. You have to plan for an entire wall of glass, which can make a room hotter or colder than desired. But if you want natural light, but don't have the money or space for it, then a casement window may be your best option. For one, they are constructed on a side hinge which opens to the outside, creating the space-efficiency of a double-hang. But since crank windows are able to open all the way, they allow for maximum ventilation as well.

Anywhere in the Home
The best thing about casement windows is their ability to adapt. Unlike pictures or bays, they don't take up too much space on the wall and they are easy to install yourself. Or, if you choose to hire a professional for a flawless installation, the job takes less than a day. Plus, unlike a double-hang where you have to be right next to it in order to have leverage for lifting the sash, casement windows have a turn-around handle to do the work for you. Therefore, they're perfect for hard to reach areas, such as above kitchen sinks, bathroom toilets, or wide countertops. Also, since they're natural ventilators, they are perfect for hot, humid areas of the house: kitchens, bathrooms, converted attics, or other upper-story spaces.

Other Benefits
Energy efficient: Since casement windows open from the side with a manual handle, they leak less air and actually create a tighter seal between the sash and frame. Plus they use less glass, all of which makes your home more energy efficient.
Locks: As with opening and closing, crank windows also have easy-to-reach interior locks—once again, great for hard-to-reach areas of the house.
Easy escape: Casement windows are often used in basements bedrooms to fulfill fire codes. Because they are tall and can open up so wide, they are ideal for easy egress in case of emergencies.
Easy access: Not only are they easy to reach, they are also easy to maintain. If you open it all the way, you can distend and then disengage the arm-hinge in order to gain full access to the glass, hinges, tracks and frames for easy cleaning (this is also the same process used when used as an egress window).
Options: Of course since they can open up so wide for ventilation, they all come with screens to protect you from pesky pests. Also, just because they are perfect for hard-to-reach areas, doesn't mean they have to be used there. They can be found in any part of the home, and they come in both single and double pane varieties. In fact, if you don't want to pay for a picture or bay installation, simply create a row of crank windows along any wall to achieve the same affect for less money.


Maintenance and Warnings
Like any part of the house, crank windows need to be properly maintained: regularly clean the glass and lubricate the hinges. However, if you move into an older home, you may need to invest in some casement replacement windows. Since they are used so much and the arm-hinge and crank receive so much stress over time, you may need to buy a sturdier model. You don't want any window to be worn out and flimsy, so if the handle falls off too easy, or the hinges have become rusty, or the arm-hinge won't extend all the way due to bearing the weight of the frame all these years, don't hesitate to purchase casement replacement windows. They're inexpensive, easy to install, and can add quite a bit to your home's re-sell value.

Read more: http://www.servicemagic.com/article.show.Casement-Windows-Accessible-Airy-and-Affordable.13957.html#ixzz0cLNtI0QP

Single Hung Windows Are the Name of the Game

Have you been trying to find the perfect window type to fill up the gaping holes in your apartments which will allow light to enter and yet keep out the heat and the dirt? Then single hung windows are the perfect choice for you. Even though you might wonder whether opting outside of the usual range that your interior designer has chalked out to you, trust me, it is a risk worth taking. Single hung wood window or double hung wood windows are the best options if you want a quieter and a more somber ambience for your room. They cut off the sunlight completely when shut, and are the best tools for protecting your privacy as well.

Replacement double hung windows for the same consist of double hung vinyl windows, double hung replacement windows and double hung sliding windows. These windows have an added advantage of being easy to maneuver and work around with. Moreover, they come with a tilt that can be used to help it shape itself so that they can be easy to clean and wash down.

Double hung window construction is not an easy task and is done with meticulous precision and expertise. The formidable fortification needed to build these windows needs double hung window fabrication done carefully and by experienced hands as well. Double hung colonial windows are usually the best and the most popular of these kinds of double hung windows. Used equally frequently in maritime climate houses as well as warm climate houses, these double hung windows and single hung windows are undoubtedly the most comfort providing of all window variances.

Comparison of double hung windows usually is done more on the quality and the mobility of the windows than the price or the quantity of materials used. Motorized double hung window is one of the more evolved of the lot and is technologically superior to the others. These use motors to slide shut or open and hence provide ease of use and teeth to the publicity of the double or single hung windows' image.

Double hung sliding windows have become the more popular as they gel well with any interior design that your apartment or house has. Also, cleaning and washing these windows have no issues to deal with. Travel resorts also opt for these kinds of single hung windows or double hung windows. The reason for this is that they are not only an epitome of an eclectic mix of security with style. Also, the basic tool that these resorts use to attract tourists is the view they provide from their rooms, be it a sea-beach r a mountain cliff side inn. Single hung windows provide just that and more. Single hung windows sans ridges provide a smoother view through them and hence are popular.

On the contrary single hung wood windows and double hung wood windows are used in luxury bathrooms to provide privacy and yet a suavity and elegance that is hard to match with the installation of any other window available.

These single hung windows and double hung windows are usually available from nearby stores or you can pick and choose from the numerous online portals that have put them up for sale over the net.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carl_Formby