Your Home and Your Windows

YOUR HOME AND YOUR WINDOWS
PART ONE
Your Living Room

YOUR LIVING ROOM
A living room is typically where homeowners
receive or entertain their guests.This room often
doubles as the family room or as a lounging area
where the family watches TV; reads books, the
dailies, or magazines; or simply spends time
together. Often found in the front part of the
home, a living room is expected to provide you
with exceptional views of the outdoors, which is
also why this area serves as the focal point from
within the home. From the outside, living room
windows can easily define a homeowner’s style;
make sure to pick your window styles to enhance
your home’s curb appeal and overall value – but
don’t forget to also consider elements such as
daylighting and ventilation that could affect their
overall function. These are some of the best
styles to consider:
■■ FIXED. Also called picture
windows, fixed windows
grace many living rooms in
the US – and for many good
reasons. For one thing, a
picture window’s design
allows for expansive views
of the outdoors – and
floods your living spaces
with natural light. When
combinedwithanoperating
window (a window that
can be opened), picture
windows can tot up natural
ventilation points for your
home, too.

YOUR LIVING ROOM
■■ SLIDING OR DOUBLE-HUNG. Sliding windows open
from side to side, while double-hung windows
open from top to bottom.Since these windows
come with an operable sash, they are better
at admitting natural light and ventilation than
picture windows. Placing them strategically
can help you harness their full functionality.
■■ AWNING OR CASEMENT.
Awning windows are
hinged at the top;
casement windows
are hinged at the
sides. Also operable,
these windows can
help keep energy
costs in check.
Casement windows,
however, can provide
more ventilation
since they can be
opened fully.

YOUR LIVING ROOM
■■ BOW & BAY. Bow & bay windows are combination
windows that project from a building. Using
energy efficient styles for side panels (such as
double hung or casement), these units are great
for lending that special touch to your home while
still managing to give your home passive energy
elements.
Your choice of window treatments for your living
room windows can also help you better manage your
window unit’s daylighting and ventilation, as well as
aesthetics. Shutters, for instance, can block out the
glare on hot summer days without compromising
ventilation. The right curtains can also play up the
architecture inside your home, or draw focus to a
particular piece that demands attention.
According to the International Code Council, glazing
must comprise eight percent of any habitable area,
such as your living room – and at least one window
of approved sizing must be installed. For ventilation,
every habitable space must have at least one window
that opens.The total surface area of the open window
must be equal to at least 45 percent of the minimal
required surface area for glazing.
What about the bedroom? Which windows are best
suited to a space that protects our privacy? We
discuss that in the second part of our e-book. Stay
tuned!

PART TWO
Your Bedroom
In the first part of this e-book, we covered the best kinds of windows
for the living room, as well as the required glazing and ventilation
values for that habitable space. Now, let’s take it to the bedroom.
In the first part of this e-book, we covered the best kinds of windows
for the living room, as well as the required glazing and ventilation
values for that habitable space. Now, let’s take it to the bedroom.

YOUR BEDROOM
Bedrooms are our private spaces, which means
they must be kept well away from prying eyes,
but still look nice, given that they’re our personal
sanctuaries. Just about any style works for
bedroom windows, with the most popular being
awning and casement. Choosing windows for
your bedroom, however, should not only hinge
upon which styles or treatments will protect you
from prying eyes.
The International Residential Building Code
requires that an egress window be installed in
any room used for sleeping.An egress window is
a window that provides a means of exit from the
home, in case of emergency situations. These
are the required values by the IRBC:
■■ Minimum sill height above floor: 44 inches
■■ Minimum net clear opening: 5.7 square feet
(Exception: grade level windows may have
openings of 5 square feet
■■ Minimum net clear opening height: 24 inches
■■ Minimum net clear opening width: 20 inches
20 inches
24 inches
44 inches

YOUR BEDROOM
These values may change, depending on where
you live. As such, it is important to do your research
prior to installing a window unit. Basements used for
sleeping should also have egress windows. If you
have a bedroom and a basement bedroom, you’ll
need two egress windows.
In addition, window openings must be operable
without the use of tools or keys.You may opt to install
bars or grilles over the windows, but they must also
be easily operable.
WHAT IF YOUR HOME WAS BUILT BEFORE EGRESS
WINDOWS WERE REQUIRED?
Rooms in older homes that have recently been
converted for use as bedrooms will need to comply
with egress regulations. While compliance is sure
to cost time and money, the danger of not having
accessible exits in rooms where you and your family
sleep can, ultimately, cost you more. The cost may
not be in simple monetary terms, but you’ll agree
that it just won’t be worth risking life and limb to save
a few dollars and not put those egress windows in.
Talk to a professional contractor to plan a retrofit or a
new installation that meets building requirements, to
better ensure your safety.
Now, how about utility spaces like the bathroom and
the laundry room? How do we compromise between
the need for light and the need for privacy? Find out
in the final installment of our e-book.

PART THREE
Your Utility Rooms
We’ve covered windows for living rooms and windows for bedrooms.
Today,tocapoffthise-book,let’sexploretipsandsuggestionsonhow
to make the most out of windows in bathrooms and laundry rooms.
We’ve covered windows for living rooms and windows for bedrooms.
Today,tocapoffthise-book,let’sexploretipsandsuggestionsonhow
to make the most out of windows in bathrooms and laundry rooms.

YOUR UTILITY ROOMS
Bathrooms and laundry areas are important to
the overall functionality of the home, and so are
their windows. Cramped spaces usually require
light, but your bathroom should also be well-
shaded. Consider these window accessories to
bridge the gap between comfort and security.
■■ WOODEN BLINDS. They let in light while still
keeping anyone from peering in and seeing
inside.They also go well with almost anything.
■■ WINDOW FILM. Stylish and modern, window
film is available in various options to add value
to your bathroom’s aesthetics, while granting
you the privacy that you need. Some types of
window films are also especially engineered
to help reduce energy consumption.

YOUR UTILITY ROOMS
■■ GLASS BLOCKS. Also rising in popularity,
these panes obscure views of your home’s
interiors from prying eyes. They are also
ideal for letting in natural light, with some
models manufactured for enhanced energy
performance.
■■ CAFÉ CURTAINS. Café curtains cover up the
bottom half of the window, without sacrificing
the available upper space, which is useful for
daylighting.

YOUR UTILITY ROOMS
Where you choose to install your windows can
also affect how secure you’ll be able to keep
your bathroom. Window units installed higher,
for instance, combine the benefits of keeping
out intruding eyes with the benefits of passive
daylighting and ventilation. Just make sure that
you orient your windows with the position of the
sun in mind, so that you reduce glare as well as
unwanted heat transfer and accumulation.
Laundry rooms, on the other hand, do not really
require windows. But if you want to install one,
mind these tips.
■■ MULTI-FUNCTIONAL SPACE. You can install a shelf
above the window to make more storage
space.
■■ VENTILATION IS KEY. Daylighting is always good,
but on hot summer days, you may want a
breeze. Casement windows are best for this
purpose, but they take up a lot of space. If you
are working with a limited surface area, try
hoppers or awnings.
■■ BE SMART. Some dryers can be connected to
vents from outside, and a window is useful
for such a purpose. During summer, you can
close the door of the laundry room and just let
the natural ventilation from the window assist
with the drying – this way, you can also curb
air conditioning costs.

YOUR UTILITY ROOMS
(631) 247-9597
www.DialOneWindows.com
DIAL ONE WINDOWS
23052-F Lake Forest Drive Laguna Hills, California 92653
Corporate Office 23230 Del Lago Drive Laguna Hills, CA 92653

Your Home and Your Windows

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Your Home and Your Windows