What is a double glazed window exactly? A double glazed window is a type of window that has two layers (panes or glazing) of glass separated by an air space.

How are double glazed windows energy efficient, or at least more energy efficient than a single paned window? Each layer of glass and surrounding air space reradiates and traps some of the heat that passes through thereby increasing the window's resistance to heat loss, thus they have a higher R-value than single paned windows. Double glazed windows are the best option for areas that require a high insulation value and you do not have to worry about the air in them; in factory-made double glazed windows, the air between the glass sheets is thoroughly dried and the space is sealed airtight, eliminating possible condensation and providing superior insulating properties. This is great for a few reasons. One it means your windows insulate well, but two, it means that if you windows have an air leakage, you will be able to know almost immediately because you will get condensation between the two panes, which will indicate the problem.

It is not common for double glazed windows to have problems, they are usually well made, and the air space between the two panes of glass remains airtight. However, improper installation, or damage to the window can cause the seal to be broken.

What else should you consider when ordering your double glazed windows? Well, for one thing you can get double glazed windows in a variety of glass types, and for regions or climates that get a lot of heat, or a lot of cold, a Low-E glass product is your best option. The properties of a Low-E glass product are such that it will reduce heat loss but admit solar gain. High solar gain Low-E glass products are best suited for buildings located in heating-dominated climates. Low-E glass products like double glazed windows is also the product of choice, or in other words, the most popular window product, for passive solar design projects. This is because the performance attributes of double glazed windows made from Low-E glass, in relation to other Low-E glass products which have been developed to reduce solar gain, are much higher.

Double glazed windows are great for the energy conscious, as they will reduce the cost of wasted energy in your home. However, even if you are not energy conscious they may be the right window type for you. The glass is strong and sturdy, and difficult to break, not to mention that there is the added bonus of not having to immediately replace the window should the outer pane crack or break. Because there are two panes you will still have a barrier between you and the outside world, and this will allow you time to shop for a new window, or be able to afford a new window before having to replace it.

Double glazed windows offer many advantages over single paned. Double glazed windows are not hard to find, and come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. You can even have them custom made to fit your home should it be an odd size. So, when you are out window shopping, don't look past the double glazed, look through them!

By: Dan Calderwood
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“I know you here in the darkness, How you sit in the throne of my eyes, At peace, and look out of the windows In glad surprise.”

– D.H. Lawrence

Venus ascends in the western night sky, and then retreats below the horizon as, hours later, the morning sun rises in the west and spends its good light on a new day.

To see this glorious view, thrill seekers might travel to a mountaintop, a desert or maybe a stretch of beach. Dave Florek can take it all in from his small but generous Van Nuys bedroom.

“I love seeing the moon and stars,” Florek said. “Then you wake up and see the sun rise. This room is just a nice place to be.”

Florek and his wife, Leigh Podgorski, renovated the single-room, second-story addition to their home last year. Although a small bath and closet were added and a captain’s bed with drawers was custom-built for the room, the choice of windows – in several styles – is what has made the room more than just a place to sleep, he says.

Above the headboard of their bed, which abuts the room’s western wall, a small octagonal window with mullions was installed. It maintains privacy while allowing a beautiful stream of early evening light – and later, moonbeams and starshine – to stream across the bed.

There’s another charming outcome that Florek likes. The intruding light casts a shadow of the quaint window against the opposite wall, where a casement window has been installed.

“The original idea was to put a couple of the octagonals on the front of the house. But it didn’t work. Yet, what we have is better than what I’d originally wanted,” Florek says.

When Florek and Podgorski began their renovation, the west wall of the 10- by 15-foot room was solid. By installing a large casement window, they gained a full view of the sunrise over trees and their roofline – with no loss of privacy.

But they didn’t stop there. To give the room a sense of greater dimension, the couple installed a bay window on the north wall where they can sit and gaze at their pool or read.

“The room is so small – there’s no place for a chest of drawers. That’s why we had the captain’s bed built. But the windows, they provide … space,” Florek says.

And there’s something else, something less tangible. The room feels safe and yet within the grasp of nature’s glory. Or, as Shakespeare wrote in Cymbeline, “Under these windows, white and azure laced, with blue of heaven’s own tinct.”


‘I’m Looking Through You, What Do I See?’


The Beatles weren’t singing about window design when they recorded I’m Looking Through You. But they may have been suggesting how transparent human beings can be – especially when choosing windows!

