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Glossary | |||||||||||
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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 Air Infiltration: The amount of air that passes between a window sash and frame. In windows it is measured in terms of cubic feet or air per minute, per square foot of area. The lower the number, the less air the window lets pass through. Aluminum Siding: Siding made from planks of aluminum with a baked on enamel finish. Apron: Inside flat trim member which is used under the stool at the bottom of the window. Argon gas: A colorless, odorless gas used in insulation windows. Argon gas is sealed between two planes of glass, reducing heat loss. Astragal: The center member of a double door, which is attached to the fixed or inactive door panel. Awning window: A top-hinged window that swings outward horizontally for ventilation. Back to Top B Backerboard: Any flat material fastened to the side of a house between the studs and siding to provide a surface to attach siding to. Balance System: A system of weights, cords and/or coiled springs which assist in raising a sash; and keep the sash in any placed position by counterbalancing the weight of the sash. Battens: Strips of wood placed over joints in wood siding to seal the joints. Bay window: A composite of three or more windows, usually made up of a large center unit and two flanking units at 30°, 45° or 90° angles to the wall. Beveled: Clapboards that are tapered rather than cut rectangular. Bow window: A composite of four or more window units in a radial or bow formation Brick mould: Outside casing around window to cover jambs and through which nails are driven to install the window. Buttlock: The bottom edge of a piece of vinyl siding which locks into the previously installed panel. Back to Top C Caulking: Material used to seal joints at intersections of different materials. Used with different types of siding to join the siding to pre-existing materials. Cam Lock and Keeper: The mechanisms which pull the sash together when placed in the locked position. Casing: Inside casing is a flat, decorative moulding that covers the inside edge of the jambs and the rough openings between the window unit and the wall. Outside casing (or brick mould, above) serves the same purpose, while it also is an installation device through which nails are driven to install the window unit into the wall. Casement window: A window with a side-hinged sash that opens outward for ventilation, usually controlled by a handcrank. Channel: The area where siding and soffit panels are attached to the trim or corner post. Also refers to the trim itself, which is named for the letters of the alphabet they resemble (J-channel, F-channel, etc). Check rail: On a double-hung window, the bottom rail of the upper sash and the upper rail of the lower sash, where the lock is mounted. Checking: A split or crack that appears along the grain of wood siding. Circlehead: A generic term referring to any of a variety of window units with one or more curved frame members, often used over another window or door opening. Clapboard: Horizontal, overlapping wood planks. Clerestory: A window near the top of an outside wall. Composition Board: Siding that is composed of weather resistant, compressed wood material. Condensation Resistance Factor: A measure of the effectiveness of a window or glazing system to reduce the potential for condensation. The higher the condensation resistance factor, the more efficient the window and glazing system. Cottage double-hung: A double-hung window in which the upper sash is shorter than the lower sash. Course: A row of siding. Cripples: The short 2" x 4" members used to frame under the sill or above the header in a rough opening for a window in a frame wall. Cupping: When a warp develops in wood plank siding. Curb: A watertight wall or frame used to raise slope glazing above the surface of the roof as a preventive measure against water leakage from melting snow or rain run-off. Back to Top D Design Pressure: A numerical value that defines the structural wind loading requirements (in pounds per square foot) for a building and the components and cladding of a building. Dormer: A space which protrudes from the roof, usually including one or more windows. Double Course: When an underlayer of shingles or shakes is covered by a new application of siding. Double-pane: Use of two panes of glass in a window to increase energy efficiency and provide other performance benefits. Double hung: A window with two vertical operating sash that slide up and down. Double rafter: The doubling (side by side) of the roof members to reinforce an opening in the roof for a slope-glazing installation. Drainage: A system of gutters and drainpipes that carry water away from the foundation of a house. Drip cap: A moulding placed on the top of the head brick mould or casing of a window frame. Drop Outlet: Formed piece that serves as the hole from which the