The glossary
below will help you understand the terminology used by professionals
and others, regarding windows, glass, architecture and energy efficiency.
Click on one of the Letters below to go and view that section of the glossary.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Agrement Certification – A quality
certificate given to products complying with the requirements of
Building Regs 1991, where each item is manufactured to the
highest standard and conforms to every possible statutory
requirement.
Architrave – The molded frame or ornament surrounding a window, door or other rectangular opening.
B
Bay Window – Windows that project out from the wall and extend to the ground. An Angle Bay Window refers to the angle departure from the plane of the wall. See also Bow Window.
Bevelled Glass– A float glass with
bevels (raised pieces of glass) attached for decorative effect.
Bog Oak– PVCu windows with an almost
black wood appearance
Bow Window – (Compass Window) – (Radial Bay Window) – A rounded bay window that projects from the wall in the shape of an arc; commonly consisting of five sash. See also Bay Window.
C
Casement Window – A standard window
with either top or side hung openings or fixed panes, or any combination of these.
Celsius – A centigrade scale of temperature measurement based on 0° as the freezing point and 100° as the boiling point of water. Abbreviated °C.
Classic Oak – Also know as Cherrywood.
PVCu with a light oak finish.
Coated Glass – A window glass with
an outside surface provided with a mirror reflective surface;
the shading coefficient ranges from 20% to 45%.
Commercial Standard – A voluntary set
of rules and regulations covering quality of product (or installation),
method of testing, rating of the product, certification, and
labelling of manufactured products.
Condensation – The deposit of water vapour from the air on any cold surface whose temperature is below the dew point, such as a window glass or frame that is exposed to cold outdoor air. See Dew Point Temperature.
Convection – See Natural Convection and Forced Convection. A heat transfer process resulting from the circulation or movement of fluids, such as air.
Crystal Cut – A V-cut into 6mm glass It
can be cut diagonally to give a diamond effect or it can be cut in rectangles.
D
Dessicant – A drying agent, such as silica gel, used by some manufacturers between the panes of insulating glass to prevent fogging between the panes.
Dew Point Temperature
– The temperature of the air at which the water vapour
in the air starts to condense in the form of liquid or as
frost.
Double doors –
Also known as french doors. It is a pair of hinged doors locked
in the centre, which can be outward or inward opening.
Double-Hung Window – Window with two vertically moving sashes, each closing a different part of the window. Better know as up and down sliders.
E
Emergency Exit Window – (Egress Window) – Fire escape window; large enough for a person to climb out; each bedroom should have a fire escape window.
F
Fahrenheit – A temperature scale based on 32° as the freezing point and 212° as the boiling point of water at sea level. Abbreviated °F.
Fanlight - (Sunburst
Light) - (Fan Window) - (Circle-Top Transom) - A half-circle
window over a door or window, with radiating bars.
Fasteners – Devices for jointing two parts together, such as screws, nails and bolts.
Fenestration – The placement of window openings in a building wall; one of the important elements in controlling the exterior appearance of a building.
Fire-Escape Window – (Emergency Exit Window) – Window which opens onto fire escape; window designed for emergency exit.
Fixed Light – (Fixed window) –
Window which is non-operative (does not open).
Flashing – Sheet metal provided for drainage of water and to prevent water penetration into building.
Flat Glass –
(Window Glass) – (Plate Glass) – (Float Glass) –
Glass sold in flat sheets and named according to the method
used in its manufacture.
Float Glass – Smooth glass formed on the top of molten tin surface; a flat glass sheer.
Forced Convection - A heat transfer process, aided by mechanical circulation of a liquid (such as water) or a gas (such as air). This applies to natural wind flow over a window.
G
Georgian windows - Casement windows with
georgian bar running throughout. The bar is inside the sealed
unit + matches the colour of the PVCu frame.
Glass - An elastic transparent material
composed of silica (sand), soda (sodium carbonate), and lime
(calcium carbonate) with small quantities of aluminum, boric,
or magnesia oxides. See Flat Glass.
Glazing - The installation of glass in a
window opening.
Glazing Bead - (Glass Stop) - (Wood Stop) - (Sill Bead) - A removable trim that holds the glass in place.
H
Head - The top or upper member of any element or structure; in windows, it refers to the top of the frame, as in Round Head Window. See Head Jamb.
