Air Infiltration Testing
Done to measure the amount of air flow through a window relative to the amount of wind. Normal testing is based on winds of 25 MPH. Results are shown in cubic feet per minute (Cfm). Remember: When comparing air infiltration tests, lower is better.
The space between two panes of glass which make up insulated glass
Extruded aluminum attached to the exterior of a wood window frame & sash to protect the wood from outside elements. Extruded aluminum (used by Quaker) is much more solid than roll-form aluminum (used by many other window manufacturers).
An inert, non-toxic gas placed between insulated glass panes in order to improve the insulating value
A venting style window whose sash is hinged at the top and when it is opened, the sash cranks out and up.
Block and Tackle Balances
Hardware contained in the window jamb which allows a hung window to operate in an up-and-down manner.
Produced by adding a colorant to clear glass to give it a bronze tint. Increases protection from sun-exposure and enhances thermal-efficient. It can be used in conjunction with a Low-E coating.
An aluminum exterior trim piece. Normally used with wood windows when they are placed in new buildings that have a brick exterior. Fills gap between the window’s exterior frame and brick for a smoother, more pleasing appearance.
British Thermal Unit. A standard measure for the amount of energy required to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
A flexible, hollow, rubber seal used to seal out air/water from the window or door’s interior.
Cubic feet per minute – a unit of measure used in air infiltration testing, e.g., “maximum .10 Cfm per foot of sash perimeter”.
Condensation Resistance Factor – a measure to show a window’s ability to withstand the formation of condensation on its glass or main frame. Remember: When comparing CRF, higher is better.
breathing tubes in serted into butyl spacer of insulated glass, allowing air pressure inside the glass to equalize air pressure outside of glass. This minimizes the possibility of seal failure &/or stress fractures.
A venting style window whose sash is hinged on the jamb and when it is opened, the sash cranks out and to the right or left.
A natural accumulation of water vapor or droplets as the result of warm. moist air coming in contact with a cold surface and cooling to its dew point temperature. Condensation may occur when a cold window glass or frame is exposed to humid, indoor air.
The transfer of heat or cold through a solid material (such as glass or wood) through direct heat.
Cottage Style Window
A hung window with two sash which are unequal in size to each other. In a Cottage unit, the bottom sash is always larger than the top sash.
Butyl sealant used as a spacer between two panes of glass to form insulated glass. This patented “warm edge” sealant is heat set in an oven and actually adheres itself to the glass. This minimizes the chance for seal failure (water between the glass).
Hardware specifically designed so that windows may achieve clear opening size dimensions that meet fire safety codes.
A window with a minimum clear opening size to allow occupants to escape through the window in case of fire. Egress window sizes are dictated by local fire safety codes.
The relative ability of a surface to reflect or emit heat or radiation. Emissivity factors range from 0.00 to 1.00. The lower the emissivity, the less heat that is emitted through a window system. Emissivity is typically measured by U-Factor (or its opposite, R-Factor).
Government program created to help consumers easily identify products that save energy, and help protect the environment.
An addition to vinyl main frame extrusions. Used for new construction homes that have vinyl or metal siding. Covers siding edges where they adjoin the window frame, giving a more pleasing appearance.
Fin Seal Weatherstripping
A fuzzy strip with a hard plastic backing that is used in windows and doors to reduce air infiltration. Fin Seal Weatherstripping is an upgrade to normal weatherstripping. It has a thin plastic strip in the middle of the wool pile to further prevent wind infiltration.
Allows you to fold a casement window’s the operating crank handle into a concealed position (great for mini-blinds)
Additional locking device used at the sill of a sliding patio door.
The overall depth of the window or door as measured from the front of the main frame to the back of the main frame.
The overall depth of the window or door as measured from the front of the mai frame to the back of the main frame.
Produced by adding a colorant to clear glass to give it a grayish tint. Increases protection from sun-exposure and enhances thermal-efficiency. Very similar to Bronze glass, but slightly more thermally-efficient. Can be used in conjunction with a Low-E coating
Glaze or plastic panes, as in a window or skylight. Note that the terms Double-Glazed and Double-Paned are the same. The term glazed should not be confused with “coated” or “tinted”.
A venting style window whose sash is hinged at the bottom and when it is opened, the sash cranks out and down.
Window whose sash operate(s) vertically. Hung windows come in two styles: Single Hung has only one operating sash. Double Hung has two operating sashes.
Inside Snap Trim
Interior finishing trim used to trim a window to the interior wall.
Insulating Foam Wrap
Foam material used around the perimeter of a window during installation. It is used in lieu of or in conjunction with fiberglass insulation.