Are you hip and contemporary? Or are you loyal to tradition? Is your budget tight? Or is money not an issue, whereas comfort, energy efficiency and style are? I’m looking through you.

Between-the-glass blinds are a great way to mitigate intense light, and can be raised and lowered at will. Between-the-glass fabric shades also are available in many door and window styles – casement and double-hung – and don’t require cleaning since they are protected by windowpanes. But these products are pricey.

Less apparent are the health benefits of these types of windows. Shades within a double pane are dust free and therefore ideal for people with allergies. So maybe this choice would be more a necessity than a luxury. Or both. What do I see?

Aaron Adirim, president of California Deluxe Windows Industries Inc.® in Chatsworth, says the health benefits of custom-made windows can be profound.

“Some clients say they stop taking allergy medicine after they install our windows. Or the smell of the skunk in their yard is gone. They also report that they can finally sleep – even where there is nonstop traffic and the ocean,” says Adirim. “We always ask people why they are thinking of replacing their windows. We want to know what issues are disturbing them the most.”

Adirim’s company has created enormous windows that welcome in the panoramic sun-drenched California landscape, while keeping out critters, pests and even natural disasters.

“An unobstructed view of nature is so breathtaking; you can’t believe you’re in your own home. You feel like you can touch the flowers, touch the blue sky,” he says.

But if homeowners aren’t careful, the desire for a seemingly open environment can wreak havoc during California’s wild fire season. Adirim says he has received letters and calls from clients who believe they averted disaster because they installed excellent windows.

“During fires near Upland, many families were evacuated,” Adirim says. “When they returned, the interiors of their homes were covered with a half-inch of ash. One of our clients was evacuated too. But when he returned home, the house was spotless; the white carpet was spotless. He called and said, ‘Your windows saved my house.’”


In Glad Surprise


Last year, Morgan Kearns purchased a home, circa 1920s, near a park. She soon realized she needed new windows.

Despite the cozy nature of her cottage, a previous owner had replaced the original wood window frames with the aluminum variety. Aesthetically, the windows were all wrong. And they did a lousy job of keeping out the wind and cold.

“The house has nice wood floors with in-laid wood. But it just didn’t have character with aluminum windows. They kept the house from fulfilling its potential. They were something I had to overlook as I looked through them at the beauty that surrounds me,” says Kearns.

Kearns did her homework and found windows that were appropriate for her home. Fortunately, she also found an able contractor.

“I found the right guy. He respected my ideas. But he came up with ideas I never would have thought of,” she says.

As her new windows were being installed, Kearns recalled the many renovation projects she oversaw in her previous Woodland Hills home. There were problems with materials, tardy workers and inaccurate bids that sapped her resources. In hindsight, she says she may have tried to do too much at once.

This time, though, everything went as planned. “I loved just focusing on windows,” she says. And when the new windows were installed and Kearns could sit within while gazing at the gardens without, she realized that of all the changes she’d made in the past, upgrading her windows was the most emotionally satisfying.

“It just felt like a home. I just really enjoy sitting and looking out the windows. I’ll be content for quite a while,” she says.

copyright 2007

By: Douglas Glenn Clark
Douglas Glenn Clark is a freelance writer in the Los Angeles area.
His writing services are available at http://dgclarkgroup.com and afterthenoise.com.

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Window blinds can really make the difference between a bland room and a room that makes people say wow. Measuring for those blinds can make the difference between a well dressed window and an eyesore. Here we will detail the steps to correctly measure a window for custom made blinds and shades.

The first step in measuring a window is to use the right tool. You will need a steel tape measure. Cloth tape measures can bow and sag and should not be used. You will be measuring with a steel tape to the nearest 1/8". You should measure each window individually and record the measurement as width x height. This is the standard way of communicating measurements in the industry. You will need to decide first if you want inside mount blinds or outside mount blinds.


MEASURING FOR INSIDE MOUNT BLINDS AND SHADES

Inside mount blinds are installed inside the window casing. They may need a certain depth in order to sit flush with the casing. Make sure the blinds that you pick out will fit inside your casings.

To measure for inside mount blinds you are going to use the steel tape to measure from left to right in three places on the window. Measure from inside edge of casing to inside edge of casing. Record the smallest measurement to the nearest 1/8". Do the same for the height of the window measuring from top to bottom. MEASURING FOR OUTSIDE MOUNT BLINDS

Outside mount blinds are installed outside the window casing. They cover the window completely and are used to make it look larger or hide an unsightly window. Again, you are going to measure the window with a steel tape.

