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Sunroom Dictionary
AAMA (American Architectural Manufacturers Association) - A national trade association that establishes
voluntary standards for the window, door, storefront, curtain wall, and skylight industries.
ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) - A voluntary organization concerned with development of consensus standards, testing procedures and specifications.
Air Infiltration - The amount of air leaking in and out of a building through cracks in walls, windows, and doors.
Ambient Temperature - The outdoor temperature.
Argon - An inert, nontoxic gas used in insulating glass to improve the insulating value of the sealed glass units.
Awning Window - A window with the sash swinging outward from the bottom.
Balance - A mechanical device, normally spring loaded, used in hung windows to counterbalance the weight of the sash during opening and closing.
Bay Window - A composite of three windows usually made up of a large center unit and two flanking units at 30 or 45 degree angles to the wall
Bow Window - A composite of four or more window units in a radial or bow formation gently curved contour. Bow windows also project from the walls of the structure.
Brickmold - A type of external casing which frames windows and doors. Exterior casing around window to cover jambs and provide means for nailing during installation.
BTU - The heat required to increase the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.
Casement Window - A projecting window hinged at the sides and usually opening outward like a door.
Casing - Molding of various widths, thickness and shapes applied to the framework of window and door units. Interior casing is a flat, decorative molding which covers the inside edge of the jambs and the rough opening between the window unit and the wall. Exterior casing (or brick mold) serves the same purpose, while it also is an installation device through which nails are driven to install the window unit into the wall.
Caulking - A compound for filling joints and sealing cracks to prevent leakage of water and air.
Cladding - Material placed on the exterior of a frame and sash components.
Comfort Engineering - Optimizing glazing selections on a window-by-window basis to fulfill a prioritized set of objectives; e.g., comfort, energy efficiency (both summer and winter), UV protection, natural lighting, desired aesthetics, views, and budget.
Condensation - The change of water from vapor to liquid when warm, moisture-laden air comes in contact with a cold surface.
Conduction - A process of heat transfer whereby heat moves directly through a material by molecular agitation. The handle of a cast-iron frying pan becomes hot due to conduction.
Conductivity - The transfer of heat through a given material; see U-value which is the measure of conductivity, the inverse of R-value.
Convection - A heat transfer process involving motion in a fluid (such as air) caused by the difference in density of the fluid and the action of gravity. Convection affects heat transfer from the glass surface to room air, and between two panes of glass.
Cottage Double-Hung - A double-hung window in which the upper sash is shorter than the lower sash.
Counter flashing - That portion of the flashing attached to a vertical surface to prevent water from migrating behind the base flashing.
Curb Appeal - The visual attractiveness of a home as seen from the street; often the first impression. Realtors see curb appeal as an influential factor in evaluating and selling homes.
Design Load - The project wind load to be determined by the architect and expressed in psf, e.g., “the project design load shall be 38.7 psf, both positive and negative.”
Dew Point - The temperature at which water vapor will condense as warm, moist air is cooled.
Dormer - A framed window unit projecting through the sloping plane of a roof.
Double Glazing - Use of two panes of glass in a window to increase energy efficiency and provide other performance benefits.
Double Strength Glass - (DSB) 1/8” thickness.
Double-Hung Window - A window unit that has two operable sashes which move vertically in the frame. Two vertically sliding sashes which bypass each other in a single frame. Sashes typically fit within vinyl balances and tilt out and remove for safe, easy cleaning.
Downspout - A pipe for draining water from roof gutters. Also called a leader.
Dual Glazed - Two single lites glazed into a split sash with an airspace, not hermetically sealed, between the two single lites.
Dual Pane - Two panes of glass with a single airspace, held together by an edge spacer; the most economical IGU.
Eave - The area of the structure where the front wall meets the roof.
Eave Height - The vertical dimension from finished floor to the eave.
Electrostatic - A painting process by which the aluminum is grounded and the paint carries a positive electric current. This creates a magnetic attraction between the paint and the aluminum allowing for uniform paint coverage on all exposed extrusion surfaces.
