Combination windows - improved designs for any project

The configuration of plastic windows is a set of characteristics. It includes the shape and types, sizes, number of doors and methods of opening them. If glazing is necessary, property owners are faced with several questions:

• how to choose the right number of sashes;
• how to choose an opening mechanism;
• what shape and exact size are optimal for a particular room.

The answers to them were prepared by Kaleva experts.

Number of sashes

A sash is a separate cell of a double-glazed window, separated from the adjacent window profile. In most cases, their number depends on the width of the window opening (the wider, the more sashes). The most common types of windows are:

• Single leaf. The most economical option. It can be open or non-opening (deaf). The latter are most often installed in corridors, boiler rooms, on staircases, and attic floors.

Plastic window with two sashes Source okna-biz.ru

• Double leaf. One of the most popular options. The scope of application of such structures extends everywhere: from private households and cottages to multi-storey buildings for residential or commercial purposes. They are installed in openings whose width exceeds 90 cm. They have 2 double-glazed windows with one or two opening ones. To strengthen the structure, a separating vertical profile is installed between the packages.

Plastic window with three sashes Source s15.dibi.ru/izhevsk

• Tricuspid. A variant of a plastic window with three sashes. It is mounted in large window bays of voluminous living rooms, spacious halls, and offices.

Can be executed in different versions:

• With two outer opening double-glazed windows.
• With one middle one.
• With all three.

Due to the complexity of manufacturing (installation of a larger number of shut-off valve elements), the latter are among the most expensive in their class. They are much less common than the first options. The most common ones are with one blind double-glazed window located in the middle of the structure.

Seven-leaf plastic arched window Source window-ramenskoye.rf

Interesting! Plastic windows are made to order, according to the individual dimensions of the consumer. The number of sashes can be large, as well as their location: vertically, parallel to each other or horizontally, one above the other.

Types of glass

For the manufacture of double-glazed windows, float glass, tempered glass or triplex are used. In some cases, reinforced glass is used in windows.

To obtain a double-glazed window with the specified characteristics, glass of different thicknesses and types, various coatings on the glass surface, and films can be used.

Float glass

Float glass (from the English float - to float) is made by pouring molten glass onto the surface of a molten low-melting metal, for example, tin. This method allows us to obtain high quality glass with uniform thickness, smooth surface and good light transmission.

In most cases, the strength of 4mm glass is sufficient. Greater strength may be required for large glass units. Thick glass absorbs sound better, which can be useful in a noisy area. For windows on the upper floors of high-rise buildings, thicker glass is also preferable - they better withstand wind loads.

Shockproof glass

When ordinary glass is heated to a certain temperature and then quickly cooled in a flow of cold air, residual mechanical stresses arise in it at the micro level, which give it new properties. Glass strengthened in this way is called tempered. It is stronger than usual, resists impact better, and when broken, it crumbles into small fragments that cannot cause serious injury to a person.

Triplex is made of two thin glasses, between which a film is glued. It is much stronger than ordinary glass and absorbs sound waves better. Thanks to the film, broken triplex does not crumble into fragments, which makes such glass especially safe. If you need the most durable window with high burglary resistance, order a triplex glass unit for it.

Glass with special coating

To give glass special properties, special films or spraying are used:

• To protect from excess sun, tinting films are applied to the surface of the glass or it is painted in bulk;

• a reflective mirror layer will hide your room from prying eyes;
• a dirt-repellent coating will reduce the need for frequent window cleaning - this option is in demand for windows on the upper floors of high-rise buildings;
• spraying a thin layer of metal creates a surface that reflects thermal infrared rays - such a double-glazed window is highly energy efficient and can significantly reduce heating costs;
• films with patterns allow you to turn glass into stained glass.

Opening technology

A significant amount of the cost of the entire plastic window falls on shutoff valves: locking mechanisms, hinges, handles. Manufacturers offer several options, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Non-opening plastic window Source spb-okna.su

Deaf. The most economical and inconvenient to use. It does not open, which is where all the main shortcomings arise: problems with washing and ventilation of the room. The advantage (except for the price) of the model is that it is characterized by maximum reliability. There are no complex opening mechanisms, which means there is nothing to break.

Pivot-type plastic window Source obustroeno.com

Certification.

The production and installation of plastic windows must be certified. First of all, check with the sellers for the availability of the DIN EN ISO 9001 certificate. This is a quality control system designed to ensure the stability of the properties of the products at a given level, as well as continuous improvement of the product. Therefore, all consumers, whether individuals or large companies, need to pay close attention to its availability from the manufacturer. The RAL certificate states that the declared product meets certain physical and mechanical properties, and the DIN EN ISO 9001 certificate states that the stability of these properties is controlled during the production process.

Destination

Gazebo with plastic windows Source st44.stpulscen.ru
The concept of “heat and cold” among window makers means a model that should have good thermal insulation properties and separate the street (with its negative temperatures) from the living space. In the understanding of most of us, plastic windows are installed precisely according to the latter scheme. The fact that they can be used indoors is something we often overlook. For example, a window in the boss’s office in an office, a factory workshop, or a summer gazebo.

Such models are called “cold-cold” or “heat-heat”, because they are installed in places where there is no sharp temperature difference on different sides of the glass unit. The design of such models is the most simplified, which is reflected in the low price.

Reliability

The profile and fittings are responsible for the reliability of plastic windows. Opening or breaking the window frame is problematic. Steel fittings lock the window, the profile is adjusted to tightly fit the sashes so that a crowbar cannot get through.