Two panes of glass enclosing a hermetically sealed air space. The glass panes are separated by a DuraSeal® spacer to keep the sealed air space free of condensation.
Integral Lift Rail
A rail that is an attached part of the sash framing. It is not an added or slider-on piece of material.
The lip around the exterior perimeter of a window. Siding material is tucked behind it.
The vertical side of a window or door frame.
A wood or vinyl piece added to the interior or exterior main frame of a window to help it achieve a predetermined frame depth.
A multi-purpose vinyl liner placed in the left and right jambs of wood clad double hung windows. provides a protective lining, houses the balance system, allows both sash to slide up and down freely, and increases energy-efficiency.
Limited Travel Device
Safety feature that limits the amount a window can open. Because all requests are different, the amount the window opens or vents must be predetermined when ordered.
A microscopically thin, almost invisible metal or metallic oxide layer(s) deposited on a window glazing surface and sealed in an insulated glass unit to reduce the U-Factor by suppressing radiative heat flow through the window. Studies show that it not only keeps heat in during the winter, it also keeps heat out in the summer. It also protects fabrics and wall coverings from fading by blocking harmful U.V. rays.
The outer framing of a window or door that encompasses the sash or door panels.
Mull (or Mullions)
Material or area in which 2 or more windows are joined together.
Materials used to cover a joint or joints where two or more windows &/or doors meet.
Divider bars which appear to or actually divide a sash into smaller sections. They can be found within or on a sash, and can be EXTERIOR (outside the glass exterior face), INTERIOR (inside the glass face), INTERNAL (inside the insulating glass airspace), TRUE (dividing the glass), or a combination of these. They are used to enhance the aesthetics of a window door.
National Fenestration Ratings Council – a non-profit organization created by the window, door & skylight industry. Its primary goal is to provide accurate information to measure and compare the energy performance of window, door, or skylight products.
The part of the window frame that is actually nailed or screwed to a wall or rough opening frame when a window or door is installed. The nailing fin may be extruded (part of the actual frame), snapped on, or slid on to the main frame.
Also referred to as Frosted Glass, Obscure Glass is nearly opaque. It lets light in yet obscures visibility through the glass. Usually used in private areas such as bathrooms. It should not be confused with One-Way Glass.
A hung window with two sash which are unequal in size to each other. In an Oriel unit, the top sash is always larger than the bottom sash.
Pounds per Square Foot – a unit of measure used to test water infiltration through a window or door.
Picture Window/Fixed Window
A window that is not operable.
Relative to the entire frame depth, it is the measurement from a point in the open window frame to either the exterior or interior of the open frame. (i.e. 5” frame depth with a 3 1/4” pocket depth)
Used to operate windows out of normal reach (such as awning windows up high). Requires special handles or cranks.
Protected foam compression sills used to seal our air/water from interior.
Always expressed as width first, then height. It is the size of the opening needed to correctly house a window or door.
Flexible rubber seal used to seal out air/water from exterior.
Self-aligning Cam-Type Hardware
A term used to describe a type of sweep lock that allows a window to lock and seal tightly even when it isn’t completely closed (95% or better).
SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient)
Measures the proportion of solar energy penetrating a building. SHGC is expressed as a value between 0 and 1. Remember: Lower is better when comparing SHGC.
Sheet Rock Return Channel
A snap-on material used to house sheet rock and make it flush with the interior face of the window.
The horizontal base of a window or door main frame.
Usually a vinyl or aluminum material which holds glass in sash or main frame. Used in lieu of wrap-around glazing.
A material place between 2 or more panes of glass in an insulated glass unit to bond and seal the glazing unit. DuraSeal® is the spacer used in all Quaker windows and doors.
Stainless Street Pivot Bar
Type of pivot bar which connects a sash to the balancing system.
Type of glazing (usually wood) which is used to hold glass in the sash or main frame. Used in lieu of wrap-around glazing.
A safety glazing material that provides increased strength and break-resistance. When broken, tempered glass “dies” into fragments the shape of rock salt crystals that eliminate injury.
A ramp designed to create a gradual slope from the main frame sill of a door to the interior/exterior surface.
Mechanism embedded or attached to a sash which, when operated, allows a sash in a hung window to tilt-in.
Window whose sash opens by using a cranking mechanism. There are 3 types of venting windows: Casement, Awning, and Hopper. They are differentiated by the direction that the sash opens.
A description for a window unit that uses a spacer material (i.e. DuraSeal®) to reduce conductivity between interior and exterior panes of glass.
An opening cut into a window sill and or sash rail to allow water to drain to the exterior
Wrap Around Glazing
Glazing channels which wrap around the glass perimeter. They are used in lieu of stick glazing or snap-in glazing.