Head Jamb - (Head) - All of the horizontal members at the top of the window frame.
Header - (Lintel) -
(Beam) - Supporting member or beam above window opening which
transfers building weight above to the supporting wall structure
on each side of the window.
Heat-Absorbing
Glass - (Tinted Glass) - Window glass containing
chemicals (with gray, bronze, blue-green tint) which absorb
light and heat radiation, and reduce glare and brightness.
Heat Transfer
Coefficient - (U-value) - A value indicating the
rate of heat flow through a building construction.
Hinge - A movable joint enabling a window to swing open.
I
Infiltration - Leakage of outdoor air into a house, such as through cracks around sash or window frame.
Insect Screen - (Window Screen) - (Screen) – Woven mesh of metal, plastic, or fiberglass stretched over a window opening to permit air to pass through, but not insects.
Insulating Glass - Double- or triple-glazing
with an enclosed, dehydrated, and hermetically sealed air
space between the panes.
Insulated Window – A window with multiple glazing that provides one or more air spaces between layers of glazing.
J
Jamb - A vertical member at the side of the window frame; also refers to the horizontal member at the top of the window frame, as in Head Jamb and Window Jamb.
Jamb - All of the vertical members at the side of the window frame.
Jamb Depth - Width of the window frame from inside to outside.
K
No words in this glossary begin with the letter K
L
Lintel - Horizontal member (wood, steel, or stone) over a window opening to support the weight of the wall above (See also Header).
Lock - A fastening device in which a bolt is secured and can be operated by a key. Commonly used to refer to Latches or Catches.
Low Emissivity Coating (Low-e) - Coating for glass surfaces which reflect radiant heat energy rather than allowing that energy to radiate through the glass surface. The lower the emissivity of the glass the lower the heat transfer coefficient. K-glass is an example.
M
Mitre Joint - Two members joined at an angle, commonly 45 degrees.
Moisture Barrier - (Vapour Barrier) - A material which retards the passage of water vapour from one space to another. Polyethylene sheet is commonly used as a vapor retarder.
Moisture Content - Percentage of dry weight of material which is composed of water, such as in wood.
Mullion - Vertical member between window units. As known as transom
N
Natural Convection - A heat transfer process involving motion in a fluid (such as air) caused by difference in density of the fluid and the action of gravity. This is an important part of heat transfer from the glass surface to room air. See Forced Convection.
O
Obscure Glass - (Visionproof Glass) - Any textured glass (frosted, etched, fluted, ground, etc.) used for privacy, light diffusion, or decorative effects.
Orientation - The placement of a room, window, or building with respect to sun, wind, earth, access, or view (See also Solar Orientation).
P
Pane - A sheet of glass for glazing a window
Patterned Glass - One or both surfaces of
glass with a rolled design; used for privacy, light diffusion
and decoration.
Percentage Humidity - Weight of water vapour in air, divided by weight of vapour contained in saturated air, expressed as a percentage.
Picture Window - Large fixed windows; introduced in the 1940's. Large fixed windows so not incorporate any transoms do not obstruct views.
Plastics - Artificial substances made of organic polymers that can be extruded or molded into various shapes, some of which have been adapted to windows. The material is commonly stiffer than rubber.
PVC -Poly Vinyl Chloride(unplasticised). An extruded or molded plastic material used for window framing and as a thermal barrier for aluminum windows.
Q
No words in this glossary begin with the letter Q.
R
Radiation - The transmission of energy through space without heating the air between, as in Solar Radiation.
Relative Humidity - Weight of water vapour in air, divided by the weight of water vapour in completely saturated air at the same temperature, expressed as a percentage.
R-Value - (Thermal Resistance) A measure of resistance to heat flow of a material or construction a higher value indicates a better heat insulating property. The R-value of an ordinary single-pane sash with a 15 mph wind on one side is about 0.9.
S
Safety Glass - A strengthened or reinforced
glass, that is less subject to breakage or splintering, such
as glass used in all doors and low-level glazing. Safety glass is used in compliance with Building Regulations.
Sash - (Window Sash) - The opening part
of a window
Sash and Frame – A window and its casing frame.
