Which Style Is Right For Your Home? Every opening has special functionality considerations such as air and light infiltration. A specialized contractor will walk you through prioritizing your needs. When installed properly, any style will serve your needs without hassles.

Replacement windows are custom-made to order, which allows you to mix and match styles and options to tailor windows perfectly for each room of your home. To illustrate, you might choose single hung windows for the front of your home and casement or horizontal roller windows in the bedrooms to assure egress in case of emergencies.

All styles are available with impact resistant frames and glass. There are also a variety of glass color, obscurity, insulation, Low-E and grid patterns available. Each opening might have a specific need such as filtering heat gain from intense afternoon sun in one area of the house.

Single Hung Windows

Single hung windows are a classic style that allows the bottom sash to move up and down within the frame. The top half of the window is fixed. A bottom tilt in sash is available. This traditional style is a popular choice among replacement windows.

Double Hung Windows

Double hung windows have two operable sashes. The top and bottom sashes move up or down within the frame. The top sash can be opened for ventilation while the bottom sash remains closed.

Double hung sashes slide up and down, up instead of opening out. This can be a distinct advantage for areas that have dense landscaping near the structure. This feature is also beneficial for homes that are built close together such as coach or patio homes that have narrow walkways or limited porch and patio space.

Tilt-out upper and lower sashes are key features of double hung windows. This feature makes cleaning and inspecting weatherproofing strips and repairing caulking very simple and convenient. Some models are offered with completely removable sashes, which offer obvious advantages. Sashes can be easily replaced if damaged, rather than replacing the entire window frame.

Casement Windows

Casement Windows are hinged on either the left or right side and swing out like a door. They are also available in a projected window. Casement windows allow more light to enter the window, while also providing a larger view.

No other window can be opened as far as a casement window. The design allows the sash to open completely away from the frame. This allows for ease of cleaning (washable hinges are available) and full air circulation and ventilation. Casement windows are also harder to break into because of the hook locking mechanism

Awning Windows

Awning windows can be compared to a casement window turned on its side. One or more sashes open from the bottom by means of a crank. Like casements, awning windows provide 100% ventilation when open.

Horizontal Roller Windows

The horizontal roller window presents wide open views and breezes by gliding open with fingertip ease. They come in a large selection of sizes, with optional left or right sliding sashes. One or both of the sashes move sideways on rollers to open the window. Horizontal roller windows are a great option for an area above a sofa, or for bedrooms needing an egress window.

Architectural/picture windows

Fixed lite windows do not open at all, but are designed to provide light and architectural interest where ventilation is not needed. They range from the familiar picture window style to squares, circles, octagons and a variety of other shapes, in virtually any size.

There are many variations of skylights on the market today but the panes used in a skylight can be categorized by two basic types, glass and acrylic. Each material offers advantages as well disadvantages so you have to take these considerations into account when picking the right skylight for your situation.

Sunlight: glass allows in more direct sunlight but acrylic skylights have the ability to take in sunlight from many angles–which results in more overall light entering the room. If your main concern is illuminating a room, then a clear acrylic dome would be best choice. If you are trying to soften the light or to eliminate glare then an acrylic skylight with a bronze or white tint is the best option.

Utility: glass has certain advantages because it can block out noise and will not discolor over time as will an acrylic skylight, but acrylics are easier to clean and will not shatter as easily as glass. In areas with extreme temperature variations acrylic tend to be more suitable since it allows for less energy transfer-this is especially true of the double and triple dome skylights.

Appearance: glass is the easy winner here. Acrylics are not as clear as glass and have a rather “filmy” appearance. Glass, on the other hand, can be clear or colored and can be fabricated to almost any design desired. If having a decorative skylight is very important to you then glass should be your obvious choice.

In general, acrylics tend to be the more practical choice while glass is the more aesthetic choice. Both materials will work equally well for the majority of skylight installations but if you have a specific function in mind for your skylight then choosing the right material can be important.

