Casement Window Replacements : Beauty and Style
Windows are an often-overlooked aspect of your home's exterior. Homeowners too often think of windows only from an interior or performance perspective. They forget that windows offer more than a way to let in sunlight, experience a good view, or boost your home's energy efficiency.
Viewed from the curb, windows can say a lot about a home. They can provide a sharp visual focus. They can accentuate an architectural style or feature. Windows come in all sorts of styles, and choosing the right look can make a home really stand out and look appealing.
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The Advantages of Casement Windows
If you're buying replacement windows, now is the time to consider what style is the best fit for your home, as well as what energy efficiencies you can improve. There are so many options to choose from! You don't have to stay with the window style you have now. Take some time to investigate your options.
Casement windows have long been a favorite among homeowners. They are beautiful windows and can really transform a home. They're also easy to maintain, which certainly adds to their popularity. Anything that cuts down on time and effort is a good thing! Casement windows are also an excellent choice for those who want good ventilation, because they open wide and the angled window catches the air and draws it inside. For fresh air lovers, casement windows are an easy decision.
Casement Windows: A Classic Look
Casement windows are a traditional choice. They've been around forever, with a look that is familiar and comforting, but can also be elegant and sophisticated. Casement windows are chameleons, blending with a variety of architectural styles. Installing new casement windows can enhance the look of a home, giving it a welcoming, elegant appeal.
Casement windows yield more of the window's surface area to actual viewing area. They don't sacrifice the horizontal or vertical middle to sliding mechanisms like double hung or gliding windows do. Casement windows are hinged on one side and open outward. When closed, they offer unimpeded views using all of the window. When open, they improve air flow, not just because of the open space but because the extended, angled window catches breezes and directs them inside.
Efficiency and Maintenance
Casement windows also seal better, resulting in less air leakage. This also has to do with the fact that they are hinged on only one side. This allows for the use of highly effective compression seals on four sides as opposed to two, as would be the case with double hung or gliding windows.
Casement windows are also very simple and easy to clean. They allow easy access to the whole pane, instead of halves of window with a hard to reach middle part obscured by framing mechanisms.
For truly low-maintenance casement windows, vinyl frames are an excellent option. Vinyl frames offer a wide variety of colors, and are very resistant to damage from the elements, including wind. In today's vinyl frames, the color is consistent throughout the frame and won't fade or require repainting as do wood frames.
Things to Consider With Casement Windows
Casement windows are an excellent choice for any room of the house, from kitchens to bedrooms to dens. However, if the window looks out onto a pathway or well-trafficked area, a casement window might not be the best option. Casement windows open outward and could create a physical hazard if they conflict with foot traffic.
You'll also want to take care with adjacent windows. Casement windows that are next to one another might come into conflict when opened, depending on their angles. Remember that casement windows open outward from one hinged side.
Lastly, one maintenance issue that could arise from casement windows is that the cranking (or slider bar) mechanism can fail over time due to extended wear-and-tear. Replacing a crank can cost anywhere from $25 to over $100, but the bigger difficulty often lies in finding a replacement window.
Casement windows, as with any modern window, can be customized to meet your unique needs for style, color, and performance. Multiple glazings, low-E coatings, gas fills, and the appropriate U-values can be combined with the color and finish of your choice and a remarkable variety of window hardware. The locks and handles, and type of grid finish, if you opt for it, can all help create a beautiful and sophisticated window that will give your home a graceful, more elegant look.
A terrific resource for casement window shopping is online. You will be able to research options, prices, and consumer opinions from the comfort of your home, all with no obligation. When you have an idea what you want, take the time to visit a hardware or improvement store or dealer showroom for a hands-on examination.
