Categories Cutrateglass, Windows

A Guide to the Different Parts of a Window

A Guide to the Different Parts of a Window

How many times a day do you suppose you look out your windows? From when we check the weather to determine what we should wear in the morning to when we watch the sunset over our lawns, our windows give us our view on the world. But do you ever stop to think about how your windows are put together?

Windows are one of the more amazing and complex pieces of your home’s architecture, and they tend to get overlooked. Knowing some about the different parts of a window can help you better appreciate what an amazing feature of your home they are. Read on to learn the difference between a stile and a muntin and what role a sash lock plays in keeping your home safe.

Frame

There are two main pieces of a window: the frame and the glass. The frame is the whole structure that holds the glass in the window, much the same way that a rim holds a tire. The frame can consist of several other pieces that we’ll discuss more in detail later.

A window frame may be made up of a number of different materials. Wood was once the most common window frame material, but these days, vinyl and aluminum are more popular. These offer more durability and can come in a variety of colors, and vinyl can be painted.

Exterior Frame Pieces

Your window frame is made up of four primary pieces: the head, the jambs, the sill, and the jambliner. The head is the horizontal piece that runs across the top of your window. The head may be made up of many smaller pieces, including the siding, sheathing, drip cap, casing, and blind stop on the outside and the header, plaster, and lath, parting bead, and stop on the inside.

The sides of your exterior window frame are called the jambs. These help to guide your sashes as they move up and down in the exterior frame. If you have old double-hung windows, your jambs may have pulleys built into them near the top.

Your sill is the horizontal piece running across the bottom of your exterior window frame. Much like the head, your sill is made up of many smaller pieces. These include the siding and sheathing on the outside, the sub sill, the sill framing, and the plaster and lath on the inside. The jambliner is a strip of material on the sides of your window frame that helps to ensure a snug fit for the window sash.

Interior Frame Pieces

Your interior window frame, also called the sash, includes the pieces of wood that hold the glass in place for your window. This is the piece that slides up and down in your exterior window frame. If you have double-hung windows, you may have two full sets of these pieces.

The horizontal pieces of your window sash are called the rails. You have an upper and a lower rail; on double-hung windows, you’ll have two each of these. You may also have a check rail on a double-hung window that is where the upper part of the lower sash and the lower part of the upper sash come in contact.

The vertical pieces of your window sash are called the stiles. These help to support the glass and guide the windows in the frame. The vertical and horizontal pieces that subdivide your window frame within each sash are called the muntins.

Additional Window Pieces

Single- and double-hung windows also have parts that help the sashes move up and down. If you have old architectural-style double-hung windows, you’ll have pulleys at the top of your window jambs and ropes running through these into the sides of your stiles. At the other end, those ropes will attach to weights that run inside your window frame and help to counterbalance the windows and make it easier to raise them, lower them, and keep them in place.

More modern single- and double-hung windows use a spring-loaded balance to help counterbalance the weight of the window as it opens and closes. This mechanism is what keeps your windows from falling straight back down when you open them.

Your window will also come with some sort of a lift, a handle on the lower rail of the lower sash that helps you to open and close the window. Double-hung windows will feature a sash lock that has one half on the upper sash and one half on the lower. These two lock together and prevent windows from moving either up or down.

Casement Window Parts

Unlike single- and double-hung windows, casement windows do not move up and down in their frames. Rather, the sashes rotate on a horizontal or vertical axis to allow you to open the window. These windows can open either in or out and may come with limits on how far they can open.

Because casement windows don’t use the traditional mechanisms that single- and double-hung windows do, they don’t have the same lifting, balancing, or locking mechanisms. Instead, you’ll have a lock handle located on the jamb of your window that allows you to lock the window from the inside.

In place of a lift, you’ll have an operator on the jamb or sill of your casement window. This is a crank-operated device that allows you to open and close your windows. Your casement windows may also have some additional weatherstripping components to help prevent water from coming in or heat and cool from escaping.