Emissivity - Emission or the ability to radiate heat in the form of long-wave radiation.
Escutcheon Plate - Hardware for handles, etc.
Etch - To alter the surface of glass with hydrofluoric acid or other caustic agents. Unintentional permanent etching of glass may occur from alkali and other runoff from surrounding building materials.
Extrude - The process of shaping aluminum or vinyl by forcing it through a die.
Extruded Aluminum - A part created by pushing heated aluminum through an opening in a die.
Extrusion - The process, in which a heated material is forced through a die, used to produce aluminum, vinyl (PVC) and other profiles or components.
Fin Seal - A form of pile weatherstrip that has a plastic mylar fin centered in the pile. This fin reduces air infiltration and ensures weatherstrip contact throughout the window’s life.
Fixed Lite - Non-venting or non-operable window.
Fixed Panel - Non-operable door usually combined with operable door units.
Fixed Window- Non-operable window applications.
Flashing - Pieces of metal or roll roofing used to prevent seepage of water into a building around any intersection or projection in a roof such as vent pipes, chimneys, adjoining walls, dormers and valleys. Galvanized metal flashing should be minimum 26-gauge.
Foundation - The wall that supports the structure of a building. Can be poured concrete, block, stone or break.
Frame - The enclosure in which window sash or door panels are mounted. Outside members of a window unit which enclose the sashes. Composed of side jambs, head jamb and sill.
French Door - Generally refers to a pair of hinged doors that open from the middle.
Gable - The upper portion of a sidewall that comes to a triangular point at the ridge of a sloping roof.
Gable Roof - A type of roof containing sloping planes of the same pitch on each side of the ridge. Contains a gable at each end.
Gas filled Glass - A gas other than air placed between insulated glass to reduce the U-factor by suppressing conduction and convection. (Usually Argon, Krypton, or Carbon Dioxide.)
Gasket - A rubber or plastic pliable material used to separate glazed glass and aluminum or vinyl.
Glazing - The glass or polycarbonate panes in a structure. Also the act of installing panels of glass in a structure.
Glazing Bead - A molding or stop around a window frame to hold the glass in place by pressure. A vinyl or wood strip, applied around the perimeter of the glass on the exterior of the window sash, for holding the glass in place.
Glazing Stop - The part of the sash or door panel which holds the glass in place.
Green Building - A movement in architectural and building circles aimed at creating structures that are occupant and environmentally friendly. Criteria such as sustainability, energy efficiency and healthfulness are considered.
Greenhouse Effect - The property of glass that permits the transmission of short-wave solar radiation, but is opaque to long-wave thermal radiation. The interior of a car heating up direct sun illustrates the greenhouse effect.
Gusset - A concealed, strong, right-angled shape used to reinforce mitered corners in tubular aluminum extrusions.
Gutter - The trough that channels water from the eaves to the downspouts.
Heat-Strengthened Glass - This glass is produced by heating the glass to temperatures approaching 1300º F, then rapidly cooling it with air, similar to tempered glazing. The glass results in a thermally strengthened glass that is approximately two times stronger than a piece of annealed glass. In general, the benefit of using heat-strengthened glass is reduced breakage from thermal and bending stress, which allows the use of larger pieces with out increasing the thickness.
Header - A heavy beam extended across the top of the rough opening to prevent the weight of wall or roof from resting on the frame.
Heat Fusion - Welding method to join PVC frame and/or sash members by heating the cut ends, squeezing them together and allowing the assembly to cool.
Heat Treating - The process where glass or aluminum extrusions are heated and cooled to make these materials harder and stronger.
Hermetically Sealed Unit - An insulating glass unit that is sealed against moisture. The unit is made up of two lites of glass, separated by a roll-formed metal spacer tube (at the full perimeter) which contains a moisture and/or solvent absorbing material. The unit is then completely sealed, creating a moisture free air space.
