Choosing windows for a home or apartment during construction or renovation is one of the most crucial decisions owners can make. They strongly impact heating costs, ventilation and – both – thermal and acoustic insulation. Read about common window-choosing mistakes and how to avoid them.

Why Window Choice is Important?

Windows type and construction are strongly connected with their functional properties. What should you consider when comparing different products:

• heat transfer coefficient – lower h parameter means less heat energy is transferred from inside the building to the outside meaning lower bills,
• acoustic comfort – due to acoustic foils, asymmetric glasses, space filled with gas like argon or krypton windows isolate from outside noise,
• solid materials – PVC or aluminum are especially important due to high durability and easy maintenance.

Wrongly chosen windows can cause problems for years. Do you want to use modern, solid technologies in your home or apartment? Check out OKNOPLAST wide range of products.

Typical 7 Window Choosing Mistakes

Buying windows is not an easy thing and any mistake will cost you a lot in the future. High bills for heating, noisy interior, weak construction or burdensome maintenance are just a few to mention. What problems should you be aware of?

Mistake #1 – Ignoring Heat Transfer Coefficient

Plenty of buyers entirely ignore the h parameter. The lower it is, the better the home will keep heat energy inside. It means lower bills for heating, especially during the fall and winter season. Remember that the h parameter is something that cannot be changed. Even if you insulate the building but leave alone windows with a high heat transfer coefficient, they’ll act as thermal bridges (or cold bridges).

Mistake #2 – Wrong Glazing Package

A glazing package is the complete assembly of glass panes, spacers, and sealing agents installed within a window or door frame to provide thermal insulation, sound reduction, and safety. Its parameters are vastly important, since the glazing package can make up even 80% of the whole window. Less expensive products:

• have double-glassed package instead of a triple-glassed,
• lack of low-emission coating,
• lack of inert gases in the space between the panes.

Mistake #3 – Mismatch of windows to the Home Localization

There are no perfect windows, since many factors influence how the joinery parameters should be. If you’re living in a busy environment, good acoustic insulation is especially important. Triple-glassed glazing packages are vital in passive homes, which should have zero net energy emission. When you’re living in an apartment complex, double-glazed packages can sometimes be enough.

Mistake #4 – Lack of Air Vents or Proper Ventilation

Modern windows are extremely airtight. While it helps with thermal insulation, weak air exchange can cause severe ventilation problems. Lack of air circulation leads to increased humidity in the air, panes fogging and possibly mold development around the edges of the window and on the ceiling near the patio or balcony door.

To avoid these problems make sure windows have air vents installed. You can also invest in a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system (MVHR). It’s much more precise and efficient than gravity ventilation.

Mistake #5 – Incorrect Installation

Even the most expensive windows won’t insulate your home or apartment properly if they are wrongly installed. Typical faults can cause air or humidity leaks, thermal bridges, drafts, window adjustment problems, instability of the whole construction. Always make sure windows are installed by the professionals.

Mistake #6 – Lack of Regular Maintenance

Most renowned window manufacturers advertise their products as lasting for several dozen years. Basically that’s true, but only when they’re regularly and properly taken care of. Remember to lubricate the mechanisms with grease, cleaning seals, adjusting fittings. Once or twice per year it’s good to run a closer technical inspection.

Mistake #7 – Installing the Same Type of Joinery in Every Window

Most house designs include the same type of window in every room. Take into consideration that well-planned window size and placement should combine aesthetics with functionality, ensuring comfort at any time of day. This way space is brighter and seems more spacious.

How to Choose Windows Resistance Class?

Never forget about safety features. Windows are one of the key points burglars target, so make sure they’re durable and safe. United States regulations generally follow Europe Resistance Class. The minimal reasonable level of protection is RC2, however consider buying RC3 or even RC4 if you’re living in an isolated area. The lowest RC1 level protects against casual force such as pushing or kicking but won’t stand up to electric-tool usage.

If you have doubts about windows parameters, their installation or maintenance, always consult experts. Acting on your own may be risky, since mechanisms are easy to damage. Always buy cleaning products and greases designed for windows.