First measure the width of the window from outside edge of casing to outside edge of casing. Add 3" onto this measurement for an overlap of 1.5" on either side. Next, measure the exact height to be covered, normally from the top edge of the window casing to the bottom edge or the sill.

MEASURING FOR ARCHED WINDOWS

Arched windows are tricky to measure. This is because they are nearly never perfect arches. If they are the measurement is easy. You simply record the width of the window base and the half that as the height. If they are not perfect semicircles then it is best to make a paper template to send to the blinds company.

CONCLUSION

In order to achieve a good impression in your home you must have professional looking window treatments. Professionalism is a byproduct of taking your time and measuring right in order to custom fit blinds and shades to your home. With these tips in hand you should be able to confidently measure your blinds and get your order processed quickly and correctly.

By: Clint Miller
Clint Miller is an avid do-it-yourselfer who together with his wife has completed dozens of home improvement projects in the process of revitalizing their first home. He has written several published articles and regularly updates his website to include DIY tips and tricks along with articles, home improvement news and project updates. It can be found at http://diyda.blogspot.com.

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Studies have shown that natural light improves moods, reduces eyestrain and even creates the illusion of spaciousness. A home filled with natural light not only appears bigger but is more pleasant to live in. Short of building a glass house, how do homeowners facilitate as much natural light in their homes as possible?

Windows are a fantastic way of allowing sunlight to in but the window design you select is key. Some window designs are better suited to the facilitation of natural light than others so it is important that you keep this in mind when discussing your plans for the inclusion of new windows in your home.

Window Design Styles

There are several styles of windows from which to choose here are a few of the most popular:

Bay - These large windows are traditionally made of three windows, one large window flanked by smaller windows. A window seat under a bay window is heavenly.

Double-hung – This classic window design style has an outside sash that slides up and down and an inside sash that slides up. This style of window allows a lovely breeze in as well as facilitates natural light.

Casement – Casement windows are usually hung in pairs and mounted on hinges that allow the sash to swing in or out (depending on what you prefer).

Bow – These windows are similar to bay windows but have more than three panels which join to form a gentle curve.

Tilt-turn – This window design is popular in Europe, these unusual windows tilt in towards the room at the top and also turn a full 180 degrees – excellent for easy cleaning.

Jalousies – This window design is comprised of many slats of glass that open and close. Jalousies windows are extremely similar to Venetian blinds.

Skylight – This window design is perfect for small rooms where normal windows would be overwhelming. Skylights are essentially windows which are fitted at an angle rather than vertically, usually through the ceiling or roof.

Fixed – As these windows can not be opened their sole purpose is to allow light in.

Stained glass – This window design is popular in Victorian inspired homes around the world. Patterns are made from different pieces of coloured glass and the sparkle of different coloured beams of light has a wonderful effect.

Window Design Considerations

Before finalising your window design ideas you need to take a few things into consideration.
The design of your home – you’ll want the design of your windows to fit into the overall design of your home. Rounded windows may look a little obscure when fitted into a really tall wall just as overly large windows may be inappropriate in a small home. Select a window design that can be used through your home to achieve a consistent design theme. Incorporating a large variety of window designs may be overpowering. Window design should be complimentary never overwhelming. The climate you live in also has to be taken into consideration - if you live in a cold or noisy area you may want to fit double-glazed windows but not all window designs are well suited to this type of treatment. Make sure you get all the information you’ll need to make wise window design choices from your window supplier.

Letting the Sun In

Filling your home with natural light is easy with the correct window design selection. Another way of facilitating natural light is to always keep your windows clean. For homeowners who don’t fancy spending weekends balanced on ladders Pilkington Activ™ Self-Cleaning Glass is a definite must. Self-cleaning glass is making life far easier and is giving home owners many reasons to use glass in the construction of their homes. What could be better than bright, open rooms with excellent outdoor views facilitated by huge glass sheets, without having to spend your days cleaning the glass?

By: Sarah Manners
Having been in the glass industry for 180 years, Pilkington is recognised as the world's technological leader in glass. Out of all of their innovative products, Pilkington Activ™ - the world's first self-cleaning glass is one of their greatest products and is an ideal material for all window designs.

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