Fixed windows are sometimes called picture windows because they are meant to either capture a certain outdoor scenery or an image embedded in its stained glass. Fixed windows have very subtle uses that many homeowners often take for granted.
Let's look at where fixed windows are often placed in the home and why.
More access to the outside world
Dining rooms where a series of tall windows surround the dining table are giving a wider outside view of the backyard, but many of these layouts are often incomplete if there isn't a row of fixed windows surrounding the table on top. Now instead of having visible access to just the grass and tree barks, you get to see the head of the trees and the sky in the background. In this way, the dining room is more exposed to light and, with the series of casement windows funneling the breeze into your home, this can be the next best thing to dining in the patio without having to be outside. A small adjustment of adding fixed (clerestory) windows can make a world of a difference.
light and decorative appeal More
Homes with a mansard, hip, or gable roof will often use fixed windows to allow for more light penetration. Claudia's two-storey hip roof home has a front door with fixed windows surrounding it. The ones on either side are rectangular in keeping with the door's shape, leading up to the top where a clerestory (fixed) window with a semi-circle shaped stained glass is letting most of the light pass through. To compensate for the excessive light, Claudia's stained glass has a lot of colors to decorate the home's hallway with its colorful silhouette, creating a pleasant indoor atmosphere while allowing just the right amount of sunlight into the home.
Tip: Strategizing solar energy as a means of distributing heat throughout the home involves the positions of the fixed windows. In very cool environments, the best positions would be the part of the home facing the sunrise.
The advantages of fixed windows
- Less expensive.
Likely to be less expensive than other windows because fixed windows have no mechanical parts. - Little to no replacement costs.
Unless they break, fixed windows will stay with you for a very long time without the need to pay for a replacement. - Reduces heating costs if used to store heat in the home.
With natural light being channeled from the sunny side of your home, you will have plenty of heat gain to settle in your home. - No air or water leaks.
- Higher levels of security.
Intruders often avoid breaking the glass of a window so they aren't detected. - They don't compromise privacy.
Because they are located high up on the walls, no one would be able to see the inside of your home from ground level. - Solar strategies.
During the sunnier parts of the day, the fixed windows on high walls will channel heat into the home and store it in the walls for the cooler parts of the day. - Control.
Double or triple-glazed windows allow for a fraction of the heat to pass through. If you live in an area where it gets particularly hot during certain parts of the day, glazing might prevent your home from getting too hot or stuffy.
