Hello.
Our room above the garage should receive more light than the gable currently allows. Since we don’t want to add another dormer, we are considering installing skylight windows instead.
In houses that are not very new, you often see water stains around these windows and hear about sealing issues, which is quite discouraging.
It is also said that sleeping underneath them during rain is difficult because of the noise. Probably the roller shutter also breaks more quickly, for example, during hail.
What are your opinions on this subject? Are these windows reliable and can they last 50 years?
I know most members here are probably building new homes and therefore lack long-term experience, but maybe there are some enlightening comments nonetheless... ;-)
Our room above the garage should receive more light than the gable currently allows. Since we don’t want to add another dormer, we are considering installing skylight windows instead.
In houses that are not very new, you often see water stains around these windows and hear about sealing issues, which is quite discouraging.
It is also said that sleeping underneath them during rain is difficult because of the noise. Probably the roller shutter also breaks more quickly, for example, during hail.
What are your opinions on this subject? Are these windows reliable and can they last 50 years?
I know most members here are probably building new homes and therefore lack long-term experience, but maybe there are some enlightening comments nonetheless... ;-)
I don’t fully agree with @Climbee.
Primarily, we are talking about a spare room/playroom that will have a larger window installed in the gable.
There might be a partition added at some point. I recall your initial house plan having many rooms for various contingencies 😉
Well, you can always divide the space later, and some natural light in the front area of the entire room is definitely beneficial.
A roof window does what it is supposed to do: it provides light, keeps the weather out, and can be opened for ventilation if needed.
Whether the window cleans itself depends on the roof pitch, which I don’t recall for your house.
I also assume that this anteroom or front area is not in constant use and that there is no need for uncontrolled ventilation that would allow rain to enter.
What else are we actually discussing here?
Any type of window can let rain in if it is open.
The cost of a dormer is disproportionate to the planned benefit. It’s even uncertain whether this room will ever be separated, or if there will be a bed in there.
From my childhood experience: great for stargazing, and when it rains, it creates special tapping sounds that remind you of camping trips.
My parents still have these windows from 1978: the wood frame shows water stains because back then we had to use these windows fully for ventilation. I believe a carpenter has serviced them at some point after more than 30 years. But they are still there—they still provide light and keep the weather outside.
What more could you want?
Primarily, we are talking about a spare room/playroom that will have a larger window installed in the gable.
There might be a partition added at some point. I recall your initial house plan having many rooms for various contingencies 😉
Well, you can always divide the space later, and some natural light in the front area of the entire room is definitely beneficial.
A roof window does what it is supposed to do: it provides light, keeps the weather out, and can be opened for ventilation if needed.
Whether the window cleans itself depends on the roof pitch, which I don’t recall for your house.
I also assume that this anteroom or front area is not in constant use and that there is no need for uncontrolled ventilation that would allow rain to enter.
What else are we actually discussing here?
Any type of window can let rain in if it is open.
The cost of a dormer is disproportionate to the planned benefit. It’s even uncertain whether this room will ever be separated, or if there will be a bed in there.
From my childhood experience: great for stargazing, and when it rains, it creates special tapping sounds that remind you of camping trips.
My parents still have these windows from 1978: the wood frame shows water stains because back then we had to use these windows fully for ventilation. I believe a carpenter has serviced them at some point after more than 30 years. But they are still there—they still provide light and keep the weather outside.
What more could you want?
Interestingly, many people blame the glass pane for noise during rain, but this is not the case. The main cause of this rattling is usually the outer metal cladding of the frames. Manufacturers therefore apply a special coating to the inner side of the metal covers to reduce noise. Additionally, there are windows on the market with rain sensors, and even some that can control ventilation on a timer.
A friend of mine had this modern technology installed and always talks about it enthusiastically.
A friend of mine had this modern technology installed and always talks about it enthusiastically.
Thank you for the ongoing discussion!
I don’t see any risk of moisture from leaving windows open in our case. Ventilation is primarily the responsibility of the controlled residential ventilation system.
One possible purpose for the room could be a nursery for a third child – so it wouldn’t be a storage room.
My main concern would be moisture issues with the window closed due to leaks developing after several years. Hopefully, this is unfounded.
I don’t see any risk of moisture from leaving windows open in our case. Ventilation is primarily the responsibility of the controlled residential ventilation system.
One possible purpose for the room could be a nursery for a third child – so it wouldn’t be a storage room.
My main concern would be moisture issues with the window closed due to leaks developing after several years. Hopefully, this is unfounded.
P
Peanuts7418 Aug 2016 07:28Knallkörper schrieb:
Full quote replaced by direct address to @Neige
______________________________________
Hello @Peanuts74
Did the double casement windows have roller shutters?Ours only had internal blinds, which was enough for the time I still planned to live there.
Everyone is used to different noise levels. If you’ve previously lived on a main road, highway, or near train tracks, you might not find the sound of rain on double casement windows as disturbing.
As I mentioned, we had one directly above the bed, and during rain, I more than once preferred to sleep on the couch—not to mention during hailstorms.
However, there are generally few to no issues with airtightness.
Snow conditions also depend on the location.
If only about 10cm (4 inches) of snow falls throughout the year, it can be ignored.
But if you live in the Alps, with snow from December to March, and it’s the only window, it can be quite annoying.
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