Screen - Wire Cloth - A close-mesh woven screening material of metal, plastic, or fiberglass for a window screen, to block the entry of insects but permit light, air, and vision through the screen.
Sealant - A compressible
plastic material used to seal any opening or junction of two
parts.
Sealed Double Unit - Two panes separated
by a sealed space. See also Insulating
Glass.
Sentinel Doors - Exceptionally solid steel
re-inforced wood effect doors, available in a wide range of
colours
Shatter-Proof Glass - (Laminated Glass) - Two sheets of glass with a transparent plastic sheet sandwiched between to form a pane resistant to shattering.
Side Light - (Margin Light) - A fixed often narrow glass window next to a door opening (or window).
Silicone - (Silicone Sealer) - An enduring sealing agent that resists water. See Sealant.
Sill - (Sill Plate) - (Inside Sill) - (Outside Sill) - The horizontal members at the bottom of the window frame; a masonry sill or sub-sill can be below the sill of the window unit.
Sling Psychrometer – A measuring instrument with two thermometers(dry-bulb and wet-bulb) used for determining the dewpoint and relative humidity of air; its relation to windows is ascertaining the point at which moisture will condense on the inside surface of the glass.
Solar Heat Gain - Heat from solar radiation that enters a building.
Solar Orientation - A building placed on a lot so that the long dimension faces south and a majority of the windows are south-facing.
Spacer - The linear object that separates and maintains the space between the glass surfaces of insulating glass.
Spring Bolt - A fastener for holding the sash in a fixed location by means of a spring-loaded bolt in the stile entering a hole in the jamb.
Stained Glass Window - A window with a painted
scene or pattern. Windows with plain coloured glass set in
lead are also called stained glass.
Stationary Sash - A fixed sash; also referred to as a picture, studio, vista, or view sash.
T
Therm - In technical usage, the term is a convenient measure of heating value, namely 100,000 Btu. One therm is roughly equivalent to the heating value of 100 cubic feet of natural (methane) gas.
Thermal Conduction - Heat transfer through a material by contact of one molecule to the next. Heat flows from a high temperature area to one of lower temperature.
Thermal Insulation - A material that resists heat flow. Material having a high R-value.
Thermal Resistance - (R-value) - A property of a substance or construction which retards the flow of heat; one measure of this property is R-value. See Heat Transfer Coefficient.
Tilt & Turn Windows- Window that
can tilt inwards for ventilation & also opens fully outwards
for extra ventialtion, cleaning & fire escape.
Tinted Glass - See Heat-Absorbing
Glass.
Transom - (Transom Bar) - A horizontal member separating a door from a window panel above the door, or separating one window above another.
Triple Glazing - Three panes of glass with
two air spaces between.
U
Ultra-violet Radiation - Extremely short wave length invisible radiation, which is a component of solar radiation, and merges into the visible spectrum; attributed as a source of skin sunburn and colour fading of draperies and carpeting.
V
Vapour Barrier - (Vapour Retarder) - A membrane
or coating which resists passage of water vapor from a region
of high vapour pressure to low pressure, more accurately called
a Vapour Retarder.
Vertical Sliding Window - One or more sashes that move in a vertical direction.
Visible Spectrum - That portion of the total radiation that is visible to the human eye and which lies between the ultra-violet and the infra-red portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The colours associated with the visible spectrum range from violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, through red.
W
Weatherstrip - A strip of resilient material for covering the joint between the window sash and frame in order to reduce air leaks and prevent water from entering the structure.
Weathertight - Sealed to prevent entry of air and precipitation into the structure.
Weephole - Small holes drilled along the
bottom edge of windows to permit moisture condensation or
wind-driven rain to drain away from the sill to the outdoors.
Window – A glazed opening in an external wall; an entire unit consisting of a frame, sash and glazing, and any operable elements.
Window Frame – The fixed frame of a window, which holds the sash or casement as well as hardware.
Window Hardware – Various devices and mechanisms for the window including: catches, cords and chains, fasteners and locks, hinges and pivots, lifts and pulls, pulleys and sash weights, sash balances, and stays.
Window Unit – A complete window with sash and frame.
Wind Pressure – The pressure produced by stopping the wind velocity; the main cause of air infiltration.
XYZ
There are no words in this glossary which begin with X, Y or Z.
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© 2002 Senator Windows Ltd.