Different Kinds of Glass

Inside the sashes of all your different windows, you might have different types of glass. The oldest and cheapest windows feature single-pane glass. As the name suggests, this is one single sheet of glass mounted in your sash with no additional insulating properties.

But because single-pane glass is so inefficient, insulated glass has gotten much more popular. This glass type features two panes of glass with a thin layer of gas separating them. Argon is frequently used in between these layers, as it is extremely effective at blocking heat loss.

There are also a number of different coatings you can get for your glass. Many of these are designed to help reflect UV rays and keep them from damaging your home and belongings. Reflective, low-emissivity, and laminated glass all fall into this category.

Fixed Window Parts

Some windows may not move at all, making them fixed-panel windows. These can include things like circle head windows, the half-circle windows that are common over doors and some prominent windows. Because these windows don’t move at all, they won’t have the same frame and sash components as other windows.

Fixed windows will have only the frame with the sash directly affixed to it. If it is over a window or a door, it may have a mullion at the bottom of it. A mullion is a major horizontal or vertical structural piece that separates and combines two or more windows.

Your fixed window may also have decorative pieces on it that make it look like it’s divided into multiple windowpanes. These decorative pieces are called grilles, and they only serve a visual purpose in your window. There may also be a small weep hole in the window sill that allows condensation or water to escape from your house without gathering inside the window.

Screens

Many single-hung, double-hung, and casement windows come with screens equipped. These thin mesh barriers prevent things like bugs and pests from coming inside even if the windows are open. This allows you to take advantage of a nice day and fresh air without chasing flies around your house for the next three days.

Screens are tightly woven layers of material, but they can come in different densities. Screens that are woven thicker will be harder to see through and will block out smaller bugs. But they will also block out more light and may obscure your view depending on their design.

You may find screens woven from a few different materials. Metal and plastic are popular options, but you may also find fiberglass. Talk to your window contractor about which screen type will give you the view you want and stop the bugs you don’t.

Learn More About the Parts of a Window

Windows are one of those things we take for granted every day. But knowing the different parts of a window can help you better understand how they function, especially if something breaks. It can also give you a new appreciation for these beautiful features that bring light and fresh air into our homes after winters that have been entirely too long.

If you’d like to get windows repaired or replaced at your home, check out the rest of our site at Cut Rate Glass. We provide residential window repair, retrofit windows and doors, and much more. Request a quote from us today and start seeing your life in a whole new light.

Categories Cutrateglass, Retrofit, Windows

Are new energy-efficient windows worth it?

As a local glass shop, we know there are many types of glass windows in Las Vegas because we replace glass throughout the entire Las Vegas valley. Some very old, some single pane, some dual pane, some new energy-efficient Windows with low e glass. Sometimes we will recommend a retrofit when the window is very old, broken beyond repair or has hardware missing.

We get the question often, “Is it worth it to replace my windows?” The answer is not as simple as yes or no. It really depends on a lot of factors. Including the age of the current windows, type of windows (single pane or dual pane), type of glass currently in the home as well as physical features of the home such as shade, layout and sun coverage.

Retrofit windows certainly improve the value of a property when installed correctly and most homeowners will save money on energy bills when installing new energy-efficient windows and doors.

At Cut Rate Glass we offer new windows and new doors for homes. We have three different levels of window depending on budget and customer preference. We always offer free in-home estimates.

Call 702.292.9977 today for a free in-home estimate for new energy-efficient windows, or click here to start the process.

Categories Cutrateglass, Doors, Retrofit, Windows

High-Quality Service & Upfront Pricing

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At our glass shop we pride ourselves on a few things:

  1. Providing high-quality glass service
  2. Providing fair, honest and upfront pricing

Because of those two things we believe that in-home estimates should be free. The reason is that to properly price and diagnose a window, door or glass issue, it is always best to see it in person. While this does cost us money as far as labor, it is simply the right way to do business.