The wonderful thing about a door awning is that it can be used
for any type door – front door, sliding back door, French door,
etc. Okay, so what are the benefits of a door awning? You
might be surprised by some of the reasons people add an awning
to their home or business. Some benefits are obvious but some
are not. This article will show you why the door awning is such
a great investment.

One of the obvious benefits of adding a door awning to your home
or business has to do with blocking out the sun. If you live in
a hotter region of the country or during an exceptionally hot
summer such as this year, the door awning can shield not only
your door from the hot, UV rays, but also provide an enjoyable
place for you to visit with family and friends without
sweltering. For instance, if you were to purchase a larger door
awning to cover the entire back area of your deck or patio, you
could easily entertain in the shade.

Another benefit to a door awning is protection from the rain.
Again, if you live in Seattle or Portland where it rains often
or you happen to find yourself stuck inside on a rainy day, you
can unroll the door awning and have immediate protection. In
this case, you could set up a nice outdoor picnic lunch for
antsy kids tired of being trapped indoors. The door awning
would allow them a way to get outside without getting wet. Some
people just love watching rainfall so with a door awning, you
could sit outside with a good cup of coffee and enjoy.

A door awning can also be visually pleasing. If you have a
business but the front is plain and unappealing, you could add
an attractive door awning to make your business stand out. For
this, you might consider a bright red fabric awning for a
contemporary or whimsical look. A door awning of taupe and
white stripes would create a look of sophistication and
elegance. However, if you want to go all out, making a real
impression, then consider something made from copper.

In addition to these obvious benefits for a door awning, two
other aspects often overlooked are indoor protection and reduced
utility bills. As we mentioned, a door awning can provide
protection from the hot sun’s rays, which allows you the
opportunity to sit outside on a hot day. However, this type of
protection also means protecting your valuables on the inside.
Because UV rays can cause fading, if the sun shines directly
into your home or business, it can actually cause damage to the
flooring, furniture, artwork, wall paint, and so on. Rather
than have your precious items ruined by fading, a door awning
would eliminate the problem.

Then, we see the price of utilities bills on the rise. If you
are tired of paying high cost for energy consumption, then a
door awning can actually help reduce the amount you pay each
month. During the hot summer, the door awning blocks out the
hot sun, which means the indoors remains cooler. With that, you
can move the thermostat up a tad, thus reducing your air
conditioning bill. The same is true in the wintertime. By
using a door awning, cold wind and drifting snow are reduced or
eliminated. Again, this means you can adjust your thermostat
and save some month each month.

When buying a door awning, it is important that you choose what
you like but also the best material for your particular home or
business. We recommend you choose an awning from a company that
provides a solid warranty should something go wrong. Although
you might pay a little more money for a high quality door
awning, the investment is worth it for all you get in return.

Bifold closet doors are a space saver and allow you access your entire closet. However there are disadvantages with certain types of closet doors. Sliding closet doors will only allow you to open one side at a time whilst closets with hinged doors face problems when any items are placed near and around the outside of the door. By far the most convenient door design is the bifold closet door.

If your room just has a small closet, then you would be better to opt for just one bifold closet door, but if it is wide enough, then you could accommodate two bifold doors on opposite sides. Whilst two doors are not necessary they are definitely more pleasing to the eye and will add a bit of a modern architectural effect to your home. Together with a good paint scheme, it will make the closets blend in with the rest of the wall to make the room feel more unified.

Whether you have a reach-in closet or a large walk-in area closet, a bifold closet door is certainly the ideal choice. If you do decide to have this type of door installed on your closets then it is recommended to have a professional install it for you. Correct installation will ensure optimum performance of the door. Afterwards, the only thing that you should have to do to make sure the door keeps working is to put a little grease or oil in the track to prevent and problems with opening and closing.

Another thing to consider when choosing closet doors is that the type of closet door that you have will effect the space of your room. If you want to conserve space, then ideally you should install bifold closet doors. Not only are they visually pleasing but they drastically cut down on the space that a hinged door takes up in a room.

When faced with the option of which closet doors to purchase, bifold doors are without a doubt the popular choice over sliding doors and hinged doors because they provide the ability to access the entire closet at one time.