Choosing The Right Windows For Your Home

One of the most difficult aspects of building a home is the design. It’s incredibly hard to make decisions on interior decor when you are building new and you don’t have anything to compare all the different options to. From the little bits and pieces like fittings, doorknobs and sinks to colours, curtains, doors and windows, there are choices at every turn and it’s sometimes difficult to envision what a finished build will look like.

Responsible for all the natural light in the home, ventilation and the atmosphere indoors, windows play a huge part in the design of your home.

Not sure where to start when it comes to choosing the right windows for your build? Use some of these techniques to pick the right materials for your home.

Maintenance-Free Clad Windows

Unlike painted wood windows, clad windows never need painting or maintenance. With a prefinished aluminium or vinyl covering the wood, choosing clad windows means you never have to worry about repainting after years of use and weather damage. If you have the budget for the slightly higher initial cost, consider clad windows for their ease and for the extra value they add to a property.

Seeing What Looks Good

Don’t just make guesses trying to imagine how your home is going to look – window and door software lets you view exactly what your home will look like when completed. The latest in 3D design applications take all the guesswork out of home planning and put the power in your hands. Try a range of sashes and materials, switch out awning windows for single or double hung ones and choose the right look and function for your home with ease.

Hardware to Suit Your Style

Don’t just consider the positioning and the framing that you use to fit the decor of your home, think about the hardware your window uses and how that fits into your design as well. There are plenty of different hardware mechanisms for operable windows – choose one that suits the look of your home.

Single and double hung windows both use a latch on the sash to keep the window in place. Hung windows look fantastic and feel great, but can wear easily with time unless properly maintained.

Awning windows open and close with a crank in the windowsill and are a less common sight than other window types. Alternatively a simple latch could be used to hold the sash closed; awning windows suit kitchens and bathrooms – especially where you want to limit the gap created.

Casement windows are some of the most common and can be big while still easy to open. Notched handles hold the windows open and fold down to stay low-profile when the window is closed.

Take the time to choose the right windows. Explore your options and create the perfect home to suit your style and decor.…

Shutters in Different Weather Conditions

Window Shutters can be used in different ways depending on the weather conditions. They can be used either to make the most of the weather or make a building more comfortable in the conditions. The ways in which they can be opened and closed make them more adjustable than curtains and allow this control. This is especially the case with louvered shutters. In fact, this is their very purpose.

IN THE SUMMER

In the summertime homes can get uncomfortably hot. This is the very reason why window shutters were first inventing in the Mediterranean. In extremely hot weather shutters can be completely closed, shutting out the blistering sun. This will protect the home from the heat as the sun cannot shine through shutters as they can with curtains. But there are many other options on top of completely open or completely shut. Having either the shutter, or the shutter louvers partly open can mean air is emitted without letting in all the heat. This can be used to cool down a room. With most fittings a shutter is fixed on either side of the window so they meet in the middle, allowing them to be opened and closed separately. They can be opened however the user sees fit, and open at angles meaning the sun can be blocked out while allowing plenty of air and light to enter a room.

IN THE WINTER

In the winter shutters can be used for the opposite affect: to insulate against the cold. The thick wood typically used for window shutters means they are much better at insulating a home than curtains or blinds. This can mean significant protection against the cold.

On a sunny winters day shutters can be used to keep a room warm while still having the advantage of the sun. Of course, like curtains, they can be completely open, but there are other options that still allow for some insulation without blocking out the daylight. The louvers can be opened, or the shutters can be open on one side and closed on the other or anywhere in-between the two.

AS IT GETS WARMER

As winter turns into summer windows can be opened to keep a room cool, while the shutters can be closed to keep it warmer than if everything is kept completely open. They can be adjusted perfectly to the exact conditions. For example, the shutter slats can be open with the actually shutters closed. As it gets warmer more air can be let in.

NATURAL DISASTERS

Another advantage of shutters is that they can be used to protect against extreme weather such as hurricanes or tornadoes. Exterior shutters can be used to protect windows as they are very durable. After a natural disaster windows can make a home extremely cold or unsafe, but shutters can potentially protect against this. Interior shutters will not protect the windows but could still protect the interior of the home and the people inside. All this depends on …