Hip - The inclined external angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes. Runs from the ridge to the eaves.
Hip Roof - A type of roof containing sloping planes of the same pitch on each of four sides. Contains no gables.
Hurricane Impact Resistant glazing - Used in coastal regions that are subjected to hurricane winds and flying debris. Specially designed, laminated glass products can fulfill these requirements – the multiple layers of glass may break from an impact, but the plastic interlayer and the structural bonding of the glass to the window frame allows the panel to remain in place, protecting the interior of the building. The test method for compliance involves impacting the window in multiple locations and then subjecting the assembly to cycles of positive and negative pressures to replicate the exposure seen during a hurricane.
Impact-resistant - Term used to describe window and door products that have passed established tests for resistance to wind borne debris. Such products are typically used in coastal areas that are prone to hurricanes.
Infiltration - The seepage or flow of air into a room or space through cracks around windows, under doors, etc.
Insolation - Incident solar radiation; the total radiation striking an exposed surface.
Insulated Glass (IG) - IG glass is made up of two discrete pieces of glass with an airspace interlayer. The added insulation will isolate the room from the outdoor temperatures. Insulating values can be improved by adding a Low-E coating or inert gas fills, such as argon. Variations such as heat-treated and laminated glass can be incorporated where additional strength and security may be desired. The thickness of the glass used will depend on window size and building design requirements (e.g. windload
Insulation - A material with high resistance (high R-value or low U-value) that is used to retard heat flow. Air, Argon, or Krypton gas spaces between panes of glass provide insulation in IGUs.
Jamb - A vertical member at the side of a window frame, or the horizontal member at the top of the window frame, as in head jamb.
Keeper - A hardware device into which a window locking latch engages for security. The receiving portion of a lock that interlocks with the lock arm. It’s mounted to the upper sash check rail on a double hung or single hung window and the inside surface of the sash stile on a casement window.
Kitchen Bay Window - A small bay window used above counter-height in kitchens; allows for a wider view and an inside sill for herbs and flowers.
Knee Wall - A short wall below the glazing on all or some of the exterior walls. Can be solid or glass. Also see Base Wall. (Knee wall is by other.)
Laminated Glass - Consists of a plastic interlayer material, polyvinyl butyral, that keeps the glass in place should it break. The pieces are retained within the frame and do not “fall off” after impact. Laminated glass can qualify as a safety glazing with any combination of annealed, heat strengthened, or tempered glass as layers.
Left or Right - Location information, always outside looking in, that can be used to specify direction, e.g., “the operating sash slides to the right.”
Lite - A piece of glass. In windows and doors, refers to separately framed pane of glass. Sometimes spelled "light."
Low-Emittance (Low-E) coating - Microscopically thin, virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on a glazing surface primarily to reduce the U-factor by suppressing radioactive heat flow through the glass. Solar Innovations™ utilizes Sol-I-Guard 240 as our high performance glass low-e and Sol-I-Guard 272 as our standard low-e glass.
Marine Glazing - A u-channel of soft PVC which is wrapped around the edge of the glass, cushioning the glass against the aluminum or vinyl. this process allows for unrestricted expansion and contraction and water tightness.
Mill - Unfinished and unpainted aluminum material.
Miter Joint - A joint formed by fitting together two pieces cut at an angle to form a corner.
Mortise Lock - A lock fitting a rectangular-shaped cavity in the edge of a door.
Mullion - A horizontal or vertical member that supports and holds such items as panels, glass, sash, or sections of a curtain wall.
Neoprene - A synthetic rubber having physical properties closely resembling those of natural rubber. It has extremely good weather and temperature resistance, bother heat and cold, with ultraviolet stability.
Nite Latch - Hardware which, when extended, restricts the sash opening to a predetermined dimension.
Non-Tempered Glass - See annealed glass.
Obscure Glass - See patterned glass.
Operator - A metal arm and gear device which allows for easy opening and closing of projecting windows; e.g. casement and awning windows.