water travels from the horizontal section of the gutter to the downspout. Back to Top E Egress window: A window large enough, as defined by local building codes, for exit or entry in case of an emergency. Typically required in bedrooms. Elbow: Pre-finished angled piece for directing water flow. End Cap: Flat formed piece that is placed at the end of a gutter section. Back to Top F Face: The siding that is visible once it is installed. Fascia: A flat board that runs horizontally along the eaves of a roof, typically capping the ends of the roof rafters to give the roof edge a more finished look and provide a base for attaching gutters. Fenestration: An architectural term referring to the arrangement of windows in a wall. Finger-jointing: A means of joining individual pieces of wood together to form longer lengths. The ends of the pieces are machined to form a set of interlocking fingers, which are then coated with adhesive and meshed together under pressure. Fixed: Non-venting or non-operable. Flashing: A metal or plastic strip attached to the outside of the head or side jambs to provide a weather barrier, preventing leakage between the frame and the wall. Frame: Wood, aluminum, or vinyl housing for a pane of glass. French hinged door: Hinged door(s) which have wider panel members around the glass. French sliding door: A sliding door which has wider panel members around the glass, giving the appearance of a French hinged door. Fusion-welded: The process of joining materials by melting them together with extreme heat (over 500ºF), resulting in the materials uniting into a one-piece unit. Back to Top G Gable: The triangular end of a house that stretches between the eaves and the ridgeline of the roof. Gable Vent: A vent placed in the gable of a home that increases air flow to the attic, thereby reducing heat and moisture buildup. Garden window: This window is a projecting, three-sided window, which includes one shelf, a glass top and two single-hung windows for maximum air circulation on each side. Gasket: A pliable, flexible continuous strip of material used to effect a watertight seal between sash and frame of roof windows much like the seal around a refrigerator door. Geometric window: Term used for windows that come in a variety of shapes (trapezoids, triangles, octagons, etc.) Glazing: The glass panes or lights in the sash of a window. Also the act of installing lights of glass in a window sash. Glazing bead: A plastic or wood strip applied to the window sash around the perimeter of the glass. Glazing compound: A pliable substance applied between the window sash and the lights of glass to seal against the elements and sometimes to adhere the glass to the sash. Glazing stop: The part of the sash or door panel which holds the glass in place. Gutters: Horizontal channels installed at the edge of a roof to carry rainwater or melted snow away from the house. Back to Top H Hanger: Flat strap that is installed under the roofing material and hold up the horizontal section of the gutter. Head: The main horizontal member forming the top of the window or door frame. Head board: A flat board cut to fit the contour of a bow or bay window and installed between the head jambs and the flat wall surface to finish off that area which would normally be ceiling. Header: A heavy beam extended across the top of the rough opening to prevent the weight of wall or roof from resting on the window frame. Hopper: A window with a top sash that swings inward. Back to Top I Impact Resistant Glass: Single or double pane construction made up of laminated glass containing a .090 interlayer. Inside Mitre Box: A corner piece of the horizontal section that is deflected in. Back to Top J Jack stud: Framing members, generally 2" x 4"s, which form the inside of the window or door rough opening. They run from the sole plate to the header, which is supported by them. Jamb liner: Metal or plastic covering the inside surface and head jambs of sliding windows. Back to Top K Keeper: The protruding, hook-shaped part of a casement window lock, which is mounted on the inside surface of the sash stile. Back to Top L Lap: The overlapping of two siding panels to allow for expansion or contraction of the siding material. Leader: A pipe that carries rainwater from the gutters to the ground, sewers, or wells. Lift: handle or grip installed on the bottom rail of the lower sash of a double-hung window to make it easier to raise or lower the sash. Light: (also spelled lite) Glazing framed by muntins and/or sash in a window or door. Light shaft: An insulated shaft built to direct the light from a roof window or skylight through the attic to the room below. Low-E glass: Glass with a transparent metallic oxide coating applied onto or into a glass surface. The coating allows short-wave energy to pass through but reflects long-wave infrared energy which improves the U-value. Low-conductance spacer: Metal used to keep the dual panes of glass separated in insulated windows. Traditionally