Windows and Doors Glossary | ROPO Custom Windows and Doors Solutions

A

Accessories

The spare parts of windows and doors

Air infiltration/ leakage

The amount of air leaking in and out of a building through cracks in walls, windows and doors

Aluminum

A kind of profile for windows and doors

Arched

A curved structure above a door/window

Argon

An inert, non-toxic gas often used in insulating glass units to reduce heat transfer

Assemble

To make a product by putting parts together

B

Balance

A mechanical device (normally spring-loaded) used in single and double-hung windows as a means of counterbalancing the weight of the sash during opening and closing

Bay window

An arrangement of three or more individual window units, attached so as to project from the building. A bay window can be distinguished from a bow window by the fact that you can stand inside the projection created by a bay window

Bead

A fixing strip which holds the glass into the frame. Security beads will be fitted on the inside of the window so as to prevent the removal of the bead by potential burglars on the outside of the property

Brush Seal

A style of strip use for sliding window between frame and sash for sealings

C

Casement

A window style that swings outwards/inwards to open

Colonial Bar

A Straight bar put in the double glass or on the surface of glass for decoration

Cross-Section

Technical a picture that shows what a building, part of the body etc would look like if it were cut from top to bottom or side to side

Cutting Machine

A kind of machine use for cutting window/door profile

D

Double Door

Also known as a French door, double doors are made from two connected door panels which can be designed to swing inwards or outwards. They are particularly popular back door designs which can grant easier access to your garden

Double Glazing

In general, two panes of glass separated by an air space within an opening to improve insulation against heat transfer and/or sound transmission. In factory-made double glazing units, the air between the glass sheets is thoroughly dried and the space is sealed airtight, eliminating possible condensation and providing superior insulating properties

Drainage Hole

The process or system by which water or waste liquid flows away

E

Energy ratingCasement

A system that calculates the energy efficiency of windows and other forms of glazing. Everest uPVC Casement Windows carry an A-rating from the British Fenestration Rating Council (BFRC), which is the highest achievable grade

Extrusion

The process of producing vinyl or aluminum shapes by forcing heated material through an orifice in a die. Also, any item made by this process

F

Fiberglass

A composite material made by embedding glass fibers in a polymer matrix. May be used as a diffusing material in sheet form, or as a standard sash and frame element

Finish

A coating applied to the outer surface of a material to improve its performance and/or aesthetics

Fixed sidelight

A pane of glass installed directly into non-operating framing members

Fixed panel

An inoperable panel of a sliding glass door or slider window

Fixed window

A window with no operating sashes

Float glass

Glass formed by a process of floating the material on a bed of molten metal. It produces a high-optical-quality glass with parallel surfaces, without polishing and grinding

Flyscreen

A very light woven-wire used to prevent insects from flying through open windows or doors

Fogging

A deposit of contamination left on the inside surface of a sealed insulating glass unit due to extremes of temperatures or failed seals

Frame

The fixed profile of a window which holds the sash or casement as well as hardware

G

Gas fill

A gas, other than air, placed between window glazing panes to reduce the U-factor by suppressing conduction and convection

Glass

An inorganic transparent material composed of silica (sand), soda (sodium carbonate), and lime (calcium carbonate) with small quantities of alumina, boric, or magnesia oxides

Glazing

The glass or plastic panes in a window or door

Glazing Bead

A stop around the inside or outside of a window frame to hold the glass in place. Security beads will be fitted on the inside of the window so as to prevent the removal of the bead by potential burglars on the outside of the property

H

Handle

A part of hardware for windows and doors used for open/close

Heat loss

The transfer of heat from inside to outside by means of conduction, convection, and radiation through all surfaces of a house

Hinge

A piece of metal fastened to a door, lid etc that allows it to swing open and shut

Horizontal slider

A window with a movable panel that slides horizontally

I

Insulation

Construction materials used for protection from noise, heat, cold or fire

Interlock

An upright frame member of a panel in a sliding glass door/window which engages with a corresponding member in an adjacent panel when the door/window is closed. Also called interlocking stile

J

Jamb

A vertical member at the side of a window frame, or the horizontal member at the top of the window frame, as in head jamb

L

Laminated glass

Two or more sheets of glass with an inner layer of transparent plastic to which the glass adheres if broken. Used for safety glazing and sound reduction

Lift Handle

Handle used for raising the lower sash in a vertical sliding sash window. Also called sash lift

Light

A window; a pane of glass within a window. Double-hung windows are designated by the number of lights in upper and lower sash, as in six-over-six. Also spelled informally lite

Low-emittance (Low-E) coating

Microscopically thin, virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on a window glazing surface primarily to reduce the U-factor by suppressing radiative heat flow. A typical type of low-E coating is transparent to the solar spectrum (visible light and short-wave infrared radiation) and reflective of long-wave infrared radiation

Low Threshold

The member that lies at the bottom of a door; the sill of a doorway, lower than common bottom frame