Overhang -That portion of the roof structure that extends beyond the exterior walls of a building.
Patterned glass - One type of rolled glass having a pattern impressed on one or both sides. Used extensively for light control, bath enclosures and decorative glazing. Sometimes called "rolled", "figured," or "obscure" glass.
Palladian Window - A large, arch-top window flanked by smaller windows on each side.
Pane - A framed sheet of glass.
Panel - Usually refers to the separate panel or panels in a door frame.
Patio Doors - Sliding glass doors, often used for access to a deck or terrace.
Picture Window - A large stationary (non-ventilating) window which is designed for a maximum view without obstruction.
Pitch - 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" of horizontal span (e.g. 3/12 means the roof rises 3" in every foot of horizontal span).
Ply -The number of layers of roofing: i.e. one-ply, two-ply.
Polycarbonate - Strong semi-transparent plastic used in place of glass. Polycarbonate is more economical cost wise than glass and can be different thicknesses.
Projected Window - A window in which the sash opens on hinges or pivots. Refers to casements and awning windows.
Projection -The distance of a structure from the point of attachment to an existing structure to the farthest point outward of the structure.
PSF (Pounds per Square Foot) - A measurement of air pressure used in window testing, e.g., 1.56 psf (25 mph) or 6.24 psf (50 mph).
PVC (Polyvinylchloride) - An extruded material used for window and door framing.
Radiation - The transmission of heat through space by means of electromagnetic waves or particles from one surface to another.
Rafter - Structural members of a roof that support the roof load and run from the ridge to the eaves.
Rail - The top and bottom horizontal members of the framework of a window sash or door panel; a horizontal sash member.
Rake - The inclined edge of a sloped roof over a wall from the eave to the ridge.
Reflected Radiation - Solar radiation that strikes an exposed surface (like a window) after being reflected from the ground, trees, buildings, snow, etc. Reflected radiation can provide a significant amount of heat when vertical windows are used.
Reflective Glass - Glass with a metallic coating to reduce solar heat gain.
Relative Heat Gain - A measurement of the total heat gain through glazing for a specific set of conditions.
Relative Humidity - Humidity expressed as a percentage of the maximum possible humidity at a given temperature.
Ridge - The uppermost, horizontal external angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes.
Ridge Height - The vertical dimension from finished floor to the ridge.
Rise - The vertical distance from the eaves line to the ridge.
Rough Opening - An opening in a wall or the frame work of a building, where a door frame, window frame, or sub frame is fitted.
Run - The horizontal distance from the eaves to a point directly under the ridge. One half the span.
R-value - The measure of resistance to heat gain or loss (insulated ability). R-values, rather than thickness, can be compared for different materials. The higher the R-value, the greater the glass's resistance to heat flow and the higher the insulating value. The R-value is the inverse of the U-value.
Safety glass - A strengthened or reinforced glass that is less subject to breakage or splintering.
Sash - Framework holding the glass in a window unit. Composed of stile (sides) and rails (top and bottom).
Sash Balance - A coiled spring or spiral system integrated into the jamb liners to allow double hung or single hung sashes to open and close. They also allow the sashes to remain open in varied positions.
Sash Cord - In double-hung windows, the rope or chain which attaches the sash to the counter balance.
Sash Lift - a protruding handle screwed to the inside bottom rail of the lower sash on a double-hung window.
Sealant - A compressible plastic material used to seal any opening or junction of two parts, such as between the glass and a metal sash, commonly made of silicone, butyl tape, or polysulfide.
Self-cleaning Glass - Glass treated with a special coating. Currently, commercially available products feature a coating that uses the sun's UV rays to break down organic dirt through what is called a photocatalytic effect. The coating also provides a hydrophilic effect, which reduces the surface tension of water to cause it to sheet down the surface easily and wash away dirt.
Setting Block - A piece of rubber on which a piece of glazing is set.