aluminum was used as a spacer, however is an excellent conductor of heat which led to heat loss and condensation. More modern windows now use low conductance spacers, or metal that does not conduct as much heat. Back to Top M Masonry openings: The opening in a masonry wall to accept a window or door unit, the same as a rough opening in a frame wall. Molding: An ornamental exterior trim around the perimeter of a frame. Mortise: A slot or rectangular cavity cut into a piece of wood to receive another part. Mortise-and-tenon: A strong wood joint made by fitting together a mortise in one board and a matching projecting member (tenon) in the other. Mullion: The vertical or horizontal divisions or joints between single windows in a multiple window unit. Mullion casing: An interior or exterior casing member to cover the mullion joint between single windows. Muntin: A short bar used to separate glass in a sash into multiple lights. Also called a windowpane divider or a grille. Back to Top N Nailing Fin: An extrusion attached to the main frame of a window used to secure the unit to the rough opening. Nailing Hem: The section of siding where the nail slots are located. Back to Top O Operator: A metal arm and gear which allows for easy operation or closing of projecting windows. Outer frame member: The exterior protruding portion of a window frame which has no exterior casing. Outside Mitre Box: A corner piece of the horizontal section that is deflected out. Overhang: The portion of the roof that extends beyond the walls of a home. The soffit or eave is the underside of an overhang. Back to Top P Palladian window: A large, arch-top window flanked by smaller windows on each side. Panel: Usually refers to the separate panel or panels in a door frame. Panel Protection: The amount that a panel of vinyl siding sticks out from the wall. You should choose the largest profile available for any siding in order to prevent weather damage to the wall of the house. Passive solar collector: Any glazed area in the walls or roof of a building pointed to the south to take maximum advantage of the sun's heat without a mechanical (or active) method of storage or distribution of the heat. Picture frame casing: The use of casing on all four sides of the interior of a window, replacing the stool and apron at the sill. Also known as full-bound casing. Picture window: A window that has no moveable sash. Pitch: The pitch of a roof is the degree of the inclination upward from horizontal or flat. It may be expressed in degrees or as the ratio of the number of inches it rises in each 12 inches of horizontal span: 4/12 means the roof rises four inches in every foot of horizontal span. Pitch is also the angle at which a horizontal section of gutter is tilted in order to force water to flow toward a downspout. Pivot: A mode of operation for ventilating windows which generally means the sash pivots on a central axis and turns 90 or more degrees. Plywood Siding: Plywood siding that comes in grooved or decorative patterns. Pull rail: A handhold for sliding the sash back and forth. Rail implies that the handhold is continuous across the sash. Back to Top R Rafter: Structural members of a roof that support the roof load and run from the ridge to the eaves (overhang). Rails: The horizontal members of a window sash or door panel. Rough opening: The opening left in a frame wall to receive a window or door unit. Rough sill: The horizontal rough framing member, usually two inches by four inches, which forms the bottom of the rough opening. It is toe-nailed into the jack studs and is supported by cripples. Run: Length of a horizontal section of gutter. R-Value: The measure of thermal resistance used to characterize thermal insulation materials in buildings. The higher the R-value, the greater the resistance. Back to Top S Sash: A frame in which the panes of a window or door are set. Sash cord: In double-hung windows, the rope or chain that attaches the sash to the counter balance. Sash lock: Generally, a cam-action type lock applied to the check rails of a sliding window or at the open edges of a projecting window to pull the check rails tightly together or to seal the sash tightly to the frame, both for security and weathertightness. Sash weights: In older double-hung windows, the concealed cast-iron weights that are used to counterbalance the sash. Scoring: The process of running a sharp object, such as a utility knife, across a siding panel without cutting all the way through. The panel can then easily be broken off cleanly along the line of scoring. Seat board: A flat board cut to fit the contour of a bow or bay window and installed between the sills and the flat wall surface, providing a seat or shelf space. Shims: Wood wedges (often wood shingles) used to secure the window or door unit in the rough or masonry opening in a square, level and plumb position during and after installation. Side lights: Tall, narrow, fixed or operating sash on either or both sides of a door to light