Windows: side opening "Casement" vs bottom opening "Awning"

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Windows: side opening "Casement" vs bottom opening "Awning" - practical considerations

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robjg63

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#1480560 28-Jan-2016 11:28

From the ones I have seen overseas I like the ones that seem to allow multiple opening depending on where the handle is.

i.e. flick the handle one way and they 'hinge' from the side, flick it another and they 'hinge from the top.

That said - Hinging them from the bottom so they tilt in at the top seems like a great idea to me - very difficult for someone to climb in the window if its left open. Is that an option for you?

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

timmmay

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#1480572 28-Jan-2016 11:39

robjg63:

That said - Hinging them from the bottom so they tilt in at the top seems like a great idea to me - very difficult for someone to climb in the window if its left open. Is that an option for you?

I don't see any real advantage, given that either bottom or side opening has a "locked open" position that will prevent rain and people getting in. We rarely fully open windows, only when we're home if it's hot. We have a ventilation system that pulls in fresh air.

bfginger

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#1480749 28-Jan-2016 16:36

timmmay:
Low solar gain windows sound interesting. Are they visibly shaded? I'm not sure my wife would agree to reduce the light coming into the room, because of the effect it would have in winter. Worth considering though.

Solar heat gain and visible light transmission are separate glass metrics. Planitherm XN low-e glass lets through 81% VLT so compare specified reductions against that.

Shoes2468:
One other strange thing to consider especially for the bedrooms is how easily you can get in and out of the windows incase of an emergency(Fire), Im sure you should be well served by both side and bottom opening windows providing they open far enough.

There are specially designed security restrictor stays that can be disconnected when the window is closed so the window can be reopened wide for fire escape. I don't know how widely available they are.

Useful security restrictor stays are a rarity on outwardly opening PVC windows judging by photos on the companies' websites. Take into account preventing falls from high up wide opening windows, I know someone who managed to do that.

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