Shed Roof - A roof containing only one sloping plane. Has no hips, ridges, valleys or gables. (Also Studio Roof)
Sidelights - A fixed frame of glass beside a window or door.
Sill - The lowest horizontal member in a door, window, or sash frame. Generally slanted down to the outside to shed standing water.
Single Glazing - A single layer of glazing used to enclose a structure, usually glass or plastic.
Single-Hung - A double-hung type of window in which the top sash is fixed or inoperable.
Sliding Door - Door in which a vent panel moves horizontally on a track system past a fixed panel.
Soffit - The finished underside of the eaves.
Span - The distance between any two consecutive structural supports.
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) - The solar heat gain coefficient, also called a shading coefficient, is a measure of how well a window absorbs or reflects heat from the sun. The lower the coefficient, the better the window is at blocking the sun's heat. Windows in hot or temperate climates should have a low SHGC; south-facing windows in cold climates should have a high SHGC.
Sound Transmission Class (STC) Rating - Measures the amount of noise reduction that can be achieved with a given product. A noise reduction of 10 decibels represents cutting the noise level in half, as interpreted by the human ear. So a rating of 25 means that the product reduces the outside noise by approximately 25 decibels, cutting the noise in half 2-1/2 times, or cutting it by over 80 percent.
Span - The horizontal distance from eaves to eaves.
Step Flashing - Flashing application method used where a vertical surface meets a sloping roof plane.
Studio Roof - A roof containing only one sloping plane. Has no hips, ridges, valleys or gables. (Also Shed Roof)
Tempered Glass - This glass is manufactured by heating annealed float glass to its softening point (1300º F), then rapidly cooling it with air. The resulting compression layer increases the glass strength to four times that of common annealed glass. Tempered glass will break into small particles. The pieces of broken glass are sufficiently smaller in size, allowing it to be classified as a “break safe” glass. Note: For skylight applications in commercial situations, laminated glass may be required. Please review the local and state building codes in your area.
Thermal Barrier - A stop of non-conducting material, such as wood, vinyl, or foam rubber, that is used to separate the inside and outside surfaces of a metal frame to stop the conduction of heat to the outside which results in a cold inside surface.
Thermal Break - An element of low conductance placed between elements of higher conductance to reduce the flow of heat. Often used in aluminum windows.
Tinted Glass - Glass with colorants added to the basic glass batch that gives the glass color, as well as, light and heat-reducing capabilities.
Tongue-and-Groove - A generic term for the male and female valance extrusion.
Transmittance - The ability of the glass to pass light and/or heat, usually expressed in percentages (visible transmittance, thermal transmittance, etc.).
Transom - A horizontal transverse beam or bar in a frame; a crosspiece separating a door or the like from a window or fanlight above it. Also, a window above a door or other window built on and commonly hinged to a transom.
U-Value (U-Factor) - The measure of ability of different structural components to conduct heat. The U-value of glass is measured by the number of BTUs that will pass through each square foot area, per degree of temperature difference, from one side of the glass to the other. Y-values indicate how well the glass will hold the heated or cooled air. The lower the U-value, the greater the glass's resistance to heat flow and the higher the insulating value. The U-value is the inverse of the R-Value.
Ultraviolet Light (UV) - Invisible rays of solar radiation at the short-wavelength violet end of the spectrum. Ultraviolet rays can cause fading of paint finishes, carpets, and fabrics, as well as deterioration of some materials.
Weatherstrip - A material of device used to seal the openings, gaps or cracks of venting windows and doors to minimize water and air infiltration.
Weep Hole - Holes in the sill of the glazing system to prevent accumulation of condensation & water.
Windload - The force of wind against the exposed surfaces of the structure. Expressed in pounds per square foot (psf).
Wire glass - Rolled glass with a layer of meshed or stranded wire completely imbedded. Available as polished glass and patterned glass. Approved polished wired glass is used as transparent or translucent fire protection rated glazing. The wire restrains the fragments from falling out of the frame when broken. |
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