We take them for granted and tend to become unsettled should we find ourselves within a room without them. They have been around since man first started building shelters to live in –something to let the light in and, in earlier times, let smoke etc pass to the outside. They are really only apertures in the walls or roof of a structure – little doorways in fact. They became more than plain holes around 100 AD when inhabitants of Roman Egypt started to cover the opening with glass.
Some languages use the Latin word ‘fenestra’ to describe a window with glass; whereas, in the English language the word derives from two Old Norse words – “vindr” (wind) and “auga” (eye) – to form “vindauga” – literally wind eye. Early examples were rigidly fixed in place within the buildings structure and could only serve the dual purpose of letting light in and allowing those inside to look out. Unlike the early hole in the wall, they did keep dirt, dust and rain out but they served no ventilation purpose whatsoever.
Frames
A window that can be opened and closed needs a frame to hold the glass in place and that frame can then be made moveable by hinges or a sliding arrangement. Normally, there will be a latch or other locking device on the inside of the frame to stop illicit opening from the outside.
Frames can be made from wood, metal or plastic. Aluminum and special ultra-violet resistant PVC are probably the most popular materials currently in use. Vertical sash type frames have largely gone out of fashion but horizontal sliding remains popular. Where hinges are used; these can be at one side; on the top (rarely the bottom) or, at both sides but only at the vertical center. Choice of opening method is largely to suit personal taste but can be influenced by the function being served as well as the size of the space to be framed.
Glazing & Installation
At one time people did put their own replacement glass into its frame but, these days the frames are larger and the glass is not so frequently broken so specialist glaziers are more likely to be used and the frame will be supplied with the glass already in place. More often than not this will be in double glazed form for energy efficiency.
The home owners’ main function is to select style and materials to be used and then hand everything over to specialists in window installation services for San Antonio. For example, Shaw Company Remodeling stock and can install just about any glazed frame imaginable. Go to the site shawcoremodeling.com for more info.