A double-glazed window is also a weak point in terms of reliability. For retail and commercial premises, it is worth taking a closer look at strengthened glass - tempered, armored.

Strength, accuracy, integrity are mandatory characteristics. A frankly shoddy product with uneven corners and sloppy seams at the joints will certainly turn out to be cold, damp, and excessive noise will seep through it like water through a sieve.

Profile difference

An example of a five and three chamber window Source sp-kazan.com
The structure of the profile plays one of the key roles in the cost and performance characteristics of a plastic window. The main material here is PVC (polyvinyl chloride). It is made by melting raw materials and pressing out a product of complex configuration. Then a square profiled pipe is inserted inside and sealing occurs.

The result of the operations is a rectangular beam, inside of which there can be from 3 to 7 longitudinal cavities isolated from each other. It is due to this that the effect of good thermal insulation, which is not characteristic of PVC in its original form, is achieved.

Thus, the answer to the question: what types of plastic windows are there, taking into account the difference in profile, is as follows:

• Three- or four-chamber – used according to the previously described principle of “heat-heat”, “cold-cold”.
• Five-chamber ones are the most common for Moscow and the region.
• Six- and seven-chamber ones do not provide a strong effect in thermal insulation, but they are more expensive and weighty. It is more advisable to install a five-chamber profile with a wider double-glazed window, the differences in which we will discuss below.

Symbols of technical characteristics of PVC windows

The technical characteristics of a plastic profile can be easily read by its markings. It consists of a numerator and a denominator. For clarity, consider their position and interpretation in the tables below:

Numerator symbol set

Denominator symbol set

Thermal insulation

Heat leaves the room through windows and ventilation systems. A high-quality window unit reduces heat loss and reduces heating bills - it retains heat.

Glass is a weak point. The high thermal conductivity of the translucent material is compensated by a gas layer between the glass sheets - the glass unit chamber. Inert gas or air in the chamber reduces the cooling rate of glass by 2 times or more.

The PVC window profile does not allow the cold to pass through. The hollow structure is divided into cells - profile chambers; in a window block for a residential premises, according to SanPiN, there must be at least three of them. The “winter” profile is protected more thoroughly; in addition to gas chambers, the window frame contains layers of insulation. Frost-resistant windows with four and five chambers (like REHAU Thermo) will provide less heat loss, but they are not advisable to buy in regions with an average annual temperature above −5 °C.

Heat transfer resistance is one of the main characteristics of plastic windows.

Soundproofing

Gas chambers of double-glazed windows and window profiles protect from cold and noise. The nightly wailing of car alarms and the hubbub of cheerful groups interferes with sleep and work, and spoils the mood. A single-chamber double-glazed window will reduce the noise level from the street by 30-35 dB, a double-chamber one - by 32-40 dB. The noise of a passing car is 70 dB, a whisper is 40 dB, sounds outside the window will be heard no louder than a whisper.

For especially noisy places - an office in the center of a metropolis - window units are made with enhanced sound insulation. For this task, they use the quietest profile in the line of the German manufacturer REHAU Intelio 80. Sound waves are damped by different depths of the glass unit chambers. Below are the parameters of plastic windows, which show their level of sound insulation.

Classification by type of double-glazed windows

Types of plastic windows, differing in the type of glass unit, are considered the most numerous. The division here occurs according to several criteria: the number of chambers, the type of gas pumped between the glasses, multifunctional purpose.

Counting cameras

The meaning of a double-glazed window is hermetically connected, but not touching, sheets of glass located in parallel, at a distance of 1-3 cm (depending on the design features of the window) from each other.

Single-chamber double-glazed plastic window Source srbu.ru

Determining the configuration of a plastic window

One of the main advantages of plastic windows is the ability to produce and install structures of any configuration - rectangular, arched, round, bay windows. Of course, window slopes that have a complex shape require a competent, professional approach to finishing. The appearance, functionality and durability of not only the slopes, but also the windows themselves will depend on this.

Window configuration - dividing the window into a certain number of modules: blind, opening vertically and horizontally. That is, the configuration of a plastic PVC window means how the window will be divided into sashes and how many of them will open). In essence, this is a way to open a window.

The price of a window depends on the size of the blind part - the larger the blind part, the cheaper the window. A larger window size allows you to reduce the price per square meter, and if the windows are small, then the price per square meter increases significantly.

If we are talking about a balcony where it is necessary to use several window blocks, we must take into account the use of connecting profiles, which can significantly affect the final cost of the product.

If the windows face the sunny side, you can order tinted double-glazed windows.

Before ordering a window, it is best to call the maximum number of companies offering windows. In this case, it is necessary to clearly indicate the size and configuration of the window. If window company specialists offer an alternative configuration, you should not refuse; you need to find out the prices for it and for the one you chose. All this will allow you to save money. If the price is indicated in USD, do not forget to check the exchange rate.

Designs and components of combined windows

Combined windows can be single or double frame. Moreover, in the second case, the binding can be divided or paired. The vast majority of modifications of combined windows are equipped with sealed single- or double-glazed windows (sometimes in combination with single glazing) and multifunctional fittings that can provide various ways of opening the sashes. Single-frame models are in fairly high demand, as they are practical and easy to use. But double-frame structures are distinguished by excellent noise and heat insulation characteristics.

Double-frame models with split sash (Finnish windows) have increased weight. In addition, the doors of these models can only swing open in one plane, since multifunctional fittings have not yet been created for them, providing a tilt-and-turn opening method.