M

Maintenance

The time and effort it takes to keep your home improvements in full-working order and looking their best. Everest products are designed to be as low-maintenance as possible, through our use of high-quality materials and craftsmanship, and our comprehensive long-term guarantees

Mullion

A major structural vertical or horizontal member between window units or sliding glass doors (see also floating mullion)

O

Obscure glass

Glass that incorporates a textured design, such as frosting, etching, fluted glass etc. Obscure glass is typically used in double glazed windows, patio doors or conservatories to protect the privacy of the homeowner, or for decorative effect

Operable window

Window that can be opened for ventilation

P

Pane

One of the compartments of a door or window consisting of a single sheet of glass in a frame; also, a sheet of glass

Panel

A major component of a sliding glass door, consisting of a light of glass in a frame installed within the main (or outer) frame of the door. A panel may be sliding or fixed

Patio doors

A style of door that features sliding glass panels for ease of access and maximum glazed areas. This design is most popular as a back entrance, opening out onto your garden or balcony

R

Rail

The deflection of a light ray from a straight path when it passes at an oblique angle from one medium (such as air) to another (such as glass)

Reflection

The deflection of a light ray from a straight path when it passes at an oblique angle from one medium (such as air) to another (such as glass)

Reinforcement

The support stick in window/door chambers which makes them stronger

S

Safety glass

Glass that, when broken, shatters into tiny harmless cubes (see also tempered glass)

Sash

The portion of a window that includes the glass and the framing sections directly attached to the glass, not to be confused with the complete frame into which the sash sections are fitted

Screw

A thin pointed piece of metal that you push and turn in order to fasten pieces of metal or wood together

Sealant

A compressible plastic material used to seal any opening or junction of two parts, such as between the glass and a metal sash, commonly made of silicone, butyl tape, or polysulfide

Secondary Window

Tailor-made to fit behind your existing windows, secondary glazing allows additional warmth and security without compromising the look of your home. As a result they are most popular in traditional properties and listed buildings

Section

A drawing show the window details

Sill

The lowest horizontal member in a door, window, or sash frame

Single glazing

Single thickness of glass in a window or door

Spacer bar

The linear object that separates and maintains the space between the glass surfaces of insulating glass

T

Tempered glass

Treated glass that is strengthened by reheating it to just below the melting point and then suddenly cooling it. When shattered, it breaks into small pieces. Approximately five times stronger than standard annealed glass; is required as safety glazing in patio doors, entrance doors, side lights, and other hazardous locations. It cannot be re-cut after tempering

Thermal break

An element of low conductance placed between elements of higher conductance to reduce the flow of heat. Often used in aluminum windows

Threshold

The member that lies at the bottom of a sliding glass door or swinging door; the sill of a doorway

Tilt Turn window

A type of window that that a dual hinge mechanism which allows the sash to be tilted inwards at the top for ventilation or opened fully inwards, on side hinges, for cleaning of the outside surface of the window

Tinted glass

Glass colored by the incorporation of a mineral admixture. Any tinting reduces both visual and radiant transmittance

Transmittance

he percentage of radiation that can pass through glazing. Transmittance can be defined for different types of light or energy, e.g., visible light transmittance, UV transmittance, or total solar energy transmittance

Transom window

The window sash located above a door. Also called transom light

U

U-factor (U-value)

A measure of the rate of non-solar heat loss or gain through a material or assembly. It is expressed in units of Btu/ hr-sq ft-°F (US) or W/sq m-°K (European metric). Values are normally given for NFRC/ASHRE winter conditions of 0° F (18° C) outdoor temperature, 70° F (21° C) indoor temperature, 15 mph wind, and no solar load. The U-factor may be expressed for the glass alone or the entire window, which includes the effect of the frame and the spacer materials. The lower the U-factor, the greater a window's resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating value. To convert the U-factor from US (imperial/IP) to European (metric/SI), multiply the imperial number by 5.678. For example, If U=0.35 Btu/hr-sq ft-°F in imperial units, then 0.35*5.678 = 1.9873. The U-factor in metric units will be 1.9873 W/sq m-°K

Ultraviolet light (UV)

The invisible rays of the spectrum that are outside of the visible spectrum at its short-wavelength violet end. Ultraviolet rays are found in everyday sunlight and can cause fading of paint finishes, carpets, and fabrics

V

Ventilation

To let fresh air into a room, building etc

W

Warm-edge technology

The use of a low-conductance spacer bar to reduce heat transfer near the edge of insulated glazing

Weather stripping

A strip of resilient material used for covering the joint between the window sash and frame in order to reduce air leaks and prevent water from entering the structure

Window

A glazed opening in an external wall of a building; an entire unit consisting of a frame sash and glazing, and any operable elements

Window hardware

Various devices and mechanisms for the window including catches, fasteners and locks, hinges, pivots, lifts and pulls, pulleys and sash weights, sash balances, and stays