an entryway or vestibule. Sill: Horizontal member that forms the bottom of a window frame. Sill course (soldier course): The row of brick, cement blocks or stones laid across the bottom of a masonry opening which lay under the outside edge of the window sill. Sill dam: Sill designed with added height to hold back air and water. Simulated divided light: A method of constructing windows in which muntins are affixed to the inside and outside of a panel of insulating glass to simulate the look of true divided light. Single Course: Wood shingles or shakes applied so each course is exposed to the elements. Single glazing: Use of single panes of glass in a window. Not as energy-efficient as double glazing. Single-hung: A double-hung type of window in which the top sash is fixed or inoperable. Slider window: A window in which the sash move horizontally. Sliders are available in a 2 or 3-lite configuration, with the 3-lite having operable end vents. Slope glazing: Any glazed opening in a sloped roof or wall, such as a stationary skylight or fully operable roof window. Sloped sill: The sill of the window that has a downward slope to the outside. This sill has sufficient degree of slope to aid in water runoff. Soffit: The exposed underside of any overhead component of a building, such as arch, balcony, or beam. Solar heat gain: The process of providing a net heat gain within a structure, over and above the normal heat loss, by passive collection of the sun's heat through windows and other glazed areas. Sole plate: The bottom horizontal member in a frame wall. Usually either single or double 2" x 4"s. It is nailed to the deck or rough floor and the studs are nailed into it. Spacer: Material placed between two or more pieces of glass in order to maintain a uniform width between the glass, and prevent sealant distortion. Splashblock: Plastic or concrete surface put under a downspout to direct water away from the house. Square: A measurement that equals 100 square feet of siding. Stile: The vertical side member of a window sash or door panel. Stool: Inside horizontal trim member of a window sash or door panel. Stop: A wood trim member nailed to the window frame to hold, position or separate window parts. The stop is often moulded into the jamb liners on sliding windows. Strap: Flat hangers that are nailed into the house to hold the downspouts in place. Stucco: A cement, sand and water finish to a home that is water resistant. Available in a variety of finishes and styles. Stud: Vertical wood framing members which form a frame wall. In normal construction these are eight foot-long 2" x 4"s. Back to Top T Tenon: A rectangular projection cut out of a piece of wood for insertion into a mortise. Tongue and Groove: A way of connecting materials, such as wood, in which the tongue of a board is placed into the groove of the board following it. Transom: A smaller window above a door or another window. A transom joint is also the horizontal joining area between two window units which are stacked one on top of the other. Triple glazing: A sash glazed with three lights of glass, enclosing two separate air spaces. True divided light: A term that refers to windows in which multiple individual panes of glass or lights are assembled in the sash using muntins. Back to Top U U-Factor: A measure of heat transmission through a wall or window. The lower the U-Factor, the better the insulating value. Unison lock: A casement locking system which secures the window at two locking points by operation of one handle. Back to Top V Vapor barrier: A watertight material used to prevent the passage of moisture into or through floors, walls and ceilings. Venting unit: A window or door unit that opens or operates. Vinyl Siding: Plastic siding that comes in a variety of colors and styles and is virtually maintenance free. Visible Light Transmittance: The percentage of light that is transmitted through glass in the visible light spectrum (380 to 720 nanometers). The higher the number the higher the percentage of visible light transmitted through the window. Back to Top W Wall Sheathing: Sheets of plywood or wood planking used to cover the wall framework of the house. Weep Holes: Openings cut into a siding material to provide for water runoff. Wind Bourne Debris Region: Areas within hurricane-prone regions within one mile of the coast where the basic wind speed is 110mph or greater, or where the basic wind speed is equal to or greater than 120mph, or Hawaii. Windload: Force exerted on a surface by moving air. Windowpane divider: A short bar used to separate glass in a sash into multiple lights. Also called a muntin or a grille. Wood Plank Siding: Rectangular wood planks that can be installed either horizontally or vertically. Wood shakes: Rough, thick, uneven shingles, either hand split or sawn, that can be used as a siding material. Wood shingles: Shingles made of wood that are sawn and of uniform thickness. Back to Top |
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