There are many factors that contribute to the price of glass replacement. Some include the type of glass, type of window, Low-E, tempered, grids, location, etc. By actually visiting a property and seeing the entire situation we can accurately price a job. We do offer phone quotes but they are not binding until an onsite inspection can be done.

But why are they free?

Well, we believe that a customer has the right to know upfront ALL costs and they should have the opportunity to shop around and compare prices and companies. While some other companies have begun charging for estimates, we never will!

This free estimate policy has been in place since the start of the business and includes all of our service, glass repair, glass replacement, window repair, new frameless shower glass, framed shower enclosures, wall mirrors, and window hardware.

Give us a call at 702.292.9977 for a free estimate for all your window glass needs, or click here to get started.

Categories Cutrateglass, Windows

Window Replacement

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Window Replacement (A Broken Window Break Down)

Some customers call us and say, “I don’t care to know anything about my window, just get here and fix it as soon as you can.” Some customers call us and have questions, some of which we would like to address today. We are going to break down the window replacement process for those inquisitive folks.

Do I have single pane windows or dual pane windows?
Give yourself a pat on the back if you already know the answer to this question. To find out which type you have, look at the broken window (look but don’t touch), you will see one layer of glass inside the frame or two. If the window appears fogged on the inside but is not cleanable from the inside or outside of your house, you have a dual pane window. We can easily replace that fogged unit for you. And no, we can NOT clean the inside of the window. Replacing that window is the only proper way to prevent fogging in the future. Our dual pane units have a 1-year warranty for fogging. If the home was built before 1978, then it is most likely a single pane because that is when they began to be required by law.

Is my glass clear or low e?
Clear glass is just that, clear. There is no tint or color to the glass. Low e glass, also known as energy-efficient glass, has a greenish color to the glass. If you have a house built in the last 10 years, chances are, you have low e glass. Low e glass, or low emissivity glass, helps to keep your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter by reflecting ultraviolet light, visible light, and infrared light. This helps keep the heat out from the scorching desert sun, so your air conditioner does not have to work so hard to keep you cool. It also helps keep your heat in during the colder winter months, so you do not have to run the heat all the time.

When will you install my window?
If you have a single pane window, we may be able to bring glass to your home and install it right away. That depends on the availability of our technicians and the type of single pane. If the window is tempered (crumbles into a million pieces for safety), then it may need to be ordered. We’ll get custom tempered glass in 2-3 business days. If you have a dual pane window, we measure the first day (free estimate) and install within 1-2 business days. If the window is tempered allow for 3-4 business days as we must order it and fabricate the unit. I hope this simplifies the process for you as much as possible. As always, please call us anytime with questions and to schedule your appointment window.

Get a free quote now! 

Categories Cutrateglass, Windows

Safety Glass For Window Glass Replacement

Safety Glass For Window Glass Replacement

There is nothing more important than the safety and well-being of our friends, family, and pets. With that statement in mind, it is important to become knowledgeable about safety glass when replacing windows and doors. Glass is a dangerous product and proper care should always be used whenever replacing any type of window glass, shower enclosure, or glass door.

Tempered glass is a regular float glass that has been sent through a tempering oven in which it is “cooked” then rapidly cooled. This process causes a molecular reaction to occur and strengthens the glass. The glass is strengthened to approximately four times normal annealed glass. In addition to strengthening the glass, it also causes the glass to shatter into smaller less harmful pieces, should the glass break.

Now you are probably thinking, why is this important? If tempered glass were to break, it crumbles into a million square pieces rather than sharp splinters of glass. The square pieces are less likely to cause any harm. Nevada requires that tempered glass be installed in all doors and windows that are near entrances or near the ground. Tempered glass is used for shower enclosures, patio doors, and windows (single or dual panes).

To learn more about a Tempered Glass solution click here to contact us!